A Late Archaic Destruction of Ancient Eleon

The Institute’s second event of 2020 will take place on Wednesday 12 February, starting at 7.30 pm in the in the library of the Institute (Dionysiou Aiginitou 7, ground floor, Ilisia. Metro: Megaro Moussikis). Dr Trevor Van Damme (Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Greek and Roman Studies, University of Victoria) will give a lecture entitled, “A Late Archaic Destruction of Ancient Eleon and its Historical Implications”.

“Excavations since 2011 at ancient Eleon in Boeotia, a synergasia between the CIG and the Ephorate of Boeotia, have greatly informed our understanding of this site during the Late Bronze Age as well as the Archaic through Classical periods. This talk focuses on the significant quantities of discarded votive material on the acropolis and places them within their regional context. In particular, I focus on one large assemblage of material that can be dated 500-480 BCE. My talk will discuss the characterization of the finds as votive, the possible deity or deities worshipped at the site of Eleon, and the historical circumstances that led to the burning of a proposed sanctuary on the acropolis. The date assigned to the deposit raises two intriguing possibilities: a destruction associated with the Athenian campaign in east Boeotia in 506 BCE or a destruction associated with the Persian army lead by Mardonius in 479 BCE.”

You are all most welcome to join us next Wednesday for what promises to be a most interesting presentation.

Jonathan Tomlinson
Assistant Director