Dustin McKenzie | Macquarie University

Where the Tyrrhenian waters take up arms against the Adriatic: Maritime Cults and Spaces in the Graeco-Roman Strait of Messina

Hemmed in by steep mountainous hinterlands and the turbulent waters of the Strait of Messina, the cities of Messana and Rhegium relied on each other, the Strait, and their extensive maritime trade networks through the Graeco-Roman period for their survival. The religious landscape of these cities and their hinterland reflect not only this practicial reality, but the liminality of the Strait itself, understood in antiquity as equal parts divide and bridge between Sicily and Italy. The cults and religious practices of the Strait thus prioritise extra-urban affairs, rites of passage, health, and safe travels –key concerns for any cosmopolitan port, especially those who needed to navigate treacherous waters. This paper demonstrates how landscapes influenced maritime cults and sacred spaces in the Graeco-Roman world through an analysis of the archaeological and historical record in the Strait of Messina. From the centrality of Apollo and Artemis to the everyday function of the cities, to the importance placed upon Neptune and Orion as foundation deities, and the reliance upon Asclepius and Hygeia for everyday passage and health, the Strait boasts a rich religious landscape that is irrevocably intertwined with its geography, foundation, and position at the crossroads of the eastern and western Mediterranean.

On the big screen in the CCANESA Boardroom and streaming via zoom.

Registration

This is a hybrid event.

• To attend the on-campus seminar, you will need to have swipe-card access (i.e. staff, affiliates, and students) and notify Yvonne Inall. Places are limited. 
• All subscribers to the Classical Archaeology seminar mailing list will receive a Zoom invitation to the online event.

For more information please contact Yvonne Inall: yvonne.inall@sydney.edu.au

………

Everyone is welcome to attend the Classical Archaeology Seminar Series.

When
Tuesday 13 April 2021, 3:00pm

The Department of Archaeology is part of the School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry (SOPHI).

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