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Dr Rebecca Sweetman

Senior Lecturer in Ancient History and Archaeology
Admissions Officer, Honours adviser

rs43@st-andrews.ac.uk

Research profile

Research Interests

  • Art and Architecture of Roman and Early Mediaeval Greece
  • Globalization and Christianization
  • Nature of Knossos in Roman and Early Mediaeval period
  • Archaeological Fieldwork
  • Roman and Late Antique Crete
  • Roman and Late Antique Sparta

Current research projects

The Late Antique churches of the Peloponnese: a study in topography, architecture, use of memory for understanding the Christianization process. Funded by the AHRC, RSE and Memoria Romana project.

Previous projects

Director of the Roman Kouphovouno Project: Funded by the British School at Athens, Roman Society and School of Classics, St Andrews

Co-director of the Sparta Basilica Project funded by the British School at Athens, British Academy and 5th Ephorea of Byzantine Antiques

August 2002: Co-director of Phylakopi Project, Melos funded by the British School at Athens, Institute for the Study of Aegean Prehistory and the Macdonald Institute

Research

Research and publication on the Roman and Late Antique mosaics of Central and Eastern Crete. Funded by the Carnegie Trust, a Cotton Foundation Fellowship and through the AHRC Research Leave Scheme.

Fellowships and Funding (since 2007)

2011 Caledonian Research foundation/RSE European Visiting Research Fellowship
2011 Carnegie Research Grant
2010 Roman Society Fieldwork Grant for Roman Kouphovouno Project
2010 BSA Fieldwork Grant for Roman Kouphovouno Project
2010 School of Classics Research Grant for Roman Kouphovouno Project
2010 SELF grant with A. Miller & J. Luxford for Phoenix The virtual reconstruction of St Andrews 13th century cathedral as a teaching & learning resource
2008 Higher Education Academy Subject Centre grant for development of Archaeological Excavation Learning tools (with A. Ruddle & C. Allison)
2007 AHRC Research Leave Funding
2007 Cotton Fellowship to support research in Athens
2007 Carnegie Research Grant to fund fieldwork for Roman mosaics publication
2007 FILTA grant with A. Ruddle & C. Allison, University of St Andrews for CAL (Computer and Archaeology Learning) Project
2007 SELF grant with A. Ruddle & C. Allison, University of St Andrews for CAL (Computer and Archaeology Learning) Project
2007 Leventis Foundation Grant for Classical Studies Module In the footsteps of the Ancients
2007 Conference grant from the Roman Society

Conference

12-14th September 2007 conference: 100 Years of Solitude: Roman Colonies in the first
century of their foundation.

Publications

The Mosaics of Roman Crete: Art, Archaeology and Social Change
Sweetman, R. J. 2013 Cambridge University Press .
Research output : Book/Report › Book

Roman Colonies in the First Century of Their Foundation
Sweetman, R. J. (ed.) 2011 Oxbow Books . 128 p.
Research output : Book/Report › Book

 

Living history with Open Virtual Worlds: Reconstructing St Andrews Cathedral as a stage for historic narrative
Kennedy, S. , Dow, L. , Oliver, I. A. , Sweetman, R. J. , Miller, A. H. D. , Campbell, A. , Davies, C. J. , McCaffery, J. P. , Allison, C. , Green, D. , Luxford, J. M. & Fawcett, R. Dec-2012 In: Proceedings of the 2nd European Immersive Education Summit: EiED 2012. Gardner, M., Garnier, F. & Kloos, C. D. (eds.). Madrid, Spain: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Departamento de Ingeniería Telemática , p. 146-160. 15 p. (E-iED).
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Memory and Loss in the Late Antique Cities of Knossos and Sparta
Sweetman, R. J. 2012 In: Vrbes Extinctae: Archaeologies of Abandoned Classical Towns. Christie, N. & Augenti, A. (eds.). Ashgate , p. 243-274.
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

‘ Acropolis Basilica, Sparta: the broader research issues’
Sweetman, R. J. 2009 In: Sparta and Laconia: from prehistory to pre-modern.: Proceedings of the Conference held in Sparta, organised by the British School at Athens, the University of Nottingham, the Ephoreia of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and the 5th Ephoreia of Byzantine Antiquities 17-20 March 2005. Cavanagh, W. G., Gallou, C. & Georgiadis , M. (eds.). London: British School at Athens , Vol. 16 , p. 331-43.
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Exploring the Second Life of a Byzantine Basilica
Getchell, K. , Miller, A. , Allison, C. & Sweetman, R. J. 2009 In: Serious Games on the Move. Petrovic, O. & Brand, A. (eds.). Springer , p. 165-180.
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

 ‘Domus , Villa and Farmstead: The Globalization of Crete’
Sweetman, R. J. 2007 In: STEGA: The Archaeology of Houses and Households in Ancient Crete. Glowacki, K. & Vogeikoff-Brogan , N. (eds.). Hesperia Supplementary Volume , Vol. 14 , p. 441-50.
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Identification of space through a study of mosaics: A case study, Knossos, Crete
Sweetman, R. J. 2007 In: Building Communities: House, Settlement and Society in the Aegean and Beyond: Proceedings of a Conference held at Cardiff University, 17–21 April 2001. Westgate, R., Fisher, N. & Whitley, J. (eds.). London: British School at Athens , Vol. 15 , p. 363-72.
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Evaluating exploratory learning in LAVA
Getchell, K. , Nicoll, J. , Kerbey, C. , Miller, A. , Allison, C. , Sweetman, R. & Michaelson, R. 2007 In: WBED'07 Proceedings of the sixth conference on IASTED International Conference Web-Based Education. p. 561--567.
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Roman Eastern Provinces
Sweetman, R. J. 2007 In: The Encyclopedia of Archaeology. Elsevier (incl. Pergamon )
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary

THE LAVA PROJECT: A SERVICE BASED APPROACH TO SUPPORTING EXPLORATORY LEARNING
Getchell, K. , Miller, A. H. D. , Allison, C. , Hardy, R. , Sweetman, R. & Crook, V. 1-Oct-2006 In: IADIS International Conference WWW/Internet. Murcia, Spain
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

The Evidence of Itinerant Craftspeople from the mosaics of Roman Crete
Sweetman, R. J. 2001 In: La mosaïque gréco-romaine VIII: actes du VIIIème Colloque international pour l'étude de la mosaïque antique et médiévale : Lausanne (Suisse), 6-11 octobre 1997. Paunier, D. & Schmidt, C. (eds.). Cahiers d'archéologie romande , p. 249-260.
Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

 

Games Methodologies and Immersive Environments for Virtual Fieldwork
Getchell, K. M. , Miller, A. H. D. , Nicoll, J. R. , Sweetman, R. J. & Allison, C. Oct-2010 In : IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies . 3 , 4 , p. 281-293. 13 p.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

The Christianization of the Peloponnese: The Topography and Function of Late Antique Churches
Sweetman, R. J. 2010 In : Journal of Late Antiquity . 3 , 2 , p. 203-261. 58 p.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

Roman Knossos: Discovering the city through the evidence of rescue excavations.
Sweetman, R. J. 2010 In : British School at Athens . 105 , p. 339-79. 40 p.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

Roman Knossos. The Nature of a Globalized City.
Sweetman, R. J. Jan-2007 In : American Journal of Archaeology . 111 , 1 , p. 61-81. 21 p.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

The arts of Antioch. Art historical and scientific approaches to Roman mosaics and a catalogue of the Worcester Art Museum Antioch collection.
Sweetman, R. J. 2007 In : Classical Review . 57 , p. 217-219. 3 p.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

The past from above
Sweetman, R. 2006 In : History of Photography . 30 , p. 389-391. 3 p.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

Antiquity and photography: Early views of ancient Mediterranean sites
Sweetman, R. 2006 In : History of Photography . 30 , p. 389-391. 3 p.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

Knossos Medical Faculty site: Late Antique graves and other remains
Sweetman, R. J. 2005 In : Annual of the British School at Athens . 100 , p. 331-86.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

Late Antique Knossos. Understanding the City: Evidence of Mosaics and Religious Architecture
Sweetman, R. J. Jan-2004 In : Annual of the British School at Athens . 99 , 1 , p. 315-354.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

The Roman Mosaics of the Knossos Valley
Sweetman, R. J. Jan-2003 In : Annual of the British School at Athens . 98 , 1 , p. 517-547.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

Phylakopi 2003, Redefining a prehistoric city: Fieldwork 2003: Abstract
Sweetman, R. J. , Boyd, M. & Brodie, N. 2003 In : American Journal of Archaeology . 107
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

The Acropolis Basilica Project, Sparta: A preliminary report for the 2000 season
Sweetman, R. J. & Katsara, E. Jan-2002 In : Annual of the British School at Athens . 97 , 1 , p. 429-468.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

Early Christian Sparta
Sweetman, R. J. 2002 In : Archaeology Ireland . 16 , 4 , p. 30-33.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

The Acropolis Basilica, Sparta: the first season: Abstract
Sweetman, R. J. 2001 In : American Journal of Archaeology . 105 , p. 523-524.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Article

 

‘ The Knossos Medical Faculty Basilica in its Cretan context’ Proceedings of the 10 th International Cretelogical Congress Athens
Sweetman, R. J. 2010 p. 49-67.
Research output : Contribution to conference › Paper

The Romanization of Knossos: a study of mosaics and other material culture
Sweetman, R. J. 2006 p. 421-34.
Research output : Contribution to conference › Paper

A new group of mosaics from Corinth in their domestic context and in the context of the colony
Sweetman, R. J. 2005 p. 359-69.
Research output : Contribution to conference › Paper

The changing nature of Knossos: Roman to Early Christian - Some problems
Sweetman, R. J. 2004 p. 481 - 488.
Research output : Contribution to conference › Paper

The changing nature of Knossos: Roman to Early Christian Some problems
Sweetman, R. J. 2004 p. 481-488.
Research output : Contribution to conference › Paper

 

The Apse: Beat Brenk, The Apse, the Image and the Icon. An Historical Perspective of the Apse as a Space for Images. (Spätantike – Frühes Christentum – Byzanz 26). Pp. 132, 106 black and white and 37 colour plates (Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag, 2010). Cased €29.90. ISBN 978-3-89500-703-3
Sweetman, R. J. 13-Sep-2012 In : Classical Review . 62 , 2 , p. 642-44. 3 p.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review

Cult Images: Review of J. Mylonopoulos, Divine Images and Human Imaginations in Ancient Greece and Rome (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World 170). Pp. xviii + 386, pls. Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2010. Cased € 135, $200. ISBN: 978-90-04-17930-1.
Sweetman, R. J. 13-Sep-2012 In : Classical Review . 62 , 2 , p. 538-40. 3 p.
Research output : Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review

 

A Computer Games Approach To Exploratory Learning - Lava: A Case Study in System Design
Getchell, K. , Nicoll, J. , Kerbey, C. , Miller, A. , Allison, C. , Sweetman, R. , Complin, J. & Michaelson, R. 2007
Research output : Contribution to conference › Other

 

For further information on publications, please view my profile on the university's research portal.

Research students

I would be happy to supervise students on any area of the research topics outline in the Research interests.

Current PhD Students

Allison Weir researching Etruscan funerary rites

Jackie Whalen researching Spartan Austerity

Teaching

Teaching Areas

Archaeology of Greece. Archaeological theory and methodology. Greek History, Roman History, Greek and Roman society. Greek and Roman Art.

Teaching Resources

A number of learning resources have been developed to enhance the teaching, learning & assessment of Greek archaeology in St Andrews. Key among them is the 'Dwellings of the Gods' project which saw the production of an interactive archaeological map and database of images of sites and material culture.
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/MoneyMatters/Fundingopportunities/FILTA/Summaryoffundedprojectsfor2003-04/ &
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/MoneyMatters/Fundingopportunities/FILTA/Summaryoffundedprojectsfor2005-06/

Additionally, a number of projects on use of computers and learning are being developed in collaboration with Dr Alan Miller (Computer Science). The current LAVA project: http://lava.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk is being developed to allow groups of students to participate in computer simulations of the planning, execution and reporting of an archaeological fieldwork project.

The design and development of these teaching resource projects has been funded by the FILTA and SELF award schemes of the University of St Andrews.

Honours modules taught

  • AN3020 Principals and Techniques in Archaeology
  • AN4414 Three Greek Cities: the archaeology and history of Corinth, Messene & Sparta
  • AN4125 From Private Life to Public Display: the archaeology of the Greek city.
  • CL4424 Classical Temple to Christian Basilica: Development of religious architecture in Greece
  • AN4127 In the footsteps of the ancients: exploring the archaeology and topography of Greece
  • AN4149 The Archaeology of Minoan Crete

MLitt modules offered

  • The archaeology of the city of Athens
  • The archaeology of Greek religion
  • The archaeology of the Hellenistic world
  • Roman Athens and Corinth
  • Archaic to Early Medieval Sparta
  • Knossos: Minoan to Early Medieval

 

Academic Career

PhD 1999: Nottingham University ‘Roman and Early Christian Mosaics of Crete’

BA 1993: University College Dublin. Archaeology and Classics.

Employment History

September 2003- : Lecturer in Ancient History & Archaeology, University of St. Andrews

June 2000 – August 2003: Assistant Director of the British School at Athens

January 1999– May 2000: Acting Assistant Director, Acting Curator & Acting Archivist, the British School at Athens

book cover

book cover