The Classical Association of Scotland (founded 1902) is proud to present its first annual conference in a new format. The primary focus of the conference is on the fall of Rome, but there will also be sessions on the decline, fall, or transformation of other ancient empires or hegemonies, as well as on the historiography of ancient imperialism. The keynote speaker will be Professor T.D. Barnes (Toronto / Edinburgh). Papers will be 20 minutes long, and will be followed by 10 minutes of discussion. All sessions will take place in the Archaeology Lecture Theatre, School of History, Classics, and Archaeology, High School Yards, Infirmary Street.
Programme
Friday 19 June
2.00-4.00 pm Registration
3.45 Welcome (D. Cairns, Edinburgh, Chair of CAS Council)
Session 1 : Greece and the Hellenistic World
4.00-4.30 G. Longley (Oxford), The Causes of Imperial Decline in Ancient Authors from Herodotus to Polybius [Abstract].
4.30-5.00 C.A. Farrell (KCL), The Afterbirth of the Seleucid Empire ? Re-examining Imperial Ideology and Stateless Monarchs [Abstract].
5.00-6.00 Keynote lecture
Professor T.D. Barnes (Toronto / Edinburgh), tba
6.00-7.00 Reception
7.30 Dinner in a local restaurant
Saturday 20 June
Session 2 : The Near East
9.30-10.00 E. Almagor (Jerusalem), The Decline and Fall of the Persian Empire in Plutarch's Writings [Abstract].
10.00-10.30 A. Nagel / R. Sheikoleslamy (Ann Arbor / Tehran), Eternal Flames or The End of Antiquity's Largest Empire - New Evidence from the Hall of Hundred Columns in Persepolis, Iran [Abstract].
10.30-11.00 L. Gregoratti (Udine), Vologeses' "New Deal" and the transformation of the Parthian Empire [Abstract].
11.00-11.30 tea and coffee
Session 3 : the Fall of Rome (i)
11.30-12.00 A. Collar (Exeter / Ankara), Understanding Fracture in the Roman Empire through Cult : Jupiter Dolichenus and the Power - and fragility - of Military Networks [Abstract].
12.00-12.30 K. Petrovicova / J. Bednarikova (Brno), Martianus Capella's questionable relation to the Vandals [Abstract].
12.30-2.00 Lunch
Session 4 : the Fall of Rome (ii)
2.00-2.30 G. Kelly (Edinburgh), tba.
2.30-3.00 H. Ziche (Antilles et Guyane), Decoupling Economic and Institutional Development in the Fifth-century Roman Empire [Abstract].
3.00-3.30 F. Haarer (KCL), Cities in Transition : Change and Continuity in the Late Roman World [Abstract].
3.30-4.00 tea and coffee
Session 5 : After the Fall
4.00-4.30 M.S. Bjornlie (Claremont McKenna), Assessing Decline and Fall in Ostrogothic Italy : the Fiscal Profile from Cassiodorus' Variae [Abstract].
4.30-5.00 P. Wynn, Where are the Barbarians ? Reframing the 'Enemy' after the Empire's Fall in the Vita Germany [Abstract].
Evening free : restaurant recommendations will be available.
Sunday 21 June
Session 6 : Intellectual History / History of Scholarship / Reception
10.00-10.30 A. Roberts (KCL), George Grote, the Destruction of Ancient Empires, and British imperialism [Abstract].
10.30-11.00 R. Bryant Davies (Cambridge), Marius amidst the Ruins of Carthage : a Nineteenth-Century Understanding of Empire [Abstract].
11.00-11.30 tea and coffee
11.30-12.00 D. Engels (Brussels), "Ist nicht mit Actium und der pax Romana die antike Geschichte zu Ende ?" Oswald Spengler on the Transformation and Fall of the Roman Empire [Abstract].
12.00-12.45 Closing discussion (Chair : J. Harries, St Andrews).
Further information : Please contact Dr Costas Panayotakis, Honorary Secretary to the CAS, Department of Classics, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ Scotland. Tel. no. (direct line) : +44 (0) 141 330 4383. Fax : + 44 (0) 141 330 4459. email : c.panayotakis@classics.arts.gla.ac.uk.