SHU Professor Awarded Grant to Research Ancient Greek Municipality

Study of Roman emperor Hadrian leads to discovery of ancient deme

The Rust Family Foundation of Fairfield has awarded Sacred Heart University Professor Anna Kouremenos a grant to help fund her Besa Project, which aims to uncover information about an ancient municipality in Attica, Greece.

Kouremenos, a professor in the College of Arts & Sciences who specializes in Greek and Roman history, is co-authoring a book about the Roman emperor Hadrian. During her historical and epigraphic research, she discovered that Hadrian likely had a residence in the ancient Athenian deme (municipality) of Besa, in the southern part of Attica, Greece.

The deme is relatively unknown. “Even historical experts are unaware of its location and its importance, particularly during the Roman period,” said Kouremenos. “We know from epigraphic evidence that there were several men from this deme who became political leaders in both Athens and the Roman Empire.”

Historical and environmental surveys helped determine exactly where the deme would have been.

In June, Kouremenos will lead an international team in further on-site research in the hopes of gaining insight about the ancient settlement.

The Besa Project’s team members will collaborate with the local community during their expedition, including with members of the UNESCO Global Geopark of Lavrio. This area of south Attica produces wine, olive oil and honey. The residents’ knowledge of the land and its produce is expected to give researchers an added historical understanding of the region’s agriculture.

Kouremenos co-authored a paper about the deme of Besa, the first on the subject, and it will be available in June in the journal Classical Quarterly.

The Rust Family Foundation was established in 1998 based on a legacy from Margaret Dole Rust (1918-1995) and supports charitable causes. In 2015, the foundation began a program focusing on archaeological research grants.