‘Late Antique Encounters’ Conference, 3-5 February 2027
We are delighted to invite you to the first ‘Late Antique Encounters’ Conference by the Ghent Centre for Late Antiquity. LAEC is a unique academic forum dedicated exclusively to Late Antique studies. This homepage offers important information including the latest updates about the event. We are grateful for your interest and support. Do not hesitate to reach out!
The call for proposals for this event is closed. Notifications about participation will be sent out by 15 July 2026.
Scope
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.
Programme
Confirmed keynote speakers: Jaś Elsner (University of Oxford), Corisande Fenwick (University College London), Adam Ledgeway (University of Bergamo), and Karin Schlapbach (Université de Fribourg)
Scientific Committee
The scientific committee of ‘Late Antique Encounters’ includes the following members of the International Network for the Study of Late Antiquity (INSLA):
Phil Booth (University of Oxford)
Dominik Delp (University of Tübingen)
Carlos Machado (University of St Andrews)
Paweł Nowakowski (University of Warsaw)
Anna M. Sitz (University of Tübingen)
Further members of the scientific committee:
Aude Busine (Université Libre de Bruxelles)
Lieve Van Hoof (Ghent University)
Frits Heinrich (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Philip Forness (KU Leuven)
Ide François (KU Leuven)
The scientific committee receives support from the members of the Ghent Centre for Late Antiquity.
Practical Information
Venue
The Late Antique Encounters Conference will be held in the charming city of Ghent from 3 to 5 February 2027. Ghent is a lively medieval town whose city centre offers a wealth of cultural and touristic highlights. More detailed information about the venue will be provided in due course.
Registration
All information about registration, fees, and cancellation policy, will soon be made available on our registration page.
Travel and accommodation
More information about traveling to Ghent and accommodation will soon be available here.
FAQ
Is it possible to participate in this conference remotely?
The conference is in-person only, which means that it is not possible to present or attend sessions online.
Can I submit multiple proposals?
The organizing committee encourages applicants to submit any number of proposals, and we do not anticipate a priori limits on the number of contributions per participant. Only if the volume of submissions exceeds available slots and selection based on quality alone is insufficient will we contact applicants with multiple proposals.
Can I propose a presentation of a forthcoming book publication?
Yes, book presentations may concern forthcoming publications, as long as they have been formally accepted for publication by the publisher.
Contact
Organising committee: Aude Busine, Marco Formisano, Ide François, Giovanbattista Galdi, Sadi Maréchal, Lieve Van Hoof, Peter Van Nuffelen and Julie Van Pelt
The committee is grateful for the organisational support it receives from Kristoffel Demoen, Tanguy Desimone, Andrés Rea, Gabrielle Russo, and the members of the wider GCLA community, without whom this conference would not be possible.
For any queries or suggestions, please contact gcla@ugent.be.