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Abstract

Arcadia University offers a field school at the Catacombs of St. Lucy in Syracuse, Italy under the scientific direction of Dr. Davide Tanasi (The College of Global Studies, Arcadia Sicily Center). Apart from the didactic function of the excavation, it also brings to light important information on the archaeology of ancient Syracuse. Indeed, the excavation has yielded information not only about the early Christian use of the site (3rd to 6th century A.D.) but also Late Hellenistic and Early Roman Syracuse in the context of a pottery manufacturing quarter (3rd century B.C. – 1st century A.D.). Though largely ignored in the past, this period following the conquest of the island by the Romans has slowly become an increasingly popular period for the study of Sicily. Unfortunately, despiteSyracuse’s prominence in antiquity as a political, military and economic center1, it has still been given remarkably little attention and many of the excavations in the area remain unpublished. The author took part in the 2013 and 2014 seasons of Arcadia University’s aims to contextualize the university’s excavation plans by summarizing the available data provided by previous excavations at the catacombs and to connect them with the current state of knowledge on Late Hellenistic and Roman Syracuse. Before discussing the excavation and finds, however, it is important to provide some general historical context for the city of Syracuse and the site.

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