Constructing Ancient Cities
11-12 September, 2023
Venue: Leiza, Mainz
Hotel: Favorite Hotel, Mainz
Cities are at the end of a long development process; they are constructed materially, socially, and constructed through the history of ideas, regardless of whether they have grown organically or are founded ex novo. From an emic point of view, the construction of ancient cities can be associated with organizational, infrastructural, economic, social, political and cultural challenges linked, from an ethical point of view, with those of the history and theory of knowledge. Central are the questions of what it takes to construct a city, what it means to construct cities, and how cities and their construction are in turn constructed as objects of knowledge. These various challenges have been addressed in recent years in numerous individual disciplines, ranging from the ancient studies, art history, sociology, and the history of knowledge, intensively, but mostly only in single aspects or disciplinary contexts. In the conference, these different approaches will be brought together and the construction of ancient cities will be illuminated from three different perspectives.
1) How are ancient cities planned, constructed, built, and supplied? Which sources,
methodological, and theoretical approaches can be made fruitful here, and how has the perspective on these processes changed by the establishment of Digital Humanities and the inclusion of Big Data? How can ancient communities be understood through the
construction processes and the accompanying social, economic, and aesthetic
decisions better understood? For example, what role do construction techniques and
materials play in the aesthetic perception of cities and their socio-cultural location?
2) How were cities and their construction negotiated or reflected literary, epigraphically, and visually? What role do (new) foundations, rebuildings, ruins or the staging of construction and
and supply processes play in different media? Can political, economic, social, religious, or material decisions and the debates leading up to them?
3) How were and are cities and their construction modeled methodically, theoretically, and as knowledge objects? The construction of cities is not just a single, linear, material process, but often equally iterative processes and non-linear processes that take place in leaps and bounds. Here a number of different knowledge, historical and theoretical practices can be taken into account, which can range from schemata of order, model formations to visualizations in diagrams and plans.
The conference will primarily focus on a period from the Bronze Age to the Early Middle Ages, with an emphasis on the wider Mediterranean region. Contributions are welcome from ancient studies, art history, human geography, sociology, and related disciplines that address one or more of the three central questions. Early career researchers are strongly encouraged to apply. Prompt publication of the conference will be sought.
Scientific Organizers: Dr. Paul Pasieka and Dr. Mariachiara Franceschini
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