Topography and the Inscriptions of Ephesos: What Findspots Reveal about Socio-Cultural History

Since the beginnings of archaeological research in Ephesos, inscriptions have played a central role as an essential source for the analysis of its socio-historical milieu. Their archaeological context, however, has never been presented systematially, since the inscriptions have been published piecemeal in the service of specific topical interests. Since the majority of the Ephesian inscriptions were not found in situ, their findspots reveal a great deal about secondary use and about the broader patterns of destruction and change in the use of large urban areas.
Alexander Sokolicek is director of the Magnesian gate project under the aegis of the Ephesos excavations of the Austrian Archaeological Institute. He holds an M.A. (1997) and Ph.D. (2003) from the University of Vienna, in the combined course of Classical Archaeology, Ancient History, Epigraphy, Papyrology and Ancient Numismatics. His research interests concern fortifications and urban studies in the ancient Mediterranean.

This talk is sponsored by the Archaeology Research Focus Group of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center at UCSB.