The Architecture of the Roman Province of Macedonia: Unique Characteristics and the Impact of the Empire-Wide Architecture (20 min)

Presenters

Vassilis Evangelidis, Greek Ministry of Education, Athena Research Center in Information, Communication and Knowledge Technologies

Abstract

The Roman province of Macedonia, situated in the eastern part of the Roman Empire encompassing modern-day Greece, North Macedonia, and parts of Bulgaria and Albania, played a crucial role in the expansion and consolidation of Roman power in the Mediterranean world. Ongoing archaeological research has revealed that the built environment of Roman Macedonia was influenced by a variety of factors, including the region’s unique architectural heritage, its strategic location on the Via Egnatia, and the broader impact of Roman imperial architecture. The province’s architectural styles and influences were diverse, reflecting the varied cultural and artistic traditions of the region.

This paper aims to examine the architecture of Roman Macedonia, with a particular focus on its distinctive features and the influence of the wider Roman imperial architecture. For instance, What was the most significant feature of the convergence between the West and the Hellenistic East in this region? Does the evidence from Macedonia suggest a different process of development compared to other areas of the Aegean world? Were the architectural developments in Macedonia introduced earlier than in southern Greece? If so, What was the reason for this difference? Were new architectural ideas and designs more readily embraced and adapted in Macedonia than in other areas of the Aegean world? To what extent did local characteristics and building traditions persist in the province of Macedonia despite the influence of imperial norms and architectural trends?

This paper aims to enhance our comprehension of the distinctive and multifaceted architectural legacy of the Roman province of Macedonia and its relationship with empire-wide architecture. By exploring the aforementioned questions, the paper seeks to shed light on the various factors that contributed to the development of urban architecture in Macedonia, including its unique traditions and the influence of imperial norms and trends.

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