Classica et Orientalia VII: Historiography of Alexander the Great

Wrocław, Poland, 8-11 October 2014

Organizing Committee: Prof. Krzysztof Nawotka (University of Wrocław, Poland), Prof. Josef Wiesehöfer (University of Kiel, Germany, Prof. Robert Rollinger (University of Innsbruck, Austria/ Finland Distinguished Professor, Universiy of Helsinki), Dr. Agnieszka Wojciechowska (University of Wrocław, Poland).

Alexander the Great, his military campaigns and transformations to Greece and to the East associated with his reign has never ceased to instigate interest of historiography, ancient and modern alike. The conference's aim is to look behind the different, often artificial images of Alexander by scrutinizing the testimony of the so-called Alexander historians (Diodorus, Trogus- Justin, Curtius Rufus, Plutarch, Arrian), late and secondary classical tradition, and authors known from fragments and testimonies to uncover their intention, contemporary background, political discourses, main themes and narrative patterns, bias, topoi, tributes to the literary tradition, rhetorical colouring and propagandistic tendencies. Among questions raised, if not answered, may be issues of identifying layers of literary reworking, interpolation, manipulation or at least literary embroidering. The conference public will welcome the perennial themes of historiography of Alexander's campaigns: the rise and fall of his empire, continuity and innovation in his reign, language of power or lieux de mémoire. As always, the focus of “Classica et Orientalia” meetings are cross-cultural and interdisciplinary subjects bringing together knowledge of the East and of classical tradition.

The organizing committee invites young scholars to submit their proposals for posters they wish to present within the theme “Historiography of Alexander the Great”. Please e-mail your abstract of up to 300 words, in English and a short information about your educational background and past and current affiliation, no later than 30 May 2014 to Dr. Agnieszka Wojciechowska: Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.

More information on our website.

Source : Blog de l'APA

The Business of Slavery

17-19 September 2014, University of Nottingham

Enslaved persons and others forced to provide their labour have always made, and continue to make, an invaluable contribution to the economies of various societies; whether that be collectively through their labour efforts in a slave society, through the state, merchants, and others buying and selling their bodies, through contributions to households or small businesses, or through their independent efforts to sell their labour with the aim of freeing themselves.

This interdisciplinary conference will be co-hosted by the Centre for Economic and Business History and the Institute for the Study of Slavery. It aims to bring together assessments of the contributions of enslaved people to the economy of different eras and societies and from various perspectives, including the wider economy, the slave traders, the slave holders and the slaves themselves. It will compare these assessments over chronological eras and in societies around the globe. Papers are invited which discuss themes as diverse as (but which are not restricted to): slave trading (including foreign and indigenous trades, legal and illegal trades), the economies of slave societies, the economies of the slaves themselves (including hiring out), the use of slaves by freedmen and freedwomen, serfdom, debt bondage, prostitution, forced (including child) labour, and from chronological periods as diverse as Ancient Greece and Rome, Medieval Europe, the early-modern Barbary States, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and the modern world.

Personal Influence on the Rulers of Imperial Rome and the Early Middle Ages

Persönlicher Einfluss auf den Herrscher in der römischen Kaiserzeit und dem frühen Mittelalter

Since rulers of the Imperial Roman Period and the Early Middle Ages occupied the highest (secular) position, individuals who exerted influence on them enjoyed a great extent of power. As a consequence, there was bitter rivalry between the various agents, which is reflected in discourses on legitimate and illegitimate influence.

The protagonists who exerted influence on rulers, i.e. who could influence or even initiate decisions, have not been investigated thoroughly yet, as they formed a heterogeneous group of people that can neither be understood entirely in terms of institutions nor grasped by their proximity to the emperor. Furthermore, certain agents of influence were stereotyped so heavily, that searching the written sources for historical “reality” may appear pointless or impossible. Finally, neither in Classics nor in Medieval History there is a tradition of studying interpersonal influence.

31st Biennial Conference of the Classical Association of South Africa

14-17 July 2015

The Classical Association of South Africa and the School for Ancient Languages and Text Studies of the North-West University, Potchefstroom, hereby solicit proposal for papers for the 31st Biennial Conference of the Classical Association of South Africa.

We invite individual and group proposals on all aspects of the Classical World and Classical Reception. Proposals on the main theme of the conference, “Classics and Anthropology” in its widest sense, are especially welcome. Possible topics may include, but are not restricted to the application of Anthropological methods to the Classical World or Classical texts. Further possible topics: Classical philology and ethnography; ancient texts of an anthropological nature (such as Historia Naturalis); the reception of the classics by Anthropology; Classical Tradition and ideology.

The conference will also host several panels on the teaching and learning of ancient languages and Classics, and panels for Post-Graduate work in progress. These panels will be scheduled concurrent with the conference.

The final deadline for submission of proposals is 1 March 2015.