Summary

This book examines the production of architectural sculptures in Athens after the end of Antiquity, especially during the growth period of the theme of Hellas (8th-11th century). In order to present the history of Athens before the foundation of the theme of Hellas, which the present study places during the reign of Leo III (717-741) up to the visit of Basil II to the city in 1018, issues concerning the political and ecclesiastical organization of the city are thoroughly analyzed.

Contrary to the prevailing opinion that, with the exception of the visit of Constans II in 662/3 and the marriage of Irene of Athens to the future emperor Leo IV (775-780), Athens was in decline during the Dark Ages, historical data lead us to the conclusion that the city was a particularly important urban center from a political, military, economic and ecclesiastical point of view. Encouraged by this conclusion, the study aims to find material evidence, in particular architectural sculptures, that confirms the growth of Athens during the transitional period and beyond.

In order to re-evaluate the architectural sculptures of the period concerned, it is necessary to revisit the criteria according to which Athenian sculptures are placed in the period of transition from Antiquity to the Middle Ages. In this way, while the study focuses on the examination of Athenian sculptural production at the beginning of the Middle Ages (including the Dark Ages), it ends up addressing broader issues that also concern Late Antiquity.