Athanasios’ thesis, entitled “Cultural Topographies of Alexandria. Transition and Transformation from Paganism to Christianity”, examined the transformation of Alexandria from a prominent Greco-Roman metropolis into a major Early Byzantine Christian centre, arguing that this transition was a gradual, layered process in which pagan and Christian traditions coexisted, interacted, and often blended.
Through an interdisciplinary approach that combines archaeological evidence, literary sources, and digital spatial analysis, his study reconstructed the evolving topography of Late Antique Alexandria and reassessed the dynamics of its religious and social change.
Essential to the research project was the targeted application of GIS to overcome the significant archaeological challenges posed by modern Alexandria, where ancient remains are largely inaccessible. GIS allowed for the integration and spatial alignment of fragmented excavation data, literary testimonies, and historical mapping, revealing patterns of continuity and transformation in the distribution of sacred sites.
Overall, Athanasios’ dissertation provides a spatially grounded reinterpretation of Alexandria’s shift from paganism to Christianity, showing it as a process shaped by continuity, negotiation, and the enduring resilience of the city’s multicultural heritage. Moreover, his work was at the nexus of the developing collaboration between the Cyprus Institute and the Archaeological Society of Alexandria.
