The last 30 years have seen an increasing interest in the late antique and early medieval phases across Europe. Within this picture, Liguria is rarely mentioned in studies of early medieval Italy and often considered somewhat atypical of wider regional developments, especially when it comes to the Byzantine occupation between the 6th and 7th centuries. By adopting a multi-disciplinary approach, and combining my expertise in archaeological fieldworks, my research re-evaluates the importance of Liguria as a component of Byzantium’s territories in the western Mediterranean and explores how models of ‘survival and adaptation’ might be used to understand Liguria within its frontier context. Comparing Liguria with other Western peripheral provinces of the Empire, including the Balearic Islands and Sardinia, my research will explore the developing factors that affected the Byzantine westernmost areas during the early medieval period. The aim of this research is to establish a new protocol through which we might better understand the Mediterranean world of the 7th century.
Source of Funding: Midland3Cities