A symposium, "Cyprus in the Long Late Antiquity", organised by the Faculty of History, will be held in Oxford in mid-January.
Cyprus in the sixth and seventh centuries emerged as a densely populated, thriving province, growing in affluence, which was in stark contrast to many other regions of the Eastern Roman Empire.
The prevailing historical consensus was that it all ended abruptly during the late antiquity as a consequence of Arab raids. This was largely based on urban archaeological work carried out, often not critically assessed, on monumental structures and Christian basilicas.
In recent times, research archaeology on Cyprus in this period has focused more on a contextual approach, using well-established techniques such as field prospection and diachronic survey schemes. It has been demonstrated that through local adaptation, ongoing politico-economic and cultural contacts persisted well into the seventh century.
This symposium assembles the historians and archaeologists conducting such research to collate both previous and recent findings. They will speak and attempt to arrive at a more complete and accurate interdisciplinary picture of life as it then existed on Cyprus.
The event is free and open to the public, but must be booked in advance. Printing services can be of inestimable value as a resource in an academic environment.
Cyprus in the Long Late Antiquity will take place between Wednesday, January 13 and Friday, January 15 at the Ioannou Centre, Oxford.
