Skip to ContentSkip to Navigation
Research Our research OIKOS Research

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 Andries Zuiderhoek (Ghent University)
  • Dr Miriam Groen-Vallinga (Radboud 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

  • Dr Kim Beerden (UL)
  • Dr Gavin Blasdel (RUG)
  • Toon Bongers (UGent)
  • Dr Antonia Bosanquet (UU)
  • Tom Britton MSt (UG)
  • Amber Brüsewitz MA (UL)
  • Prof. Dr Ann Brysbaert (UL)
  • Jitse Daniels MA (UG)
  • Dr Bart Danon (UG)
  • Drs Alexis Daveloose (UGent)
  • Dr Ton Derks (VU)
  • Dr Christopher Dickenson (UG)
  • Dr Tamara Dijkstra (UG)
  • Dr Efstathia Dionysopoulou (UL)
  • Dr Floris van den Eijnde (UU)
  • Dr Miko Flohr (UL)
  • Dr Lien Foubert (RU)
  • Dr Miriam Groen-Vallinga (RU)
  • Dr Nathalie de Haan (RU)
  • Anique Hamelink MA (UvA)
  • Dr Adeline Hoffelinck (UGent)
  • 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)
  • Sanne de Jong (RU)
  • Sjoukje Kamphorst MA (UG)
  • Christian Kicken MA (RU)
  • Prof. Dr Kristin Kleber (VU)
  • Dr Konstantin Klein (UvA)
  • Paul Kloeg MA (UL)
  • Prof. Dr Luuk de Ligt (UL)
  • Prof. Dr Stephan Mols (RU)
  • Prof. Dr Eric Moormann (RU)
  • Dr Basil Nelis (UL)
  • Prof. Dr Onno van Nijf (UG)
  • Dr Thierry Oppeneer
  • Prof. Dr Astrid van Oyen (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)
  • Dr Daniel Turner (UL)
  • Michele Valandro (RU)
  • Valentina Vari (UG)
  • Prof. Dr Koenraad Verboven (UGent)
  • Julie Verlinden (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 Marlena Whiting (UG)
  • 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)
  • Jip Barreveld MA (UL)
  • Prof. Dr Josine Blok (UU)
  • Kaylee Branse (RU)
  • Dr Lieve Donnellan (Aarhus)
  • Rhiannon Garth Jones (Aarhus)
  • Dr Brien Gernand (UL)
  • Rogier van der Heijden MA (Freiburg)
  • Dr Elon Heijmans (UvA)
  • Prof. Dr Emily Hemelrijk (UvA)
  • Dr Helle Hochscheid (UCR)
  • Dr Pieter Houten (Hamburg)
  • Dr Wim Jongman (UG)
  • Prof. Dr Egbert Koops (UL)
  • Dr Inger Kuin (Verginia)
  • Dr Leire Lizarzategui (University of Basque Country)
  • Dr Bouke van der Meer (UL)
  • Prof. Dr Fik Meijer (em. UvA)
  • Dr Fanny Opdenhoff (Hamburg)
  • Prof. Dr Jeroen Poblome (Leuven)
  • Zoltán Quittner (UL)
  • Prof. Dr Bert van der Spek (em. VU)
  • Eirini Vikatou MA (UL)
  • Prof. Dr Hans van Wees (UCL)
  • Dr Roy van Wijk (Münster)
  • Prof. Dr Jürgen Zangenberg (UL)
Last modified:19 March 2024 1.41 p.m.