Contested Territories from Ancient Narratives and Modern Contexts

Looking at contested territories and land claims as multifaceted concepts that influence and shape identities, this volume offers a broad range of case studies from antiquity to the modern era. The contributors examine how power relations and disputes over land claims can be used an approach to understand land-related motivations and implications throughout history. Drawing on archaeology, political geography and philology, this interdisciplinary approach reveals transformations in land claims in regional, national and international contexts.

The thematic organization of this volume mirrors the multifaceted nature of land claims, addressing theoretical, methodological and practical considerations. The three parts explore material culture and land appropriation through case studies, providing comprehensive overviews from the Bronze Age, Archaic and Classical periods, Roman Empire and modern times. The result is a study that expands the term ‘land claims’ beyond its politico-military scope to include diplomatic, religious, cultural and policy-related claims as an all-inclusive term that can be used in the examination of power dynamics and territory.