Key Research Area Cultures of European-Mediterranean Region and Antiquity Studies

The Euro-Mediterranean area represents the common ground on which the cultures of Europe and the Middle East have developed. The key research area "Cultures of the Euro-Mediterranean Area and Ancient Studies" at the Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies brings together the ancient studies in particular, but the chronological ceiling remains fluid in the transition to the Middle Ages and modern times – not least with regard to reception. The same applies to the contact zones in Northern Europe, the Far East or Central Africa. In recent decades, a lively discussion of methods in the context of "Mediterranean studies" and cultural studies has provided important impulses for this research.

At the University of Vienna, research into the trans-regional and intercultural connections of this cultural region is carried out by various disciplines with a historical, art historical and philological orientation. At the University of Vienna, the relevant subjects include in particular the disciplines of ancient studies (egyptology; ancient history and ancient studies, epigraphy and papyrology; classical archaeology; byzantine and modern greek studies), as well as the fields of prehistory and early history, numismatics, jewish studies, art history, east european history, economic and social history. Furthermore, there are relevant links with the philologies (classical philology; oriental studies and ancient oriental studies; african studies; romance studies), law (roman law) and the theologies (biblical archaeology; patristics).

The work within the research area is characterised by the large number of subjects involved. The key research topic aims to strengthen the visibility of the various research projects as part of a common whole, to improve the internal flow of information and, building on this, to test possibilities for networking and further development in research and teaching. The research area "Cultures of the Euro-Mediterranean Area and Ancient Studies", which is unique in Austria and also internationally respected, is to be further developed and publicised for the common benefit of the University of Vienna as a whole as a key research area.