The Chalkidike, a three-pronged peninsula jutting into the Aegean Sea in northern Greece, is the location of many famous Classical and Hellenistic sites: Xerxes built a canal across the Athos peninsula to avoid losing troops during the Persian Wars, the city of Olynthos is known for its well-preserved houses, and Stagira is notably the hometown of the philosopher Aristotle. Comparably, the Roman period in the Chalkidike is not as well-known or studied, despite the range of archaeological remains dating to the period, the presence of a Roman colony at Kassandreia, and scholarly interest in the Roman province of Macedonia (Evangelidis 2022). This paper overviews the archaeological remains of the peninsula that date to between 148 BCE and the early 4th century CE to present a localized picture of society and culture in the Chalkidike during this period.

This is accomplished through the analysis of different classes of material culture that are indicative of the values of the Chalkidike during the Roman period. These include religious sites, such as the Imperial cult complex at Kalindoia; domestic remains, like houses in Kassandreia and farmhouses in its countryside; and cemeteries, clustered along the peninsula’s eastern coast. This evidence is analyzed through two means in order to evaluate the peninsula in the Roman period. First, it is assessed and mapped to show the range and concentration of activity present in the region. This activity is also put into context with the landscape and the peninsula’s natural resources. Second, it is evaluated to gain insights into the society and culture of the peninsula from an archaeological point of view. From these two approaches, this paper concludes that urban and rural life in the Roman Chalkidike progressed and transformed in this period.