Online: Reconstructing Ancient Syria

Thursday, April 9, 2020

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

About the Event:

In the ancient past, the war-torn Syria in today’s news was defined by the multiculturalism of its diverse inhabitants. Uncovering how the identities and connections of Syrian communities evolved over time has been an onerous task. In addition to significant gaps within the textual record and limited archaeological investigation, ongoing political violence and destruction of antiquities have increasingly threatened to erase the vibrant mosaic of this historic region.

This talk explores how the intersection of coins and digital methodologies can help reconstruct identity and evolving patterns of political exchange within ancient Syria. The speakers hope to educate a wide audience both about the tremendous importance of coins and the vital contemporary issue of Syrian identity and heritage.

Speaker Bios:

Kristina Neumann, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of Roman and Digital History at the University of Houston, focusing on the evolution of local and regional identities and communities of the Middle East under the Roman empire. Neumann has presented and published on the integration of digital technologies within the study of history and material culture.

Peggy Lindner, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the department of Information & Logistics Technology. Her background is in engineering—she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the field of mining & geotechnology— and she has built her career around data science education and digital humanities at UH since 2014.

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