Beyond Butrint: The ‘Mursi Survey’, 2008

A field survey east of Butrint, Albania, reveals that the density of Imperial Roman sites extends significantly beyond the ancient city's immediate hinterland. Contrary to previous assumptions about urban continuity and landscape impact, the study finds sparse pre-Roman and post-Roman sites, with intense engagement between Butrint and its hinterland primarily during the Early Roman period following colonization. This challenges the narrative set by Horden and Purcell in The Corrupting Sea (2000), suggesting a more nuanced relationship between urban centers and their surroundings in this region.

Hodges, R., Carr, E., Sebastiani, A., & Vaccaro, E. (2016). BEYOND BUTRINT: THE ‘MURSI SURVEY’, 2008. The Annual of the British School at Athens, 111, 269–297. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0068245415000118