Opuscula 1 (2008) is out of print. Available for free download at Bokorder.se. Used copies might be available at Amazon.com and Amazon.de. Epineia kai limenes: the relationship between harbours and cities in ancient Greek texts By Anton Bonnier Abstract The aim of this article is to explore the relationship between harbours and cities as presented in literary sources dating primarily to the Archaic and Classical periods. Although it has been recognized that access to the sea and sailing routes was of great importance for the economic and political life of ancient Greek city-states, there have been few studies of the relationship between cities and harbours, and in particular of the emblematic role played by harbours within literary sources. Harbours are often presented as extramural entities in relation to cities and although urban centres would depend on harbours for the import and export of goods, and for maintaining navies, the relationship between harbours and cities is not unproblematic if we look at what harbours signify within these texts. Bibliographical information Anton Bonnier, ‘Epineia kai limenes: the relationship between harbours and cities in ancient Greek texts’, Opuscula. Annual of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome (OpAthRom) 1, 47–61. Stockholm 2008. ISSN:…

Opuscula 1 (2008) is out of print. Available for free download at Bokorder.se. Used copies might be available at Amazon.com and Amazon.de. The Archaic wall of Athens: reality or myth? By John K. Papadopoulos Abstract This paper reviews the philological and archaeological evidence for an Archaic, pre-Persian, city wall of Athens, and concludes that there was no Archaic enceinte separate from the fortifications of the Acropolis and Pelargikon. The extant testimonia, primarily Thucydides and Herodotos, can be interpreted in different ways, but there is nothing in these sources to suggest categorically fortifications other than those of the Acropolis/Pelargikon. Previous arguments put forward for the existence of such a putative wall do not stand up to closer scrutiny and, despite extensive excavations in those areas where the wall has been claimed, there is to date no archaeological evidence for an Archaic wall. The wall that the Persians breached in their sack of Athens in 480/79 B.C. was the Mycenaean circuit wall surrounding the Acropolis and Pelargikon; together these walls, built in the Mycenaean period, continued to serve through the Archaic period until 479 B.C. when work was begun on the Themistoklean Wall. Bibliographical information John K. Papadopoulos, ‘The Archaic wall of…

Opuscula 1 (2008) is out of print. Available for free download at Bokorder.se. Used copies might be available at Amazon.com and Amazon.de. Excavations in Midea 2006 By Katie Demakopoulou, Nicoletta Divari-Valakou, Monica Nilsson, Ann-Louise Schallin & Kalliopi Nikita Abstract Excavations in Midea continued in 2006 as a Greek-Swedish programme under the direction of Dr. Katie Demakopoulou in collaboration with Dr. Ann-Louise Schallin. In the Upper Acropolis remains of an Early Helladic II defensive system were uncovered. East of this and at a lower level, a floor deposit was excavated with abundant pottery of Early Helladic I date including typical examples of the Talioti Ware. In the West Gate area excavation continued in the west part of the building complex adjacent to the fortification wall. Abundant Late helladic IIIB2 pottery was recovered from the exploration of two more rooms of the complex. A new trench was opened on the lower west terrace of the Acropolis in order to expose the line and the entire width of the fortification wall, which is almost completely covered by accumulated deposits in this area. Excavation was resumed in the East Gate area with the removal of a wide baulk and the investigation of the space…