From Ancient Messene to Medieval Vourkano: urbanism in the Peloponnese between Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages

A research initiative that focuses on investigating the longue durée and transformation of the urban and rural landscape of Southwestern Peloponnese. Taking the emblematic case of Messene and its wider region as its starting point, the research examines the trajectory of the area from Late Antiquity through to the Frankish period, with the aim of understanding the processes that led from the ancient world of city-states and Roman metropoleis to the medieval landscape of castles and monastic centers. The investigation begins with the transformation of urban centers during Late Antiquity, examining the gradual contraction of the monumental core of Roman Messene. In this context, phenomena such as the change of use of public buildings, the re-habitation of spaces, and the emergence of Christian topography are analyzed—processes that radically reshaped the urban fabric. Subsequently, the study focuses on the continuity of habitation during the “Dark Ages” (7th–9th c.), a period of archaeological silence, where the analysis of material evidence (primarily ceramics) is used to investigate the shift of settlement nuclei to fortified locations and the ruralization of the landscape. The research narrative concludes with the emergence of new poles of power during the Middle Byzantine and Frankish periods (10th–13th c.), where the monastic complex of Panagia Vourkanou and the Frankish castles are examined as the new protagonists that mark a different model of settlement, economy, and social organization. This research project aims to transcend traditional narratives concerning abrupt decline, highlighting instead a complex and protracted process of adaptation, resilience, and transformation of the settlement network of Messenia.