The Urban Development and Decay of Ancient Lousoi
Event within the framework of the 125th anniversary of the Athens branch
»The Urban Development and Decay of Ancient Lousoi. Merging Town and Countryside in the Mountainous Peloponnese«
Christoph Baier | OeAI
The ancient site of Lousoi is located in the unique environment of the highest karst plain of the Peloponnese, in a contact zone between ancient Arcadia and Achaia. Its remote geographical location and the topographical and hydrogeological constraints of the terrain offered living conditions and economic opportunities that were markedly different from those of the inhabitants of the nearby coastal areas. Within its region, the ancient community was distinguished above all by the religious and socio-political importance of its sanctuary of Artemis Hemera as an interstate point of contact. However, results of recent field research underline that the relationship between the two essential polis entities, town and territory, was not characterised by dichotomy, but a rural-urban continuum. The lecture will provide new insights into the spatial organisation of the city and its integration into the landscape.