From Roman to Early Christian Thessalonikē: A Conference on Religion and Archaeology

Program

All events take place in Andover Hall, Harvard Divinity School, 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, unless otherwise noted. The photographic exhibit, Studying, Conserving, and Displaying Early Christian Thessalonikē, will be available for viewing in the Braun Room, Andover Hall, May 9-15, 2007.

Please note that this schedule is tentative and may have additions or changes.

Thursday, May 10

Sperry Room

5:30 pm
Welcome and Introduction
Laura Nasrallah
5:45-6:15 pm
Charalambos Bakirtzis, "Late Antiquity and Christianity in Thessalonikē: Aspects of a Transformation"
6:15-6:35 pm
Discussion
6:35-6:55 pm
Christos Zachopoulos, "The Early Christian Heritage in Thessalonikē and the Hellenic Ministry of Culture"
Opening of the Photographic Exhibit "Studying, Conserving, and Displaying Early Christian Thessalonikē"
7 pm
Reception/Buffet Dinner in the Braun Room

Friday, May 11

Braun Room

9:30-10 am
Welcome and Introductions
Presider: James Walters, Associate Professor of New Testament, Boston University School of Theology
10-10:45 am
Pantelis Nigdelis, "Private Associations of Thessalonica During the Imperial Era: In Search of Identity and Support in a Cosmopolitan Society"
10:45-11:15 am – Break
11:15 am-noon
Richard Ascough, "Of Memories and Meals: Early Christians and Voluntary Associations at Thessalonica"
noon-1:30 pm – Break
Presider: Joan Branham, Associate Professor of Art History, Providence College; Vice President and Chair of Fellowships, Albright Institute in Jerusalem
1:30-2:15 pm
Melanie Johnson-DeBaufre, "Invisible in Christ: The Elusive Wo/men of 1 Thessalonians"
2:15-3 pm
Steven Friesen, "Second Thessalonians and the Ideology of Epistles: Our Debt to the Forger"
3-3:30 pm – Break
3:30-4:15 pm
General Discussion

Saturday, May 12

Braun Room

Presider, Jeffrey Hamburger, Professor and Chair, Department of the History of Art and Architecture, Harvard University
9:15-10 am
Laura Nasrallah, "Thessalonikē's Revelation: Towards a New Understanding of Iconography and Canon"
10-10:45 am
Theodosia Stefanidou-Tiveriou, "Social Status and Family Origin in the Sarcophagi of Thessalonikē"
10:45-11:15 am – Break
Presider: Susan Alcock, Professor of Classics, Director, Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, Brown University
11:15 am-noon
Christine Thomas, "Locating Purity: Temples, Sexual Prohibitions, and 'Making a Difference' in Thessalonikē"
noon-1:30 pm – Break
2:30 pm
Christine Kondoleon, Tour, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (for speakers, presiders, and registered participants only)

Sunday, May 13

Braun Room

Presider: Rabun Taylor, Associate Professor, Department of History of Art and Architecture, Harvard University
10:45-11:30 am
Helmut Koester, "Egyptian Religion in Thessalonikē"
11:30 am-noon
Laura Wood, A Presentation on Harvard's Visual Information Access and Harvard Divinity School's New Testament Archaeology Slide Collection
noon-1:30 pm – Break
Presider: Kathleen Coleman, Harvard College Professor, Professor of Latin, Department of the Classics, Harvard University
1:30-2:15 pm
Aristotelis Mentzos, "Reflections on the Architectural History of the Tetrarchic Complex at Thessalonikē"
2:15-3 pm
Slobodan Ćurčić, "Christianization of Thessalonikē: The Re-Making of a Tetrarchic Capital"
3-3:30 pm – Break
Presider: John Lanci, Professor of Religious Studies, Stonehill College
3:30-4:15 pm
James Skedros, "Civic Identity in Christian Thessalonikē"
4:15-5 pm
General Discussion

Monday, May 14

Braun Room

Presider: Betsey Robinson, Assistant Professor, Department of the Classics and Department of History of Art and Architecture, Harvard University
9:30-10:45 am
Demetra Papanikola-Bakirtzi and Anastasios Antonaras, "Ceramics and Glass in the Thessalonikē of Late Antiquity"
10:45-11 am – Break
11 am-noon
General Discussion and Discussion of Publication