Podcast

Ali Pasha of Ioannina, antiquities and archaeology between empire and the nation-state, with Emily Neumeier

A conversation with Emily Neumeier about Ali Pasha of Ioannina (d. 1822), a powerful Ottoman governor of Albanian origin who created a quasi-independent realm at a time when the Ottoman empire was feared to be collapsing. We talk about how he crated his own brand-image, in part by forging closer relations with his Christian Greek subjects and also through archaeological work and use of antiquities. His was an almost post-imperial world, but the nation-state had not yet arrived. We also talk about the concept of the “post-Byzantine,” which is used, especially in art history, for works of this period.

Emily Neumeier is Assistant Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture in the Department of Art History at Temple University, where she studies the visual and spatial cultures of the eastern Mediterranean, with a focus on the Ottoman Empire. The conversation is based on three of Emily’s articles — “Mediating Legacies of Empire,” “Rivaling Elgin,” and “Spoils for the New Pyrrhus“.

You can also watch Anthony speaking on A Short Introduction to the Byzantine Empire – A Crusader Kings III Documentary:

Byzantium & Friends is hosted by Anthony Kaldellis, a Professor at the University of Chicago. You can follow him on his personal website. You can listen to more episodes of Byzantium & Friends through PodbeanSpotify or Apple Podcasts

Top Image: Portrait of Ali Pasha by Joseph Cartwright in 1819.