"The main research objective is to analyse the figure of the envoy of the Greek city in the Hellenistic and Roman world (IV B.C. - III A.D.) and the effects of his activity. All typologies of people acting as envoys in all kinds of diplomatic missions will be taken into account and a complete database of all known envoys of the Greek cities will be prepared. A twofold perspective will guide the research. (i) The figure itself of the envoy will be analysed, with regard to the following aspects: social rank and economic position, political role in his own and/or in other communities, terms and extent of his mandate (with particular attention to his autonomy in making decisions on behalf of the appointing community), personal prestige and authoritativeness deriving from the accomplished missions, development of specific competences and expertise in the field of diplomacy. (ii) As a second point of view, the project will investigate the role of the city envoy in building and developing diplomatic relationships among the Greek cities and between them and the Hellenistic Kings, the Roman senate and the Emperor. The research will focus on the following aspects: relationships between the political elites of the cities, building of a diplomatic language and a shared international communication code, elaboration and implementation of rules and principles of international law. At the same time it will also show the changes in the international relationships of the cities when they were integrated in the Hellenistic Kindoms and, later, in the Roman provinces. The project aims at participating, with an original perspective, in the current debate on ancient diplomacy, interstate relationships and history of the law. It will fill a gap in the studies on the subject and also provide everyone interested in these themes, both for the Greco-Roman period and for more recent times, with a work that is a solid and concrete base for further studies."