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Mystras: Identities and Perspectives
May 20, 2010 9:30
ASCSA, Cotsen Hall, 9 Anapiron Polemou, 106 76 Athens
CONFERENCE
Presented by
Gennadius Library; Research Institute of Byzantine Culture; Istituto Ellenico di Studi Bizantini e Post-bizantini di Venezia
Maria Smali, 210-7210536, ext. 101
CONFERENCE
organized by
THE GENNADIUS LIBRARY,
RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF BYZANTINE CULTURE, UNIVERSITY OF PELOPONNESE &
L’ ISTITUTO ELLENICO DI STUDI BIZANTINI E POSTBIZANTINI DI VENEZIA
Cotsen Hall, 9 Anapiron Polemou, Athens
The kastron of Mystras, built by Guillaume II Villehardouin on a hill west of Sparta at the foot of Mount Taygetos, was transferred to the Byzantines in 1262 after the battle of Pelagonia. Looking for security, the inhabitants of Lakedaimon built a city under the walls of the castle. The city-kastron of Mystras became the seat of the Despotate of Morea from 1348 to 1460, when it fell to the Ottomans.
At this remote place of the Byzantine soil, in the context of the expected tragic end of Byzantium, Mystras flourished as a great center of arts and letters. In a period of constant military conflicts and intense political contacts, Mystras was continuously looking towards Constantinople from which it received political power, as well as spiritual and artistic tradition. At the same time, it absorbed numerous cultural elements from the West, and turned to antiquity for a new identity.
The conference attempts to throw light on the three sides of the cultural orientation of Mystras, namely, Constantinople, the West, and ancient Sparta. This thematic approach will project the complexity of the cultural synthesis achieved at Mystras, the charm of which inspired Goethe’s castle in Faust.
The conference will be accompanied by a small exhibition of travelers books curated by Aliki Asvesta.
FINAL PROGRAM
9:30-10:00 am Introduction
MORNING SESSION I: 10:00am -12:00pm
Stavros Arvanitopoulos, Museum of the City of Athens
Μυστράς: Τοπογραφία, πολιτική εξουσία και κοινωνία (Mystras: Topography, political power and society)
Elias Anagnostakis, Institute of Byzantine Research, National Hellenic Research Foundation
Μυστράς versus Μονεμβασία στον ανταγωνισμό των χρυσοβούλλων (Mystras versus Monemvasia in the antagonism of the chrysobulls)
Antonia Kioussopoulou, University of Crete
Κοινωνικές αντιθέσεις στο Δεσποτάτο του Μυστρά τον 15ο αι. (Social contrasts in the Despotate of Mystra in the 15th c.)
COFFEE BREAK
MORNING SESSION II: 12:15-14:00 pm
Iohannes Smarnakis, University of Aegean
Εξουσία και λόγιοι στο Μυστρά τον 15ο αι. (Power and intellectuals at Mystra in the 15th c.)
Jean-Michel Spieser, Université de Fribourg
Tradition and innovation in the Pantanassa
Μelita Emmanouel, National Technical University of Athens
Το εικονογραφικό πρόγραμμα της Περιβλέπτου και ο κτήτορας (The iconographic program of Peribleptos and the ktetor)
EVENING SESSION: 18:00-20:00 pm
Aspasia Louve-Kize, Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation
Δυτικές μορφές δομής και διακόσμησης στο Μυστρά (Western forms of structure and decoration in Mystras)
Titos Papamastorakis, University of Aegean
Μυστράς και Κωνσταντινούπολη: μνηστείες και δώρα (Mystras and Constantinople: betrothals and presents)
Iohannes Theodorakopoulos, University of Peloponnese
Ο Μυστράς και η πρόσληψη της αρχαίας Σπάρτης κατά τους Παλαιολόγειους χρόνους (Mystras and the perception of Ancient Sparta in the Palaiologan age)
Conclusions