Life in the Ancient City: Greek, Roman, and Byzantine
12 June – 23 July 2005
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I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The program will introduce students to the History and Archaeology of the ancient world by focusing upon the theme of the city and life within it during the period ca. 500 BC to AD 1450. The students will see how cities arose in the Aegean area, were transformed first by their inclusion in the Roman Empire, later were transformed still further by Christianity, and towards the end of the period by Islam. To some degree most of the archaeological sites we will visit reflect all these developments, but some fit uniquely within a single era. For example, although Delphi has some remains from all periods surveyed, it is inherently a classical site. Mistra near Sparta, on the other hand, is quintessentially late Byzantine. Istanbul (Constantinople) is late Roman as transformed by a millennium of Byzantine followed by centuries of Islam. Antalya sits in the middle of a large area extraordinarily urbanized in ancient and Byzantine times, indeed arguably the most urban area in the entire Roman Empire except only Rome, Constantinople, and Alexandria. Sagalassos considerably to the north of Antalya and the focus of an over-night field trip is a largely intact Roman city, now totally abandoned. Perge in modern Antalya's eastern suburbs is a Hellenistic Greek city with outstanding Hellenistic and Roman remains some of which still tower about forty feet above the street level. Antalya (in ancient Pamphylia) was the principal port in antiquity and remained a Byzantine enclave for centuries after all neighboring cities and countrysides had fallen to Turkish armies.
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The students
will explore all aspects of an ancient city, keeping in mind the words of
Alcaeus's poem written at the dawn of Greek urban life: A city is not its
walls finely built, or even its temples, but rather men able to use their
opportunities. So we will explore the temples, the sports complexes,
the ancient educational institutions and libraries, but also the water supplies,
road systems, defenses, trade and entertainment. We will know the daily
habits of the inhabitants and their hopes for the world beyond this life.
Although our academic focus is clearly antiquity, we cannot help but see firsthand
the cultures of two of our NATO partners, modern Greece and Turkey.
And since we will reside and learn side by side with a parallel Australian
program while in Antalya, we will profit from their peculiar enthusiasms,
national perspective, and the knowledge of their program director, Prof. Anne
Geddes, Department of Classics, University of Adelaide, whose experience leading
groups of students in and around Antalya goes back for a decade.
II. PROGRAM STAFF
a). DIRECTOR: Dr. Thomas S. Burns, S. C. Dobbs Professor of History, Emory University.
b). Our Student Assistant is Ms. Anjeza Cuku, a native of Albania, fluent in Turkish, an Emory student and a veteran of one Summer Abroad Program (Spain 2004).
c). ADJUNCT FACULTY (Greece and Istanbul) Dr. Andrew Ekonomou, PhD in History, Emory University, a Senior Lecturer in modern Greek language at Georgia State University, and a highly regarded attorney-at-law in Atlanta.
d). ASSOCIATED FACULTY (Turkey) Dr. Anne Geddes, Department of Classics
(formerly Chair), University of Adelaide, Australia. Dr. Geddes will
lead her own program, parallel to ours in Antalya. Dr. Geddes will
be responsible for her own students, and Dr. Burns for the Americans, but
we will of course teach everybody
needing our expertise.
III. ACADEMIC COMPONENTS.
1). During the Greek portion of the program we will visit sites and museums to reveal aspects of our central theme, life in the ancient city. There will be a modest amount of background reading provided, but in general the format here will be lectures and field seminars conducted on the sites and in the museums. During the Turkish portion in Antalya, we will take at least 4 day-long field trips and two over-night excursions; however, since we are based in Antalya, the capital of the area now and one of the most urbanized areas in the ancient world, students will have time to revisit local sites for their own research. We and the Australians are invited to use the Suna and Kiric Research Institute on Mediterranean Civilizations at no charge. This facility in Antalya has a fine historical and archaeological library, which, for its special orientation, exceeds that of Emory University, open stacks to students and faculty, 24 hour security, and totally air-conditioned work areas. All students will be required to conduct an independent research project of their choosing in consultation with Dr, Burns on some aspect of the ancient city. Dr. Burns will personally assist and supervise each. Towards the end of the program each student will present a 15 to 20 minute progress report before the entire program and entertain criticism. They will then rework their projects into written reports to be submitted to Dr. Burns either before the program ends or not later than the beginning of classes for the FALL semester 2005.
2).
History 385a and 385b, but the actual course listings are assigned by the
Center for International Programs Abroad (all students must register for eight
credit hours).
Registration with the Permission of the Instructor Only.
