Marios Anastasiadis (A.G. Leventis Scholar 2020-23)

Thesis title: Greek Slavery and Social Mobility, 800-300 B.C.

Biography

Background

My project is the first ever sustained study of Greek slavery and social mobility. It does away with centuries of master-centric approaches to slavery and aims to reintegrate slaves as actors into our understanding of ancient Greece by paying particular attention to its economy and development.

Drawing from a range of sources and parallel slave systems, I argue that slave status does not negate the capacity for agency and, as Ira Berlin reminds us, like all human history, slaves’ history must deal not only with what was done to them but also what they did for themselves. It is through this lens that I examine master-slave friction and interdependence across Greek states and specifically the tools slaves used to affirm their humanity and negotiate, improve, and exit their condition. 

I have received generous funding from the A.G. Leventis Foundation and most recently the Economic History Society. With the help of a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst scholarship I spent 2022/3 at the Institut für Geschichtswissenschaften of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

In my spare time I collect rare and signed slavery books  - or bother authors for their signature.   

Qualifications

M.A. Classics (Durham)

Responsibilities & affiliations

A.G. Leventis Foundation Scholar (2020-23)

Economic History Society Bursary (2022-23)

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst Scholar (2022-23)

Edinburgh Centre for Global History, Affiliate PhD Researcher

Economic History Society, Member

Conference details

19/07/2023          ‘Greek Slavery and Social Mobility, 800-350 BC', Althistorisches Colloquium, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

 

20/02/2023         ‘Helotage and Social Mobility in Classical Sparta', Ancient Slavery Group, University of Oxford

 

06/05/2022         ‘Archaic Greek Slavery and Social Mobility’, Global Histories of Slavery Workshop with Prof. Indriani Chettarjee, Edinburgh Centre for Global History

 

10/04/2022         ‘Slave Agency and Business in Hypereides, Against Athenogenes’, Classical Association Annual Conference; Panel with Prof. Deborah Kamen, Dr. Jason Porter, Ms. Natasha Terlexi

 

13/11/2021           ‘An unnamed slave boy and his power in 4th century BC Athens’, Annual Meeting of Postgraduates in the Reception of the Ancient World, Columbia University

 

15/10/2021          ‘Slavery and Social Mobility: the chaîne opératoire of a perfume business as a case study’, Edinburgh Slavery Research Group, University of Edinburgh

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