Traveling Brokers of Legitimacy - the Shared Proto-history of Classical Archaeology and Modern Diplomacy in Early Modern Europe

Tevdovski, Ljuben (2016) Traveling Brokers of Legitimacy - the Shared Proto-history of Classical Archaeology and Modern Diplomacy in Early Modern Europe. Review of the Journal of History and Archaeology, 3 (1). pp. 132-149. ISSN 2671-3144

Text traveling brokers.pdf Download (440kB)

Abstract

In the pre-renaissance period numerous Western Europeans traveled through the Mediterranean towards the 'fountain of knowledge' - Byzantium and the wider Eastern Mediterranean. Most of these voyages were linked to economic interests and endeavors, but there were also immense number of those initiated or resulting in additional or separate spiritual, artistic or even scientific interest.
During the early Renaissance, and even after the fall of Constantinople, the voyages continued, and the famous travelers brought back materials, contacts, knowledge and most of all ideas. Some of the famous renaissance travelers we call today early modern diplomats, others master merchants or explorers, first antiquarians, and even progenitors of classical archaeology. Only few of the well-known are promoted for what many of these renaissance travelers really were - polymaths wearing several important hats.
This paper takes a new holistic approach, explaining the crucial role that these outstanding travelers, together with their enthusiastic story-telling and exposing the wonders of the 'classical world' and the 'classical past', played in early modernity. I propose that their quest for the antiquity was connected, inspired and highly instrumental in inventing, building and legitimizing the political, military, artistic and religious system and culture of Early Modern Europe.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Humanities > History and archaeology
Divisions:	Faculty of Educational Science
Depositing User:	Ljuben Tevdovski
Date Deposited:	19 Apr 2021 06:56
Last Modified:	19 Apr 2021 06:56
URI:	https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/28004

Actions (login required)

View Item