Prof. Miguel John Versluys

Only Connect. Roman Greece in its Afro-Eurasian context 

Nearly a quarter of a century ago The Corrupting Sea placed ‘connectivity’ high on the agenda of ancient historians and archaeologists, soon to be seconded by the related concepts of networks and Globalisation. As a result of their massive impact, the original nuances of these concepts have sometimes been lost which may result in unfounded criticisms. One of these critiques is that focusing on connectivity, networks and Globalisation would underplay or even mask questions of power and identity; another that such perspectives would provide too little room for the (local) micro-scale. My lecture will revisit the concepts of connectivity, networks and Globalisation, using Roman Greece as field of engagement and thereby drawing on the papers presented in our meeting, to counter these critiques. I will argue and illustrate that tackling the global scale (that is: putting Roman Greece in its Afro-Eurasian context) in fact illuminates social and historical realities, strengthens micro-historical approaches and, importantly, will elevate the non-Classical Mediterranean, thus promoting decolonial perspectives.

Miguel John Versluys is a Professor and Chair of Classical & Mediterranean Archaeology at Leiden University. His research explores the cultural dynamics of the ancient world, the Hellenistic-Roman period (roughly 200 BCE – AD 200) in particular, from the point of view of Afro-Eurasia. He investigates these dynamic processes from local, regional and global perspectives and by means of a variety of methodologies and techniques derived from the Social Sciences & Humanities as well as the Natural Sciences. Verusluys' research has two distinct focus points: the interconnection of cultures and their various identities (”Globalisation”), and the interdependence of objects and people (“Material Culture Studies”). He has published 2 monographs, 16 edited volumes and almost 100 (refereed) articles and book chapters. Versluys is an active member of the Academia Europaea (2017) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) (2021) and one of the editors of the Brill series Religions in the Graeco-Roman World (RGRW).