Homer and Archaeology: Melbourne seminar explores myth, history and truth

·

Since Heinrich Schliemann’s excavations in the late nineteenth century at Troy and Mycenae, there has been a continuous quest to prove the presence of historical truth underlying the Homeric epics.

From the mid-20th century onwards, thanks to new archaeological discoveries, this debate was greatly expanded by scholars who tried to link numerous aspects of the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age material culture with the poems, with opinions varying significantly.

Homeric issues even became the focus of political manipulations within modern geopolitical views in the Aegean itself. This talk reviews these developments and assesses whether it is still worth pursuing a connection between objects and epics, or if it is pointless to continue posing such questions.

BIO

Alexander Mazarakis Ainian was born in Athens in 1959. He studied History of Art and Archaeology at the Free University of Brussels and completed his PhD at the University of London (UCL) with a scholarship from the “A. Onassis” Public Benefit Foundation. He initially worked as an archaeologist at the Greek Ministry of Culture. He taught for eight years at the Department of History of the Ionian University and since 1999 he has been Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Thessaly.

He has also taught at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, National Technical University of Athens, Paris I/Panthéon-Sorbonne, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (Paris), UCL-Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), and Paris IV-Sorbonne. His field projects include Skala Oropos and Vari in Attica, Kythnos in the Cyclades, Soros in Magnesia, and Kefala on Skiathos.

He has published numerous books and studies on Early Iron Age architecture in Greece, Homeric questions, and the results of his excavations. He was awarded the prestigious Chaire Internationale de Recherche Blaise Pascal in 2012 by the French state. In 2016 he was elected Corresponding Member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres in Paris, and in 2024 he received an honorary doctorate from Paris 1/Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Event Details:

  • When: Monday 22 September 2025, 7pm
  • Speaker: Prof Alexander Mazarakis Ainian
  • Seminar: “Homer and Archaeology”: is the quest worth pursuing?
  • Where: The Greek Centre, Mezzanine Level, 168 Lonsdale St., Melbourne
  • Language: English
  • Sponsors: Joseph Tsalanidis
  • This Seminar is a joint event with the Australian Archaeological Institute of Athens.
Cretan Convention - Web Banner

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Back to Greece: Four journeys, one shared return

As the Back to Greece series closes, what remains is more than a collection of travel diaries - it’s a mosaic of memory and identity.

Mytilenian Brotherhood of Sydney to hold memorial marking 113 years since Lesvos’ liberation

The Mytilenian Brotherhood of Sydney will honour the 113th anniversary of the Liberation of Lesvos with a series of commemorative events.

Film Review: ‘Athens Midnight Radio’ is Haralambidis’ nocturnal love letter to Athens

The 30th Greek Film Festival opened last week and featured a screening of Renos Haralambidis’ Athens Midnight Radio (2024).

Elena Pappas honoured with the 2025 Stephen Myall Award

At the Law Institute of Victoria’s annual awards ceremony in October 2025, Elena Pappas was recognised with the Stephen Myall Award.

‘Fertility and Filoxenia’: Empowering conversations on fertility and IVF options

The Hellenic Medical Society of Australia and Greek Community of Melbourne invite everyone to attend a free educational event on fertility.

You May Also Like

Investigation launched into death of teenage Greek boxing champion

16-year old Greek athlete, Vasilis Topalos, suffered a fatal head injury on December 12 at the gym where he trained in Tavros, Athens.

Pontian Genocide Memorial Seminar to be held at Melbourne’s Greek centre

The Greek Centre will host the Pontian Genocide Memorial Seminar on May 18, 2023 at 7pm, as part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars.

Jon Adgemis accused of trading Sydney pub group while insolvent

Pub baron Jon Adgemis reportedly transferred over $9 mill. from companies within his hotel empire in the year leading up to their collapse.