City & Micro-Region in the Ancient Mediterranean (and Beyond)

International Conference I

Deutches Archäologisches Institut-Madrid. Deutches Archäologisches Institut-Istanbul. Museo Arqueológico Nacional. Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften-BAdW

This conference series explores ancient cities and their surrounding micro‑regions as interconnected socio‑ecological systems. Rather than viewing urban and rural spaces in isolation or hierarchy, the project emphasizes their mutual entanglement across time and place. It is guided by an international advisory board consisting of Manuel Fernández‑Götz (Edinburgh), Elif Koparal (Istanbul), Naoíse MacSweeney (Vienna), Jeroen Poblome (Leuven), Rubina Raja (Aarhus), and Martin Zimmermann (Munich).

The first conference, held at the German Archaeological Institute in Madrid from 21st – 23rd May 2025, focuses on configurations of city and micro‑region within the ancient Mediterranean and its neighbouring regions. Particular attention will be given to socio‑ecological complexity, temporal dynamics, and the ways in which these configurations were represented, perceived, and planned. The setting in Madrid offers a framework for discussing Mediterranean urbanism within a long‑term perspective.

The second conference will take place at the German Archaeological Institute in Istanbul from 30th October – 1st November 2025. This event shifts the focus to issues of connection, integration, and broader global perspectives, including maritime interaction and comparative approaches to city‑region relations beyond the ancient Mediterranean. By concluding the series in Istanbul, the dialogue expands to encompass the diversity of urban life in the Mediterranean and beyond.