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The spolia in the Middle Byzantine cityscape of Athens

2025/04/24 by Fuduli, Leonardo
Arts and Humanities · #Byzantine Studies and History #Byzantine churches #Historical and Religious Studies of Rome #Medieval Architecture and Archaeology #Roman architectural decoration #ancient marble workpieces #reuse

paper · doi:10.34780/d9q90574

openalex publication_date 2025/04/24 · openalex created_date 2025/12/13 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01

Abstract

A group of small churches built during the Middle Byzantine age (12th – 13th century) in the city of Athens show several spolia, i.e. reused bases, columns, capitals and frames. These, generally in marble, come from monuments of the ancient city and are placed inside the churches to embellish the most sacred parts of them. In the following paper the spolia will be analysed with particular attention to the new context focusing on the history of the building in which they are located, the chronology of their reuse, trying to understand the reasons for this practice.

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