Archaeological Wonders of Albania
Great Empires of History
Online Course
SNAPSHOT
Lecturer: Dr Eireann Marshall
Sessions: 3 x 90 minutes
Dates: 26 June, 3, 10 July, 2024
Times: Wednesday @ 2.00pm AEST
Group Size: Maximum of 15 screens
Price: $150 AUD
TWO WAYS TO WATCH
Can't make a date above? Don't worry... this course will be recorded, allowing you to watch each session at your convenience for up to 14 days. Simply sign up below and we'll send you a link on the first business day following each live session, ensuring you never miss a class!
Overview
The Balkan country of Albania, nestled on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, is a country whose rugged mountains and pleasant coastline is matched only by its rich history. In antiquity, it was the land of the Illyrians and Epirotes, Indo-European peoples whose land was also colonized by Greeks, and included the stunning cities of Apollonia, Bouthroton and Epidamnos (later called Dyrrachium).
Conquered by Rome in the 2nd century BCE, the region remained prosperous and was traversed by the Via Egnatia, making it an important link between Rome and Byzantium. After a period of Venetian domination, Albania was conquered by the Ottoman empire, as can be seen by the wonderful architecture of the cities of Berat and Gjirokastra.
YOUR EXPERT LECTURER
Dr Eireann Marshall is an Honorary Research Associate and Associate Lecturer with the Open University, as well as an Honorary Research Fellow of the University of Roehampton. Raised in the Veneto, she was educated in Barnard College, Columbia University, in New York, as well as the Universities of Birmingham and Exeter in England, where she has lectured. She has published a number of articles on Ancient North Africa, and co-edited volumes on 'Death and Disease in the Ancient City' and ‘Women’s influence on Classical Civilisation’. Eireann’s current research interests include the reception of classical art, as well as concepts of ethnicity and race in antiquity. With her vast lecturing and guiding experience, Eireann has in depth knowledge of Italy and its history and archaeology.
Session info
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An hour’s drive from one another today, the sites of Byllis, an Illyrian city, and Apollonia, a Greek colony, are some of the most important and photogenic in Albania. Both abandoned in late antiquity, their evocative remains lie in splendid isolation.
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Both important cities in antiquity, Butrint and Durres continued to be important in the mediaeval period, as they were part of the Byzantine empire. In later periods, Venetians, Angevins and Ottomans fought for the cities and left their marks here.
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UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Berat and Gjirokastra are famed for their vast array of monuments from different eras, from exquisite churches and mosques to formidable defensive works.
Suggested Reading List
Gilkes, O (2009) Archaeological Guide to Albania: Butrint and the Saranda Region
Roshi, E, Gilkes, O, Booth F (2009) Gjirokastra The Essential Guide
Bace, A (2023) Illyrian World: Architecture, Rituals, Gods, Religion
Booking
How it works
Our online courses are hosted live on Zoom, a free online education platform. If you don’t already have an account with Zoom, you will need to sign up at www.zoom.us. To join with video, you'll also need a device with a camera (such as a computer, phone or tablet with a webcam). Otherwise you can join with audio only.
An online ticket booking is required, made above. Each booking is for one computer screen use, not person. Our online booking system is powered by Stripe, with secure payment processing that accepts all major credit cards.
A confirmation of purchase will be sent to your email with a Zoom link to use for every session in this course, along with a reminder email sent 2 hours before each session.
When joining the Zoom meeting, you will enter a virtual ‘waiting room’. Please ensure that your Zoom screen name matches the name you booked under, so that the lecturer can admit you from the virtual ‘waiting room’ into each session. Your lecturer can help you troubleshoot any technical issues on the day.