Hi everyone, I’m Olly. I’m of Cypriot Maronite descent, I descend mainly from Maronites who fled Lebanon and Syria back in the 10th century, but I also have some distant Greek ancestry. And although my family converted to Orthodox Christianity I’m still very proud of my Maronite roots. I know my family used to speak Cypriot Maronite Arabic, which is basically a mix of Mesopotamian and Levantine Arabic with a huge Syriac/Aramaic influence.

I’m particularly interested in Mediterranean culture/history, especially the Phoenician civilization, of course, and its colonies (Sicily, Carthage, Malta, Balearic Islands, Sardinia etc). I want to learn more about their influence (phenotypical and genetic) on those regions. I’m also a huge fan of physical anthropology and I may have some controversial opinions! I also enjoy talking about linguistics, geopolitics etc. I hope I have a good time on this forum!