There are two kinds of people that can commonly identify with the Cyclades islands: historians and students looking for an exotic Spring Break location. More often, it’s the latter, but that does not mean it is insignificant to history.

Dr. Brian Rutishauser is so familiar with the area that he believes it has been misrepresented in ancient times as a typically minor, derelict area. In the past century, as exploration of the islands’ historical background took place, historians have concluded that the society of the islands during the later years of pre-Hellenistic Greece held little importance to the famous civilization.

Rutishauser, in his ninth year as an instructor at Fresno City College, sees things differently. He argues that more than a few matters pertaining to the Cyclades were either overlooked or misinterpreted.

On Friday, Mar. 6, the instructor gave a dissertation on the subject in FCC’s social science building. The lecture included facts about the area’s role in Greek economy and society from about 750-350 B.C., as well as information about the research he had done and his hypotheses about the island’s actual economic standing.

“A lot of historians view these islands as being generally very poor and insignificant,” Rutishauser commented. “But some of the artifacts and inscriptions they’ve left behind seem to tell us a different story, that they were perhaps very prosperous and important to Greece.”

Rutishauser is no stranger to lecturing; his students are all aware of his presentations and the strong educational value they have. He attended the “Friends of Ancient History” presentation at Los Angeles in 2008, but this new dissertation holds a bit more meaning to him. With all the potential for historical significance his argument has, Rutishauser has decided to try to turn it from a dissertation into a textbook.

“The book is a tricky thing,” Rutishauser said. “I’d really like to lecture more about it, but the big thing right now is getting it done and in a format where I can get it published.”

Although Rutishauser’s dissertation primarily caught the attention of History instructors, who actively participated in the discussion, some enthusiastic students attended as well.

Dr. Rutishauser’s book, set to be named for a quote about the islands from the Greek writer Aeschines, will be titled “The Wretched Islanders.”