Late Antique Encounters (3-5 February 2027, Ghent)
Once relegated to the shadows between “classical” and “medieval,” Late Antiquity—roughly the third through eighth centuries CE—has emerged as one of the most vibrant fields in ancient studies. From art historians uncovering the visual revolution of early Christian mosaics to linguists mapping changes in idiom and the increasing variety of languages, from archaeologists mapping trade networks across three continents to literary scholars exploring the reinvention of classical genres and the rise of a new literary aesthetics, Late Antiquity attracts an ever-growing community of scholars whose diverse approaches continue to transform our understanding of this pivotal age.
The Ghent Centre for Late Antiquity, itself a microcosm of this scholarly diversity, proudly presents the inaugural Late Antique Encounters Conference—a forum designed to capture and celebrate the field’s remarkable breadth and methodological richness. We envision Late Antiquity as a crossroads where multiple disciplines converge. Whether you approach the period through papyrology or prosopography, numismatics or narratology, linguistics or art history, this conference wants to offer space for dialogue across traditional boundaries. We seek to create an environment where a historian studying Coptic tax receipts might discover connections with a literary scholar analyzing Syriac poetry, where an archaeologist excavating a Gallic villa can engage with a theologian parsing conciliar debates or a linguist studying lexical phenomena. Moreover, this conference embraces interdisciplinarity not only through collaboration among diverse fields within late antique studies, but also by fostering dialogue between late antiquity and other historical periods, including its reception and enduring influence.
Beyond such unexpected encounters, the conference aims at originality by facilitating conversations that support our research needs, where scholars can present problems rather than solutions. In addition to individual presentations, we dedicate ample space for broader methodological discussions, digital innovations, and assessments of where the field is heading.
A key goal of the organizers is to foster intergenerational exchange. As Late Antiquity’s future lies in nurturing emerging voices while building on foundational insights, we particularly encourage participation from graduate students and early-career researchers alongside established scholars.
Rather than imposing thematic constraints, the conference adopts multiple formats to suit various academic purposes. Its program, flexible by design, will accommodate:
- Round tables for collaborative reflection and with a focus on debate
- Work-in-progress sessions for testing new ideas and methodologies, or for collaborative discussion of primary sources
- Thematic panels for sustained exploration of specific topics
- State-of-the-Art sessions and retrospective discussions on influential scholarship
- Book launches and presentations of recently launched book series and research projects
- Poster and/or video presentations, allowing the brief presentation of recently started research (for details, please refer to ‘FAQ’ under practical information below)
The organizing committee invites two types of proposals:
1) Complete session proposals (90 minutes): Session organizers determine the format (see list above, yet other formats are also welcome) and coordinate with their chosen participants. Proposals of this type ideally present a complete list of participants, though the organizing committee is open to receiving proposals from aspiring panel organizers with an innovative idea and looking to be paired with suitable participants. Proposals can also include double sessions (90 + 90 minutes).
2) Proposals for individual contributions: These will be grouped thematically by the committee and must indicate which of the above formats they are envisaged for. Individual contributions may be either 20 minutes (thematic panels and state-of-the-art sessions), 10 minutes (round tables, work-in-progress sessions, and book/project presentations), or 5 minutes (poster/video presentations).
Please submit proposals by 15 May 2026 to gcla@ugent.be. Proposals may be submitted in English, French, or German, must indicate the affiliation of the participant(s), and should not exceed 300 words (individual contributions) / 600 words (session proposals). All proposals will be submitted to peer review. Acceptance may be dependent on constraints of space and coherence or overlap with other proposals. Notifications about participation will be sent out by 15 July 2026.