PROCEEDINGS OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM

One of the main components of the project “On the Steps of Aeneas” was the International Archaeological Symposium “Aeneas in the Troas and Latium Regions: Mythology and Archaeology”, held in Edremit (Turkey) on 26 October 2021. Turkish and Italian archaeologists – involved in the excavation and valorisation of the archaeological sites of Lavinium, Colosseum Palatinum, Troy and Antandros – worked on the boundaries and similarities at archaeological and mythological level of the heritage of the figure of Aeneas in Latium and Troas region with presentations and researches shared with the public.

The activity registered a total of 80 participants from local institutions, universities, municipalities and ministries, among which: Ministry of Culture of Turkish Republic, Governatorate of Balikesir, General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museum of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkish Republic, EPA Bureau Member Representative of Turkey, Directorate for Culture of Balikesir, Directorate for Culture and Tourism of Çanakkale, Directorate for Museums of Balikesir, Agency for the Development of South Marmara Region, Director and vice Director of Archaeological site of Troy (UNESCO), Director of Archaeological Museum of Troy, member of archaeological equip of Antandros, Director of Colosseum Archaeological Park (UNESCO), Director of Archaeological Park of Butrint (UNESCO), Director of Archaeological Site of Lavinium, representative of MiC Ministry of Culture of Italian Republic, Municipality of Balıkesir, Municipality of Edremit, Municipality of Çanakkale, representatives of Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency of Culture and Tourism Ministry of Turkish Republic, University of Balikesir, University of Çanakkale and Sapienza University of Rome.

The programme of the international Symposium was organised in two sessions. The first one titled “Troas Region: the escape and the departure” was moderated by Alfonsina Russo with the contribution and speeches of the Turkish academic board and was intended to deepen the legend of Aeneas and its correspondences with the archaeological, historical and landscape heritage peculiar of the Troas region. The second session, moderated by Prof. Rustem Aslan, was titled “The arrival of Aeneas to Latium” and was dedicated to the cultural, historical, archaeological implication created by the cultural heritage of the legend of Aeneas among the local ancient populations with a particular attention to the correspondences between the characteristics of Latium and Troas regions.