Workshop: The afterlife of the Greco-Persian wars: From antiquity to modern times

The Greco-Persian Wars had a dramatic effect on the culture and society of Ancient Greece that extended far beyond the Aegean heartland and the generation with direct experience of them, as can be seen in various allusions to the Wars in several societies and across many subsequent historical periods. These manifestations present the combatants in both positive and negative ways, dependant on the circumstances of their reuse. In this workshop, we seek to engage with this contested heritage, guided by (but not limited to) the following questions: How were the Wars conceptualised by the immediately succeeding generations of Greece and Persia? How was the knowledge and memory of the Wars transmitted and which elements were highlighted, fabricated, or forgotten in the successive retellings of the conflict in antiquity down to the modern day? Have the forms of media (literary, artistic and, more recently, digital) used for this retelling affected these narratives?

 

The workshop will be held in hybrid form: the speakers and participants can join in-person at Kyoto University or via Zoom.