Dr. Eleni Mentesidou

Dr. Eleni Mentesidou holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and Archeology with specialization in Classical Archaeology from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki where she also finished her MA in Classical Archaeology. She then carried on her studies at the International Hellenic University, completing a master’s in Black Sea Cultural Studies. Dr. Mentesidou recently concluded her doctoral degree at Democritus University of Thrace entitled The cult in Sinope. Archaeological and Historical testimonies. From the city’s foundation until the Roman Conquest. She was awarded fellowships from the Leventis Foundation and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, and was given a permit from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism for research in archaeological museums in Turkey.

Dr. Mentesidou has been working for the Greek Ministry of Culture as an archaeologist since 2005, participating in archaeological projects throughout Macedonia. From 2005 to 2009 she worked at the 30th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical antiquities (Kozani and Grevena prefectures) as a field archaeologist, while at the same time she participated in the organization of the new exhibition of the Archaeological Museum of Aiani. From 2009 to 2020 she participated in archaeological projects in Chalcidice and Thessaloniki organizing and supervising archeological excavations.

Her research interests are classical archaeology, material culture and ancient history of Macedonia, the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, cultural and religious studies, ethnicity and identity-formation.

Published papers

  1. Kotsos, S., Mentesidou, E., Radis, O. and Kousoula, A. (forthcoming) ‘Ανασκαφικές Έρευνες στη Δυτική Εσωτερική Περιφερειακή Οδό Θεσσαλονίκης’, The Archaeological Work in Macedonia and Thrace, 33.
  2. Mentesidou, E. (2025) ‘The Temple(s) of Apollo in Sinope: A Preliminary Study’, in Tsetskhladze, G. R., Hargrave, J. and Manoledakis, M. (eds), The Black Sea: Hub of Peoples and Cultures (8th Century BC–5th/6th Century AD). Proceedings of the Seventh International Congress on Black Sea Antiquities (Thessaloniki, 2022), pp. 345–353. Oxford: Archaeopress. https://www.archaeopress.com/Archaeopress/Products/9781803279336
  3. Mentesidou, E. (2022) ‘Reconsidering the Identification of the Female Figure of the Sinopean Coins’, Mare Ponticum, 10(1), pp. 114–131.
  4. Mentesidou, E., Şirin, O. A. and Kolağasioğlu, M. (2022) ‘Roman Amisos: A Study on Graves and Grave Findings’, in Braund, D., Chaniotis, A. and Petropoulos, E.K. (eds), Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Black Sea Region in the Context of the Roman Empire, Athens, 5–8 May 2016, pp. 217–229. Athens.
  5. Mentesidou, E. (2019) ‘Ο Λεγόμενος “Ναός του Σαράπιδος” στη Σινώπη του Πόντου: Νέα Προσέγγιση Ενός Παλαιού Ευρήματος’, in Akamatis, N., Vouvoulis, A., Laftsidis, A. and Poulakakis, N. (eds), Τῷ διδασκάλῳ: Τιμητικός τόμος για τον καθηγητή Ιωάννη Ακαμάτη, pp. 263–274. Thessaloniki.
  6. Mentesidou, E. (2019) ‘Religion and Cultural Interactions in the Black Sea: The Cult of the Mother of the Gods or Cybele / Kybele in Sinope’, in Kaba, H., Kan Şahin, G., Akarsu, B.M. and Bozoğlan, O. (eds), Proceedings of the International Symposium on Sinope and Black Sea Archaeology, Sinop, pp. 53–63. Sinop.
  7. Tsigarida, A., Athanasiadis, I., Alevizou, E. and Mentesidou, E. (2017) ‘Ανασκαφή δύο νεκροταφείων σε αγροτικές περιοχές του δήμου Κασσάνδρας Χαλκιδικής’, The Archaeological Work in Macedonia and Thrace, 26, pp. 483–490.
  8. Mentesidou, E. (2015) ‘Komana: A New Find from Hamamtepe and a Preliminary Study on Sanctuary’s Cults’, in Burcu Erciyas, D. and Tatbul, M. N. (eds), The Medieval Settlement at Komana, pp. 209–226. Ankara.
  9. Mentesidou, E. (2008) ‘Τα Παρχάρια στον Άγιο Δημήτριο Κοζάνης’, in Sergis, M.G. (ed.), Pontus, pp. 269–289. Athens.
  10. Mentesidou, E. (2008) ‘Αμάσεια. Η πρώτη πρωτεύουσα του Πόντου (Amaseia: The First Capital of Pontos)’, in Kiriakidis, Th. and Chatzikiriakidis, K. (eds), Προσεγγίσεις στην Ιστορία του Πόντου (Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference for Pontus, Thessaloniki), pp. 63–90. Thessaloniki.