Cultural Transformation in the Central Mediterranean Islands during the Roman and Byzantine Times

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K03050
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Historical studies in general
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: Kobayashi Isao 立命館大学, 文学部, 教授 (40313580)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 桑山 由文 京都女子大学, 文学部, 教授 (60343266)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 地中海 / ローマ帝国 / ビザンツ帝国 / シチリア島 / サルディニア島

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although Sicily and Sardinia had come under the Roman rule during the 3rd century BC, later development of the two islands was significantly different. Unlike Sicily which had been heavily influenced by the Greek culture since ancient times and had a close relationship with Rome, the progress of Romanization was slow in Sardinia and the influence of Greek Culture was also very feeble until the principate. Nevertheless, in Sardinia, the adoption of Greek culture and the application of the Greek language progressed considerably during the Byzantine times. In fact, the adoption of Greek culture was common not only in Sardinia but also in the other islands of the Mediterranean. Rather, it was Sicily that showed relatively unique development in the Midwest Mediterranean.

Free Research Field

ビザンツ帝国史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

中部地中海の島嶼部、特にサルディニア島は研究の蓄積が少ない分野であるが、ローマ文化やギリシア文化の受容のプロセスを分析することで、むしろサルディニア島の状況が地中海の島嶼部における一般的な状況である可能性が強く示されるとともに、シチリア島の持つ独自性もより強く意識できることになった。また古代～中世における「ローマ」概念やギリシア文化の持つ意義について、これまで以上に複眼的な観点から論じることが可能となった。