#MAREMonday 12

On 07.03.2022 we present the twelfth session of our online lecture series with a contribution by

Dzhem Habil
(Freie Universität Berlin)

Odessos: a harbor city or a city with a harbor?
Role of the sea in shaping the city during the Roman Period (1^st-3^rd c. AD)

Abstract:

While Greek colonization of the Mediterranean has been extensively studied, the Black Sea is often seen as periphery and has received considerably less attention. The maritime communication and trade system that sustained the region in antiquity and connected it to others remains poorly understood due to the lack of evidence.

This case study aims to explore the development of one colony, Odessos (Varna), founded in the 6^th c BC by the Milesians. Excavations have been carried out for over a century, but a complete image of the city and its port is still missing. It is generally accepted that the city retained and reinforced its role as a trade hub during the Roman period, yet this development has not been satisfactorily explored to date.

To underline the influence of external and internal factors that shaped the city’s development during the period of 1^st-3^rd c AD, its topographic characteristics and available numismatic material will be examined. Emphasis is placed on its lost harbor and the connection between city and sea.