Results
Through the publication of three articles and an image database and clickable map, this research has shown how in distinct phases the location and function of buildings enabled the use of new and shared foci and memories to consolidate the role of the church in the economic and socio-political life of the Peloponnesian communities.
Three key points have emerged from this topographic and archaeological study:
- The Christianization of the Peloponnese was undertaken in three phases which can be identified broadly through emergent change and under this umbrella in three stages of:
- Complexity theory
- Social Movement
- Tipping point
Phases of Christianization at Agia Sofia, Korone - The socio-political context of the Peloponnese in the Late Antique period has been analysed to show the extent to which memory and tradition were used in order to maintain the social structures during the Christianization of the landscape. The variety of uses of memory manipulation has further refined the understanding of the Christianization of the Peloponnese, and it has clarified the nature of the impact of the process on the existing population. through the creation of new memories, and the alteration of the pre-Christian landscape in the 4th century. Furthermore, a diachronic examination of the Peloponnese from the 3rd to 7th centuries has shown the roles the church played in the social and economic highs and lows during this period.
Memory, tradition and visibility: Phedias Workshop and Late Antique Church, Olympia - 3. Given the original views of the Peloponnese produced during this study, it was essential to contextualize it in the broader Mediterranean context. To this end, four areas have been chosen to compare and contrast: Crete, Cyprus, Lycia and Cilicia. The Late Antique churches in each area have been plotted and the comparative analysis has begun.