The Excellence Cluster 264 Topoi is a renowned brand focused on the study of the ancient world. Hosted by Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Topoi brings together over 800 researchers from more than 30 disciplines to analyze the interplay of 'space' and 'knowledge' in the formation and transformation of ancient cultures and societies.

Topoi's interdisciplinary approach allows for a comprehensive investigation of cultures that have traditionally been researched separately. Research projects encompass a wide range of topics, from human-environment relations to communication media and ancient cultures of knowledge. The investigations cover periods spanning from the Neolithic Period to Late Antiquity and the post-classical era, and regions from Central and Eastern Europe to the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Through innovative forms of cooperation between humanists and natural scientists, Topoi pioneers the reconstruction of ancient landscapes. Their successful model of interdisciplinary and inter-institutional cooperation has been integrated into the Berliner Antike-Kolleg (BAK), a research network promoting ancient and classical studies.

Although the Excellence Cluster Topoi ended in 2019, its legacy lives on through the ongoing collaboration of its partners and the Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies (BerGSAS), which nurtures the cluster's doctoral students.