CENTRE FOR BYZANTINE RESEARCH

60 YEARS OF CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF BYZANTINE CIVILIZATION

CONFERMENT OF THE TITLE OF CORRESPONDING FELLOW OF THE CENTRE FOR BYZANTINE RESEARCH OF A.U.TH.

TO GUNTRAM KOCH, EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARBURG, AND SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM IN HIS HONOR
THURSDAY, 21st  MAY 2026 CENTRE FOR BYZANTINE RESEARCH, A.U.TH.

PROGRAM

A. CONFERMENT CEREMONY

10:00 Arrival of guests
10:15 Opening of the ceremony – Greetings from the representative of the Rector’s Authorities and the representative of the Board of Administration of A.U.Th.
10:30 Delivery of the Laudatio by the Director of the Department of Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Associate Professor Paschalis Androudis
10:50 Conferment of the title to the Emeritus Professor Guntram Koch – Presentation of the diploma and honorary papyrus by the President of the Centre for Byzantine Research
11:00 Response by the Emeritus Professor Guntram Koch – Lecture: The Reuse of Roman Sarcophagi of the Imperial Period in the Early Christian Era. Some Unusual Examples in Asia Minor.

11:45 Coffee break

B. SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM
“Topics in Late Antique and Middle Byzantine Sculpture”

12:00 – 13:20 First Session – Chair: Guntram Koch
12:00 – 12:20 Nikolaos Tsivikis, Affiliated Researcher at the National Hellenic Research Foundation / Byzantine Research Sector
Memories of Empire: Some Byzantine Sarcophagi of the 7th and 8th Century in their Mediterranean Context
12:20 – 12:40 Ioannis Theocharis, Dr. of Byzantine Archaeology, Ephorate of Eastern Attica
The Ambos of the So-Called Carian Type. Notes on Byzantine Sculpture in Asia Minor
12:40 – 13:00 Aristotelis Mentzos, Emeritus Professor of Byzantine Archaeology, A.U.Th.
Evidence of the Byzantine “Classical Renaissance” in the Architectural Sculpture of Philippi
13:00 – 13:15 Discussion

13:15 – 13:45 Coffee break

13:45 – 15:00 Second Session – Chair: Eleni Papayianni
13:45 – 14:05 Emmanouela Gounari, Assistant Professor, University of Ioannina
The Sculptural Decoration in the houses of Philippi
14:05 – 14:25 Antigoni Tzitzimpasi, Dr. of Byzantine Archaeology, Museum of Byzantine Culture, Thessaloniki
A Marble Table Support with a Representation of Orpheus in Thessaloniki. Old excavations, New identifications
14:25 – 14:45 Dr. Christina Papakyriakou, Laboratory Teaching Staff, Department of History and Archaeology, A.U.Th.
Observations on Relief No. 5926 from the National Archaeological Museum of Sofia
14:45 – 15:30 Discussion – Closing of the Symposium – Conclusions: Pagona Papadopoulou, Associate Professor

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