The Empowerment of History by Archaeology: Contexts and Challenges

The project aims to highlight the contribution of archaeological data – monuments, works of art and, more generally, material remains – to historical research. At the same time, it seeks to identify and evaluate the alterations caused either by the passage of time or by later interventions which have obscured or eliminated crucial elements related to the original form and function of these monuments or objects. It also seeks to clarify the confusion caused by unsubstantiated studies, which have led to incorrect assessments of the identity and location of certain monuments in space. The re-examination of archaeological data with the aim of placing them in their historical context has proven particularly valuable for the understanding of the historical developments of the Peloponnese during the late Byzantine period. This era was marked by political and territorial fragmentation and division among competing powers—the Despotate of the Morea, the Frankish Principality of Achaea, the states of Venice, and other Italian cities. Within these complex territorialities, alliances and rivalries were fluid and constantly shifting, reshaping the political, military, and cultural dynamics of the era and altering the monumental aspect of space according to these pursuits. The political goals and choices reflected in the organization of space and the siting of monuments, as well as the various modes of religious expression — especially in areas with complex cultural influences, such as the late Byzantine Peloponnese — are examined in parallel, in connection with the trends, pursuits and preferences that are shaped in aspects of public life, symposium customs and dietary patterns, as recorded in written sources and material objects.

In its current phase, the project is focused on preparing the publication of the proceedings from the scientific conference titled “και το τραπέζιν έστησαν με την εξόπλισίν του… Symposia and Urban Nutrition in Palaiologan Mystras”, held in Mystras on 24-25 November 2023. The publication is a collaborative effort between the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Laconia.

The dynamic relationship between archaeology and history has been fruitfully explored at the Institute from multiple perspectives, leading to publications that analyze, in parallel, both scholarly and popular narratives of emotions, expectations, and perceptions. These narratives are studied in conjunction with their “artistic” representations—whether monumental depictions, craftsmanship, miniature art, or spontaneous popular engravings on monuments and objects (graffiti). A key innovation of the project team has been the integrated study of written and material evidence, with particular emphasis on Byzantine Hellas and the Peloponnese. This interdisciplinary approach has contributed significantly to transcending the narrow and often “manufactured” boundaries of the so-called “Slavic question”. The settlement of Slavic populations—both in urban and rural settings—has been re-examined within the broader context of complex population movements during Late Antiquity and the Early Byzantine period. These movements included the relocation of settlement centers from coastal to inland, mountainous, and fortified areas, as well as state-directed, organized transfers of various population groups. Research conducted within this framework has demonstrated that such practices were closely linked to imperial strategies aimed at establishing mechanisms of local control, assimilation, and the administrative integration of diverse populations into the Byzantine socio-political and cultural system.