Cities and Settlements in the Ancient World

This research group brings together scholars who analyse historical, material and cultural aspects of the development of the ancient city from the emergence of the first urban centres in Mesopotamia to the transformation and decline of the urban phenomenon in Late Antiquity with an emphasis on the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman Mediterranean.

Coordinators

• Dr Miko Flohr (Leiden University)
• Dr Sofie Remijsen (University of Amsterdam)
• Prof. Dr Arjan Zuiderhoek (Ghent University)

Description

This research group brings together scholars who analyse and discuss historical, material and cultural aspects of the development of the ancient city from the emergence of the first urban centres in Mesopotamia to the transformation and decline of the urban phenomenon in Late Antiquity with an emphasis on the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman Mediterranean. The group has a strongly interdisciplinary character, bringing together historical, archaeological and philological perspectives on the cultural, political and economic histories of ancient cities. Scholars working on the Ancient Near East also participate in this research group

The research group focuses on the following key themes:

• Communities: the social, political and cultural dynamics of urban communities are a logical focal point. Relevant topics include the study of civic identity, the working of urban political institutions and political culture, the relations between urban communities and empires (and their rulers), the formation and interaction of social groups in the city, civic rituals and urban religion, and the history of gender roles and (legal) statuses in urban life.

• Economies: a key aspect of ancient urban history are the economic foundations of urbanism, including the relation between city and countryside, the development of institutions of exchange, and the emergence of commercial facilities. Related topics are the role of cities as essential cogwheels in the taxation system of empires, and their role in minting coins; moreover, aspects of urban demography also fall under this header, including migration, (excess) mortality, and quality of life.

• Cityscapes: the study of urban landscapes and their built environment, and of the impact of urbanization and settlement development on the surrounding countryside, has developed into a key topic among classical and Mediterranean archaeologists, as is, at a higher level of abstraction, the study of urban networks. Topics include colonization and city planning, monumentalization, commercialization, suburbanization, and the impact of political powers, such as Hellenistic kings and Roman emperors on urban landscapes. Research also focuses on the application of space syntax and other innovative methodologies.

• Representations: ancient reflections on and representations of cities, urban communities and urban life, both in written and in iconographic form, in literary and philosophical texts, documents (inscriptions, papyri) and images (coins, artwork) can help us to understand how the ancient city was experienced by its inhabitants and occasional visitors, and which roles the idea of the city (or of a particular city) could play in cultural and political discourse.

Members

Full members

• Pieter Alkemade (VU)
• Jip Barreveld MA (UL)
• Dr Kim Beerden (UL)
• Prof. Dr Josine Blok (UU)
• Toon Bongers (UGent)
• Tom Britton MSt (UG)
• Amber Brüsewitz MA (UL)
• Prof. Dr Ann Brysbaert (UL)
• Jitse Daniels MA (UG)
• Drs Alexis Daveloose (UGent)
• Dr Ton Derks (VU)
• Maarten van Deventer MA (RU)
• Dr Tamara Dijkstra (UG)
• Dr Efstathia Dionysopoulou (UL)
• Dr Floris van den Eijnde (UU)
• Dr Bram Fauconnier (UGent)
• Dr Miko Flohr (UL)
• Dr Lien Foubert (RU)
• Dr Nathalie de Haan (RU)
• Anique Hamelink MA (UvA)
• Dr Adeline Hoffelinck (UGent)
• Prof. Dr Emily Hemelrijk (UvA)
• Rens de Hond MA (RU)
• Dr Cisca Hoogendijk (UL)
• Dr Rebecca van Hove (UG)
• Prof. Dr Panagiotis Iossif (RU)
• Dr Renske Janssen (UL)
• Dr Lidewijde de Jong (UG)
• Dr Wim Jongman (UG)
• Sjoukje Kamphorst MA (UG)
• Alma Kant MA (UU)
• Christian Kicken MA (RU)
• Prof. Dr Kristin Kleber (VU)
• Paul Kloeg MA (UL)
• Dorien Slotman MA (UGent)
• Prof. Dr Luuk de Ligt (UL)
• Prof. Dr Stephan Mols (RU)
• Prof. Dr Eric Moormann (RU)
• Prof. Dr Onno van Nijf (UG)
• Dr Thierry Oppeneer
• Prof. Dr Astrid van Oyen (UG)
• Dr Manolis Pagkalos (UG)
• Dr Jeremia Pelgrom (UG)
• Pim Schievink (UG)
• Tanya Sieiro van der Beek (UG)
• Prof. Dr Daniëlle Slootjes (UvA)
• Joost Snaterse MA (RU)
• Simon Speksnijder MPhil (UG)
• Dr Tesse Stek (UL)
• Dr Saskia Stevens (UU)
• Dr Rolf Strootman (UU)
• Dr Rens Tacoma (UL)
• Dr Marleen Termeer (RU)
• Caroline van Toor (UG)
• Voula Tritsaroli (UG)
• Dr Daniel Turner (UL)
• Dr Jean Vanden Broeck-Parant (UU)
• Michele Valandro (RU)
• Valentina Vari (UG)
• Prof. Dr Koenraad Verboven (UGent)
• Prof. Dr Miguel John Versluys (UL)
• Robin van Vliet MA (UG)
• Prof. Dr Sofia Voutsaki (UG)
• Prof. Dr Joanita Vroom (UL)
• Anna van der Weij (UU)
• Dr Rinse Willet (RU)
• Dr Christina Williamson (UG)
• Adam Wiznura MA (UG)
• Dr Shana Zaia (VU)
• Prof. Dr Arjan Zuiderhoek (UGent)

Associated members

• Nicholas Aherne (UG)
• Kaylee Branse (RU)
• Bart Danon (St. Andrews)
• Dr Christopher Dickenson (Aarhus)
• Dr Lieve Donnellan (Aarhus)
• Rhiannon Garth Jones (Aarhus)
• Rogier van der Heijden MA (Freiburg)
• Dr Elon Heijmans (UvA)
• Dr Helle Hochscheid (UCR)
• Dr Pieter Houten (Hamburg)
• Prof. Dr Egbert Koops (UL)
• Dr Inger Kuin (Dartmouth)
• Prof. Dr Fik Meijer (em. UvA)
• Dr Bouke van der Meer (UL)
• Dr Fanny Opdenhoff (Hamburg)
• Prof. Dr Jeroen Poblome (Leuven)
• Prof. Dr Bert van der Spek (em. VU)
• Eirini Vikatou MA (UL)
• Dr Sofie Waebens (Leuven)
• Prof. Dr Hans van Wees (UCL)
• Dr Roy van Wijk (Münster)
• Prof. Dr Jürgen Zangenberg (UL)