Introducing: Chrissoula Tzanetea
Chrissoula Tzanetea is a PhD student in the ERC granted research project 'An Empire of 2000 Cities: urban networks and economic integration in the Roman empire', directed by Luuk De Ligt and John Bintliff (Archaeology).
I was born in Athens, Greece, where I lived my whole life. Growing up in such a historically and culturally rich environment, I soon realized I wanted to study the past more thoroughly and therefore decided, while still just attending the first class of secondary school, that I wanted to become an archaeologist.
And so I did: I studied History and Archaeology in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, having been granted a scholarship by the State Scholarship Foundation because of distinguished performance. In the same institution of higher education and likewise as a state’s scholar I also attended a postgraduate programme in Classical Archaeology.
Alexandria
During all the years of my studies and especially in the summer seasons, I didn’t neglect to voluntarily participate in several excavations and surveys. For example within the historic centre of Athens (Ancient Agora, “Diogeneion Gymnasion”), in various islands of the Aegean Sea (Tenos, Kos, Kythera, Antikythera), in Boeotia (in the so-called “Boeotia Project”) and in Alexandria, Egypt. After my graduation I also worked for several months in a redeeming excavation conducted under the supervision of the 3rd Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities on the occasion of a public work in Eleusis.
My appointment as a PhD in the ERC Project “Empire of 2000 Cities” came as a pleasant surprise to me. Both in perfect timing with my academic pursuits (having almost concluded my Master degree I was looking forward to proceeding with my dissertation) as well as in accordance with my general research interests. Almost fifteen years experience in the discipline of Archaeology, in terms of both academic- and fieldwork, has made me realize the importance of the Roman era in the course of history. This era is in many ways the best preserved and therefore best represented phase of the past, and has substantially affected the present.
Roman cities of Greece and Cyprus
My own research will focus on the Roman cities of Greece and Cyprus, in an effort to enlighten the connections and relationships with one another on the one hand, and their presence and role within a broader urban network on the other. I am very enthusiastic about dealing with a subject which offers an overall view of such an important period of history. Last but not least I regard collaboration within the project as a crucial component of success and I feel lucky that I will be working in with nice and friendly colleagues.