Regional Late Antiquity Consortium Southeast Workshop: October 19-20, 2017

The Program in Classical and Mediterranean Studies and the Divinity School at Vanderbilt University are pleased to announce the program for the 2017 meeting of ReLACS (Regional Late Antiquity Consortium Southeast), a regional workshop on Late Antiquity to be held October 19-20, 2017.

The workshop is free and open to all interested scholars.

Highlights of the program (https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/news/relacs2017.php) include:

Keynote Lecture—October 19: “The Archaeology of Early Christian Monasticism: Evidentiary Problems and Criteria,” Stephen J. Davis, Yale University

Stephen J. Davis, Professor of Religious Studies and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Yale University will open the workshop with a reassessment of what we know (and how we know what we know) about the archaeological evidence for Christian monasticism in the first millennium CE. Assessing the current state of the field, Prof. Davis will first address problems we face in both the identification and the dating of “monastic” sites and then discuss criteria by which we can engage more critically with the material evidence available to us.

Professional Seminar—October 20: “Introduction to the Cairo Geniza,” Phillip I. Lieberman, Vanderbilt University

As a new feature to the workshop this year, Phillip I. Lieberman, Associate Professor of Jewish Studies and Law at Vanderbilt University, will lead a pro-seminar designed to introduce non-specialists to resources for using the Cairo Geniza in teaching and research. The Cairo Geniza comprises the largest collection of documentary materials from the premodern Islamic world and is a critical resource for the social, economic, legal, and political history of the reception of antiquity into the medieval Mediterranean.

Works in Progress Workshop—October 20:

On Friday, the workshop will feature 6 presentations of work in progress by regional scholars of Late Antiquity.

“The Western Delta in Late Antiquity: Archaeology and History,” Ariel Lopez, Rhodes College

“The Flesh that Wasn’t: Ascetic Assemblages and the Becoming of Angels,” Katie Kleinkopf, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

“Using Digital Humanities to Solve Early Christian Mysteries: A Re-Examination of the ‘Ascension’ Panel on the Doors of Santa Sabina, Rome,” Lee M. Jefferson, Centre College

“Ravaging Warfare and Martial Rape from Late Antiquity to Modernity,” Kathy L. Gaca, Vanderbilt University

“Quoting in the Courtroom: Cyril’s Use of Philosophical Testimony in the Contra Julianum,” Aaron P. Johnson, Lee University

“Peter Beyond Rome: Achilleus of Spoleto, Neon of Ravenna, and the Epigramma Longum,” Dennis Trout, University of Missouri

A full program and registration information can be found at: https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/news/relacs2017.php