From Carthage to Ravenna, Katherine Pangonis revisits five lost capitals of the historic Mediterranean

By Emily Briffett

Published: Monday, 10 July 2023 at 12:00 am


The Mediterranean coastline is strewn with the remnants of lost civilisations. From Tyre and Carthage, to Ravenna, Syracuse and Antioch, Katherine Pangonis revisits the lengthy, and sometimes legendary, pasts of five historical capitals of the region, and highlights some of the defining moments in their stories. Speaking with Emily Briffett, she also reveals why we have romanticised the fading civilisations of the Mediterranean for so long.

Katherine Pangonis is the author of Twilight Cities: Lost Capitals of the Mediterranean (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2023)