Seminars: Why Byzantium? The Contemporary Relevance

Event Details

Why should Byzantium hold special relevance to us today? As a world that is both irretrievably lost and tenaciously present, even in Australia in the form of Orthodoxy, how do we make sense of our relationship to Byzantium? In this lecture I unpack the complicated relationship that we have to Byzantium as a ‘lost Greece’ that nevertheless has a presence wherever there are Greeks. For all ethnicities (especially those who are not Christian) the lure of Byzantium lies in its aesthetics; and this talk reveals how the beauty of Byzantine objects, spaces and poetry transcends its religious basis, seductively thrilling contemporary audiences who are keen to understand its tragic mishandling. I will also highlight contemporary practices in Greece and the Greek-Australian diaspora that are largely unchanged from Byzantium, such as icon venerating.

About Olympia Thea Nelson

Olympia Nelson is a PhD candidate in the Department of Modern Greek & Byzantine Studies at the University of Sydney. She completed a BA Hons with first-class honors from the University of Melbourne, majoring in Art History and English & Theatre Studies. Olympia’s doctoral research focuses on the management and flourishing of emotions in Byzantium, exploring themes such as gender, space, monastic practices and the church. She has published articles and presented papers on these topics at international conferences. Outside academia, Olympia enjoys playing the violin and Cretan dancing.

How to Participate

This is an in-person only event, so please join us at the Greek Centre, on Level 12 (Press 12 in the elevator).

See our speaker live, ask questions during the Q&A and hobnob with fellow participants before and after the event.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Admission to this enlightening lecture is free, and all are invited to attend.