A City Is Born in the Revolutionary Aegean
History comes to life through the research and insights of distinguished scholars.
Ermoupolis, the city that was born out of the hardships of the Greek War of Independence and went on to become one of the foremost commercial, maritime, and industrial centers of the modern Greek state, celebrates its 200th anniversary this year.
As part of the anniversary programme “200 Years of Ermoupolis”, the Municipality of Syros–Ermoupolis is organizing a scientific conference on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, entitled:
“Ermoupolis: A City is Born in the Revolutionary Aegean.”
The conference aims to highlight the historical circumstances that led to the founding of Ermoupolis and to shed light on the many facets of its early development through the latest findings of historical research. The establishment of the city, the settlement of refugees, shipping, trade, shipbuilding, economic and social transformations, as well as Syros’ place within the broader context of the revolutionary Aegean, will form the main themes of the presentations.
The conference will feature distinguished historians and researchers from universities and research institutions across Greece:
- Minas Antypas
- Apostolos Delis
- Dimitris Dimitropoulos
- Eleftheria Zei
- Dimitris Kousouris
- Christos Loukos
- Vangelis Sarafis
- Maria Christina Chatziioannou
Each presentation will be followed by a discussion with the audience. At the conclusion of the conference, a round-table discussion will be held on the topic:
“Where Do Urban Studies and the Study of Social Formations Stand Today?”
The discussion will be moderated by Professor Emerita Christina Agriantoni of the University of Thessaly.
This scientific gathering is one of the flagship events of the Municipality of Syros–Ermoupolis’ anniversary programme, inviting the public to explore, through contemporary historical research, the conditions that shaped the birth and development of Ermoupolis—a city that, from its very first years, played a leading role in the economic, social, and cultural history of modern Greece.
️ Wednesday, 22 July 2026
10:00 a.m.
Apollo Theatre, Ermoupolis
Admission is free. However, an admission ticket is required and can be obtained through the TicketServices platform or from the Apollo Theatre box office starting 20 July.
