Hellenistic Research Articles

A Spirituality for Cosmopolis

This essay will draw from the classical Greek notions of cosmopolis and cosmopolitanism—world citizenship—as a heuristic for contemplating the question of contemporary participation in a wholly good global society. The first part of this paper will explore how the ancient notion of cosmopolis offers contemporary thinkers a compelling hermeneutic for considering cultural growth over history. Then, in part two, it will focus on spirituality, returning to the ancient Greek world through the lens of Pierre Hadot’s work on philosophy as spiritual exercise. Finally, this essay will engage Bernard Lonergan’s suggestion that cosmopolis as a heuristic is fundamentally oriented toward reversing the kinds of decline that emerge from shortsightedness and various forms of bias.

საზოგადოება „შევარდენი“ როგორც კულტუროლოგიური ფენომენი და გერონტი ქიქოძის ერთი ნაშრომი

The work provides discussion of Sokol Society (sokol – falcon) estab­lished in Czechia by Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner and similar public movement named Shevardeni (meaning of this Georgian word is also falcon) established by Giorgi Nikoladze, Giorgi Egnatashvili, Gaioz Berelashvili, Davit Javrishvili, Tamar Nikoladze etc. According to the article, just like So­kol, Shevardeni was not a purely sports society and its purpose was disse­mi­nation of the moral-oriented philosophy and original esthetics related to many arts (painting, poetry, choreography, music...), members of the Society were closely related to the spheres of medicine, social and political sciences. Similar to Sokol, worldview of Shevardeni was mentally close to the ancient Hellenic world, in particular, with Kalokagathia. Shevardeni had time to publish quite limited literature, but these pub­lications demonstrate that many Georgian poets, musi­cians, painters, publi­cists (Shio Mgvimeli, Mikel Pataridze, Sezman Ertatsmindeli, Ioane Kipiani, Ivane Beridze, Evgeni Mikeladze, Va­le­rian Sidamon-Eristavi, Soso Aslanish­vili, Vano Pataridze, Ivane Machavariani...) collaborated with Shevardeni and esthetics, close to ancient Hellenic and Czech Sokol, gradually estab­lished in their art. For Shevardeni, similar to Sokol from Prague, revival of the national spirit was one of the main goals, Hellenic and Czech Sokol esthetics influenced members and followers of Shevardeni but they intended to develop this esthetics on the basis of Georgian national soil (they have created the Society’s anthem relying on the national spirit, also Georgian logotypes, national sportswear etc.). They had no time to fully realize their ideas. Shevardeni was founded in 1918 and, supposedly, for alleged nati­onalism, it was terminated by the Soviet government in 1922. Magazines published by Shevardeni contained numerous ar­ticles that, regarding both, their contents and stylistics, were quite close to one of the works (“On Physical Upbringing”) by famous Georgian writer and politician Geronti Kikodze (1888-1960) pub­lished in 1919 (generally, this book was very popular in 20s in Georgia); it praises ancient Hellas and discusses the worldview that has the greatest influence on the ancient Greek philosophy, litera­ture and arts; Kikodze’s work mentioned Czech Sokol in very posi­tive context… In our opinion, in addition to the fact of existence of Sokol in Prague, the mentioned work by Geronti Kikodze has also contributed to emergence of the idea of creation of the society similar to Sokol in Georgia. According to the main conclusion in the work, Georgian so­ciety She­vardeni existing in the period from 1918 to 1922 should not be regarded as a sports organization only and the history of its activities should be studied in the aspects of philosophy, fiction, many arts, medicine, political, social sciences etc.

Cultural exchange and technical artistry: Gold ornaments found in pre-imperial Qin Tomb at Ta’erpo, Shaanxi

The current study investigates the use of precious metals, aesthetic taste, manufacturing techniques, and craftworking practices in the pre-imperial Qin period before the unification of China, focusing on an interdisciplinary study of gold ornaments discovered at the Ta’erpo cemetery in Xianyang, dating to the 4th-3rd centuries BCE. Employing multi-spectral analytical methods, including 3D Digital Microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), we conducted non-invasive analyses and technological study of a selection of gold artefacts. The results reveal the mastery of sophisticated techniques, including granulation and filigree, which were rarely seen in central China prior to the 2nd century BCE. These delicate decorative techniques required precision, skill and deep understanding of gold metalworking, which demonstrated a high level of technological competence among Qin craftsmen. The investigated ornaments were crafted from very pure gold with content reaching up to 99.62 wt% gold, a rarity among early Chinese gold artefacts. Examining pre-imperial Qin goldwork within a broader Eurasian context reveals that these innovative artistic styles and decorative techniques were originally intertwined with wider influences from the Hellenistic world and the central Asian steppes. This research enriches the understanding of ancient civilization's interconnectedness and the ability of local goldsmith to adapt and integrate foreign influences into their own artistic traditions.

Artistic Bilingualism in the Greek Poleis of the Northern Black Sea: a Note on the Olbian Kouros in the State Hermitage Museum

Abstract The contact between Greek artistic tradition and that of the local populations in the Northern Black Sea area has traditionally been addressed in oppositional and hierarchical terms, often employing categories determined by ethnic criteria. This trend is not only limited to this specific area, but is a phenomenon that concerns the so-called “frontiers” of the Greek world, such as Magna Graecia and Sicily. By adopting a non-hierarchical perspective, the well-known kouros from the gymnasium of Olbia is here reconsidered as case-study. This object has always puzzled scholars, often leading to rather bizarre interpretations. By contextualizing it in the local panorama and comparing it, in particular, with the kurgan stelae, the hybrid status of this artefact is highlighted, both from a formal, technical, and iconographic point of view. Since this conclusion suits better the archaeological evidence of Archaic Olbia, this analysis ultimately prompts a reconsideration of the materials from the Northern Black Sea poleis according to more flexible paradigms, enabling the dialectical exchange between various languages developing within the same “artistic space”.

Hellenistic Ashdod-Yam in Light of Recent Archaeological Investigations

Ashdod-Yam is an important archaeological site with a history spanning the Late Bronze Age to the early Islamic period. The Hellenistic period marked an important phase for the site, when its acropolis served as a military base. This report presents the interim results of recent excavations that focused on the Hellenistic period at Ashdod-Yam. Based on the numismatic and ceramic evidence, the stronghold was established in the first half of the 2nd century BCE and should be considered within the framework of Seleucid military activity. Although it is difficult to determine under which Seleucid king this military stronghold was initially commissioned, it was most probably reinforced in the days of Antiochus VII Sidetes by his general Cendebaeus and then destroyed by John Hyrcanus I towards the end of his reign. The precision in dating the Hellenistic occupation at Ashdod-Yam offers a rare window into the life of a 2nd-century BCE coastal military settlement, enriching our knowledge of the site and contributing new insights into the region’s historical and cultural developments.

Women, gender and the ancient economy: towards a feminist economic history of the ancient Greek world

Abstract This article asks why women are ignored in debates about ancient economies and suggests a way forward. It argues that women performed a wide variety of diverse economic activities, though this is not particularly discernible from the scholarly literature, which mostly casts them as patrons or prostitutes and, despite the household being a basic economic unit to which women contributed, generally considers economic actors as male by default. However, by drawing on feminist economics, social history and gender studies, it is possible to reframe women’s varied activities in ways that acknowledge their labour, spotlight female agency, challenge the (gendered) categories of analysis and discourses that are predominantly used within ancient history, and recentre questions relating to the structures of inequality created by ancient economies. Three case studies explore some of the problems and raise new questions: Z3, a building in the Kerameikos the function of which is debated, the contribution of tax-farmers to sacrifices on Kos and the water supply in Athens. That is, this article argues that examining how ancient economies were gendered is a profitable way to think about both economic history and gender history.

Rhodian Influence at Kalynda during the Hellenistic Period: Analysis of Oil Lamps from Asar Tepe Excavations (Şerefler/Dalaman)

This study delves into the oil lamp fragments recovered during the 2022-2023 excavation season at Kalynda. Despite not being found in their entirety, the current state of these lamps allows for the determination of their forms. Originating from Rhodes in the 3rd century BC during the Hellenistic Period, these oil lamps were encountered in various regions, particularly through maritime trade. Rhodes, a prominent trading center in the 3rd century BC, held a leading position in maritime trade, actively engaging with the Mediterranean, islands, Egypt, and the Levant. The strong presence of Rhodes in maritime trade facilitated the widespread distribution of goods produced on the island to major trade centers across this geographical expanse. The discovery of Rhodian goods, including oil lamps, in Kalynda—a settlement situated between Lycia and Caria—underscores the city's integral role in trade. The political dominance of Rhodes in Lycia and Caria during the Hellenistic Period further contributed to an influx of Rhodian products in regional cities like Kalynda. Beyond the oil lamps, Rhodian influence in the city is notably reflected in amphora handles bearing Rhodian stamps. The lamps discussed in this study not only enrich our understanding of imported common wares in Kalynda but also illuminate the expansive trade network orchestrated by Rhodes during the Hellenistic Period.

The Role of Thessaly in Argead Foreign Policy and a Case of Invented Tradition

In antiquity, the Thessalians and the Macedonians, neighbors on the periphery of the Greek world, were perceived as primitive uncultured boors, whose political instability and proclivity to luxury left them open to collaboration with the Persians, the archetypal foreign enemy of the Greeks. As time went on, these stereotypes gradually shaded into hostile caricatures bearing little relation to reality, a process that heated up after Philip II of Macedon began to replace the Persians as a direct threat to the continued autonomy of the Greek poleis. In this contribution, I re-examine the role that the traditional Argead alliance with the Aleuads of Thessaly played in Philip’s ultimate conquest of Greece, thereby contributing to the development of the unflattering stereotypes that they both shared. The close connection between Philip and the Aleuads is also responsible for the retrojection to his Argead predecessor, Archelaos, of an intervention in Thessaly actually waged by Philip’s brother, Alexander II.

Dating an ancient spring tunnel using archaeological artefacts functioning as nuclei of cave pearls

AbstractCave pearls are spherical concentric speleothems growing radially around nuclei in shallow pools saturated with calcite. They are very rare in the Southern Levant. We present a unique assemblage of 50 cave pearls found in the Iron Age Joweizeh artificial spring tunnel in the Jerusalem Hills of Israel. Some of these deposits represent the first global evidence of formation on archaeological artefacts: pottery sherds and ancient plaster. Multi‐analyses were conducted to date and characterize the different nuclei and pearls. Charcoal samples extracted from the plaster nuclei of two pearls were 14C dated to the Hellenistic period. Two pearls were formed on sherds of Hellenistic lamps. XPS found Co colour remains, suggesting both had been imported. The Hellenistic date is also supported by archaeomagnetic dates of seven other pottery nuclei. Most Hellenistic remains are probably the outcome of a renovation campaign in the tunnel. Four pearls were sampled for stable isotopes (δ13C and δ18O). The range of δ18O values from the Joweizeh pearls is compatible with the Holocene Soreq and Jerusalem caves’ records. The δ13C differences between Joweizeh and Soreq indicate local changes in the overlying vegetation throughout history. The various lines of evidence enabled us to characterize the pearls’ formation process, reconstruct the Joweizeh spring tunnel's hydraulic environment and detect changes that occurred in its water flow regime throughout history.

Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates Among Roma and Non-Roma Mothers in Greece: A Single-Center Cross-Sectional Study from "Tzaneio" General Hospital of Piraeus.

Exclusive breastfeeding is vital for the optimal development of infants, yet the practice of using infant formula has become increasingly prevalent. While many studies globally investigate factors affecting breastfeeding, there is a scarcity of research focusing on marginalized groups, particularly the Roma community. This study seeks to compare the breastfeeding rates of Roma and non-Roma mothers upon discharge from a maternity hospital in Greece. It also examines factors contributing to the decline in breastfeeding among Roma women, with particular emphasis on the role of midwifery support. The aim of this study is to promote the development of supportive policies and programs for breastfeeding among Roma mothers. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2019 to January 2022, involving 248 infants born at ≥37 weeks of gestation and their mothers, who were of Greek nationality. Both Roma and non-Roma participants received consistent, high-quality care from the same midwife researcher, who personally attended to them. All participants initiated breastfeeding immediately after their newborns' births and practiced rooming-in by keeping their babies in the room with them during their hospital stay. Data were collected through questionnaires to determine the rates of exclusive breastfeeding among the two groups. The study found that a smaller proportion of Roma mothers exclusively breastfed their infants compared to non-Roma mothers, despite receiving similar levels of support from healthcare professionals. The provision of midwifery support did not significantly enhance exclusive breastfeeding rates among Roma mothers. This suggests the need for more comprehensive and multi-faceted interventions. Further research is required to confirm these findings and to design effective programs aimed at increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates, thereby improving health outcomes for Roma children and mothers.

Living by the Clock II: The Diffusion of Clock Time in the Early Hellenistic Period

Summary By the mid-second century BC, and possibly even earlier, clock time was widely known: from Rome to Bactria, from rulers to men of modest means. This is striking, as Greco-Roman clock time was not fully conceptualized until 300 BC. In this article, I aim to explain its rapid diffusion, by examining which groups in society were the first to adopt clock time and how they communicated the concept and its related practices to others. I make use of Everett Rogers’ model of the diffusion of innovations, which identifies various adopter categories and their typical characteristics. I identify two groups of early adopters of clock time. Firstly, there is the cosmopolitan elite at the intellectual hubs Alexandria and Athens. Through the travels and written word of this mobile group, the idea of clocks as prestige monuments and the use of clock time for precisely scheduled parties rapidly gained traction in other urban centers. The more important early adopters were, however, Hellenistic soldiers, in particularly the Ptolemaic cleruchs. Armies already had a tradition of carefully keeping track of time. Because they relied on the direct participation of a considerable portion of the male population, armies had direct ways to communicate usage of this innovation to a wide section of the non-elite population. Via mercenaries, military practices could also easily spread from one Hellenistic army to another. Back at home, the soldiers took their temporal regimes to (among other places) the gymnasia, which played an important role in teaching the artificial concept of clock time to the next generations.

THE MAIN FACTORS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF POTTERY CRAFTS OF CENTRAL SOGD

This article describes the changes that occurred in the pottery craft of the ancient Central Sugdian world. In general, with the introduction of the Hellenistic culture into the Sogd region, the shape of pottery changes radically. Bowls, plates, and glasses of various sizes are produced, and most of the vessels are given red angob on the inside and outside, and the surface is scratched and polished on special pottery tools. Such dishes can be found not only in Central Asia, but also in the countries of the Caucasus, Afghanistan, Iran, India, and the Middle East. In this period, the impact of the changes in the political, social, economic, and spiritual life of Central Sogd on the pottery craft, as well as the main reasons and characteristics of the development of the pottery craft, and the impact of historical processes on these changes are discussed.

Mozaika w Casa de los Pájaros w Italice (Santiponce, Sevilla) jako wyraz rzymskiej fascynacji ptakami

The aim of this article is to analyze and interpret a mosaic in one of the Roman houses (the House of Birds) in Italica (today Santiponce, Sevilla). This mosaic, depicting 33 birds of various species in square fields, will be considered in the context of the scientific interest in birds, which dates back to the Hellenistic era, as well as the custom of arranging aviaries in the country villas.

Long-Term Settlement Dynamics in Ancient Macedonia: A New Multi-Disciplinary Survey from Grevena (NW Greece)

This paper discusses the evolution of human settlement in ancient Macedonia from the Neolithic to the Late Roman periods, based on the results of a new multi-disciplinary and multi-scale archaeological survey in northern Grevena (NW Greece). Building upon an unpublished (legacy) survey, we developed a GIS-structured workflow that integrates site-revisiting and surveying strategies (material collection and test pits) with multi-temporal remote-sensing analyses, offering analytical information about site distribution, characterisation, dating, and taphonomy. Notably, the new study led to a 64% increase in the number of known sites. The combined results indicate that prehistory is less represented in the surface record than historical periods, likely due to the impact of soil erosion episodes. The Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age saw increased site numbers and the emergence of a settlement structure that characterised the area until the Hellenistic period. During the Roman period, the pattern shifted from a seemingly limited use of the landscape towards a model of more extensive habitation. This was driven by the appearance of new rural sites that introduced a land-use regime designed to support agricultural intensification by implementing anti-erosion measures, such as field terraces.

Women as cultural agents: Double coloniality, gender and diasporic memories of ethnic Greek Georgian women

In 2021, the world commemorated the 30th anniversary of the end of the Cold War, a half-century of ideological rivalry and divisions that left few societies untouched. ‘Cold War state of mind’, as the title of the book of Matthew Dune stated, with the primacy it gave to nation-states, overlooked issues of not belonging in dominant majorities and hegemonic cultures, for example, ethnic minorities and diasporas. In this framework, Greek-speaking communities in the former Soviet Union seemed to draw from their cultural background to become rooted in the Soviet ethnic mosaic but also to increase their social capital which in the 1990s turned to an important transnational value due to the migrant flows from Georgia to Greece. This article follows the life stories of two ethnic Greek women over the time of three decades through their memories since the 1980s, from the Black Sea region to Greece, to discuss how they address the post-socialist demand for an integration to the free market and how their double coloniality as Soviet and diasporic subjects interweaves with this demand.

Историческая значимость деятельности Иоанна Каподистрии в решении греческого вопроса в первой половине XIX века

The article examines the activities of Ioannis Kapodistrias as an eminent politician and diplomat in the history of Russia and Greece. It analyzes Kapodistrias’ contributions to the national liberation struggle of the Greek people for independence from Ottoman domination. The role of Russia in facilitating Greece’s path to independence is highlighted, alongside an exploration of the leaders of the Greek national liberation movement. The significance of Orthodox faith, indigenous traditions, and culture for the Greek people is also addressed. The research underscores the pivotal role of Ioannis Kapodistrias in fostering relations between the peoples of Greece and Russia, grounded in their shared Orthodox faith and the institution of the Orthodox Church. An examination of archival data, scholarly works, historical literature, and the statements of high-ranking officials from the Russian Federation provides essential groundwork for further study of the personality of Ioannis Kapodistrias, as well as the application of his experiences and insights in the modern geopolitical conjuncture.

Through the history of the acoustic response within the theatre of Taormina: From Greek and Roman periods to our days

The ancient theatre of Taormina is considered one of the most beautiful attractions of this town. Built on top of a cliff over the Mediterranean Sea, the spectators remain captured by the suggestions that this performance arts space can still inspire. Finished to be erected in the 3rd century BC, the theatre in Hellenistic period was provided with a small temple on the top centre of the cavea. Modified by Romans based on their requirements for spectacles, the organization of this ancient theatre was amplified with the creation of a double porticus supported by a columnade, and with the extension of the scenic building. After its desuse, some construction elements of the theatre were utilized to build new structures in town, provoking significant damage to the original shape. The spectacles that nowadays are conducted within the ancient theatre are many, executed especially over summer seasons. Acoustic measurements have been carried out inside the theatre to understand the acoustic response of the existing conditions. Starting from this scenario, the values of the main acoustic parameters have been compared with the digital reconstruction of the building at the Greek and Roman period. This research study highlights the difference in the acoustic response between these two scenarios and the existing conditions, and how the acoustics during the Roman period was the most suitable for musical performances.

The Princely Burials of the Central Balkans in Context

Despite a consensus that the Late Hallstatt ‘princely’ burials heralded the emergence of the earliest complex societies in the central Balkans, there is room for nuance. In this article, the ‘princely’ burial horizon is examined in light of the opposition between group-oriented and individualizing societies, while accepting that burials are as much an ideological statement as a reflection of social structure. On this theoretical basis, the author presents a study of two groups of ‘princely’ burials in North Macedonia and Bosnia in relation to contemporary and later burials, and with reference to settlement size in the Late Hallstatt and Classical–Hellenistic period. His analysis reveals that the inequality in burial assemblages of the Late Hallstatt ‘princely’ burial horizon decreases in the mortuary record of the fifth–fourth century bc, whereas the settlement size in the Classical–Early Hellenistic suggests emerging differentiation.

History of Formation of the Book of Zechariah 9-11

The article is a reconstruction of the history of the formation of Zech 9-11. The chapters of Zech 9-11 were divided into pericopes, which were then analyzed using methods of literary and redaction criticism. The analysis showed that the history of the formation of Zech 9-11 is complex and long - probably from Persian times to the period of the Maccabean wars. The original form of Zech 9-11 included verses 9:1-6a; 10:6.8-10, which predicted the restoration of Israel. Subsequently, passages treating on war 10.3b-5.7.11-12 and later created 9.11-13 were introduced into the book. The next redaction combined 10.3b-5.7.11-12 with 10.6.8-10 and created 9.14-17, combining this passage with 9.11-13. At the next stage, during the Hellenistic period, but probably before the Maccabean era, 11:4-5.7.8b-11.14 was written. After 305 BC, Zech 9:9-10 (without 10aα) was written, followed by 11:12-13, then 11:8a and 10:1-2a. Net editorial layer was constituted by the statements about the shepherds 10:2b.3a; 11:1-3.6.15-17; and Zech 9:6b-8 (the phrase וְנִשְׁאַר גַּם-הוּא לֵֽאלֹהֵינוּ is later). In the Maccabean period, Zech 9-11 was supplied with two more glosses, namely עַל-בָּנַיִךְ יָוָן in 9:13 and in 9:10bα.

Miracles of Technology and Art: Ancient Religious Aesthetics and Byzantine Iconoclasm

This article explores the role of technology in arousing religious awe from classical antiquity to the time of Emperor Theophilos. People’s fascination with technology ensured that this trend, increasingly popular in Greco-Roman religious festivals from the Hellenistic period onwards, gained pace among Christians after an initial period of rejecting pagan religious aesthetics. Technology was highly prised by both pagan and Christian rulers who typically sought to impress their subjects by displaying the technology available at their disposal. However, while the emperors’ reliance on technology to allude to divine favour was tolerated, technology employed to stage miracles or influence faith was deeply harmful for Christianity. Theophilos’ father is reported by Eutychius to have punished paradigmatically the mastermind of one such mechanically enabled miracle in his native Phrygia. Thus, Theophilos’ iconoclastic views as well as his known obsession with automata are explored as part of a longstanding debate on Christian religious aesthetics.