Pirates and Romans: Roman Cities of the Rough Cilicia Coast
At the end of the Hellenistic period, the south-central coast of Asia Minor (Turkey) was the base of operations for pirates who preyed upon merchant vessels operating in the regions between Italy and the Levant. After the Romans rid the area of the pirate threat cities began to spread at a rapid pace up and down the coast of the province of Rough Cilicia. Although these cities are still visible today, few of these urban areas have been studied or even explored by archaeologists. Unfortunately some of these sites are rapidly deteriorating because of land development and modern-day 'pirates' who are looting the sites of their antiquities. Among the goals of the Rough Cilicia Archaeological Project is the documentation of these communities by studying their urban planning and architecture, such as temples, baths, tombs, to gain an understanding of land use and urban needs in Cilicia during the Roman Empire.
This lecture highlights the work of the Rough Cilicia Archaeological Research Project; ancient sites included in this talk are Selinus, Lamos, Juliosebaste, and Antiocheia ad Cragum.
Particular attention is paid to the city of Antiocheia where Dr. Hoff is currently excavating a Roman imperial temple.
Roman Athens: The Transformation into an Imperial City
Few cities of the ancient world can rival Athens’ rich array of cultural splendors. Monuments such as the Parthenon, Erechtheion, and Theater of Dionysos (to name only a few) serve as visual reminders of Athens’ glory during the Classical Age. But scholars have neglected the era in Athenian history when Rome held dominion over all of Greece and the “Golden Age” of Athens was long passed. The Romans heavily patronized the city with endowments of magnificent buildings and monuments that outwardly reflect and honor Athens’ past glory, yet also readily testify to Roman domination. Considering the heavy debt the Romans owed to Greece with respect to their own art and culture, it is curious to note the Roman contributions to Athenian art and architecture.
This talk traces the topographical and architectural changes Athens underwent during the formative period of Roman control, which occurred during the late Hellenistic period and to the mid-first century AD. There is a particular emphasis on the role Augustus played in the civic transformation based on research by the lecturer. Monuments to be discussed include the Parthenon, Agora, Temple of Roma and Augustus, Roman Market, and others.
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