The Byzness, 11th January 2026
Oxford University Byzantine Society
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THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY BYZANTINE SOCIETY
The Byzness, 11th January 2026
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1. NEWS AND EVENTS
2. CALLS FOR PAPERS
3. JOBS AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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1. NEWS AND EVENTS
Dear all,
Wishing you all a warm and happy new year from the OUBS!
Hilary term 2026 promises to be extremely busy, although still rewarding and fun. Preparations are well underway for the 28th International OUBS Graduate Conference, Decline and Flourish, and we could not be more excited to meet all our speakers and attendees in Oxford at St. Peter’s College and online on February 28th and March 1st!
Over this term, the OUBS will be documenting some of our more exciting endeavours on our social media channels. If you don’t follow us yet, you can find us at the following handles:
Instagram: @ox_byz
Bluesky: @oxunibyzantinesoc.bsky.social
X/Twitter: @oxbyz (if you do follow us on X, we are transitioning over to Bluesky, so please do follow us there in the first instance)
All my very best,
Madeleine.
For those wishing to submit an event, call for papers, job or scholarship opportunity to the Byzness please send details to the committee at byzantin...@gmail.com indicating the relevant list for The Byzness our external to Oxford and year-round newsletter or The Byzantine Lists our Oxford-centered events and circulated only in term-time. Please keep listing brief and include all relevant information in the body of the notice. Outside of exceptional circumstances, we only share events once.
Lecture by Philippe Blaudeau
The Frankfurt-Leuven project “Commentary on John of Ephesus’s Ecclesiastical History”, led by Hartmut Leppin and Philip Forness, is organizing a series of occasional lectures on John of Ephesus. These are open to the public via Zoom.
The next lecture will be given by Philippe Blaudeau (Angers) on Monday, 26 January, at 2:15 pm CET (1:15 pm GMT). Philippe’s talk is entitled “The Exchange of synodal letters between Theodore of Alexandria and Paul the Black (575), a case study”.
The Zoom link is https://uni-frankfurt.zoom-x.de/j/64129200303?pwd=RqjLRZyVbpJYNpfhGos8jv5dw5U7VJ.1.
Online Course - The Idea of Decline: Make Rome Great Again?
This online course looks at the idea of decline, both in the ancient world and in later periods. Decline as a concept emerges as something which is deeply rooted and even something which is paradoxically appealing and convenient as an idea, often exploited by those seeking to advance political or social agendas.
Wednesday 14, 21, 28 January, 4, 11 February, 6-7.30pm (UK time)
Watch the sessions live, or catch up by watching the recordings later at your own convenience.
Session 1 - 14 January:
Introduction: Ancient Perspectives on Political Decline
This session briefly introduces the idea of decline as something whose resonances continue to echo right down to the present day. The main focus of the session will be on ancient approaches to political decline. Authors considered during the session will include Herodotus, Xenophon, Polybius and Tacitus.
Session 2 - 21 January:
Decline and Moral Criticism: Writing Decline
The second session will turn to ideas of moral decline in the ancient world. Moral decline is sometimes simply observed, but on occasions it is an idea that can be exploited for other purposes. Authors who will be considered during this session include Hesiod, Thucydides, Sallust and Lucan.
Session 3 - 28 January:
Looking at the fall of the Roman empire
This session will look at ancient responses to events of the fourth and fifth centuries that are often referred to as the fall of the Roman empire. The main focus will be on seeing the representation of change and decline.
Session 4 - 4 February:
The irresistible lure of decline
This session turns to the reception of ancient decline in later periods and will include consideration of Gibbon’s highly influential approach to the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
Session 5 - 11 February:
The rhetoric of decline in contemporary society
The final session of the course looks at the resonance of decline as a concept in current political and social discourse. Ancient decline is frequently evoked and exploited in such contexts. More broadly, the idea of decline can be a powerful rhetorical weapon which can be used to advance political agendas.
Register here: https://www.hellenicandromanlibrary.org/Events/Event-Registration/EventId/24
2. CALL FOR PAPERS
CfP: Summer Symposium in Oriental Christian & Armenian Studies 2026
It is with great pleasure that we announce the Call for Papers for the Summer Symposium in Oriental Christian & Armenian Studies 2026, which will take place on June 18–19, 2026, at the Department of Oriental Christian and Byzantine Studies and the MESROP Center for Armenian Studies, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Germany).
Interested speakers are invited to submit their proposals in two copies, one including the title of your paper and an abstract of about 200 words, and one that contains, in addition, your name and academic affiliation, as applicable. Please send submissions to in...@mesrop.uni-halle.de by February 22, 2026. Applicants will be notified of the acceptance of their papers by mid-March 2026.
The Summer Symposium in Oriental Christian & Armenian Studies 2026 invites contributions that explore the cultural, religious, literary, social, political, historical, and contemporary connections between Europe and the Middle East, broadly conceived. Speakers may approach their topic from a variety of methodological perspectives. We explicitly welcome interdisciplinary contributions, for instance connecting Armenian Studies with Georgian Studies, Syriac Studies, Byzantine Studies, Arabic Studies, or others. Advanced scholars, young scholars, and emerging scholars are all welcome to submit proposals and participate. We strongly wish to encourage emerging scholars working towards degrees on the MA or PhD levels to present their original research.
Presentations may be delivered in German or English. Proposals for presentations in other languages are also welcome; however, an English or German version of the presentation must be submitted in advance of the conference.
Each presentation will be allocated 20 minutes. The program will be structured to allow ample time for in-depth discussion of individual papers.
Please reach out to us at in...@mesrop.uni-halle.de with any questions you may have.
Steering Committee: Péter Kiss, Dr. Ani Shahnazaryan, and Prof. Dr. Cornelia Horn
CfP: The Domestic Dimension of Religious Conflict in the Ancient Mediterranean
University of Durham, August 12-14 2026
Organiser: Dr Karl Dahm (University of Durham)
Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Prof Kate Cooper, Prof Virginia Burrus
Proposals for papers are sought for a conference on August 12–14 2026 in Durham exploring the negotiation of religious conflict in the domestic contexts of family and household across the Mediterranean world from Hellenism to Late Antiquity.
Households and families were the essential building blocks of ancient Mediterranean societies. Across different socio-economic strata, they reflected a communities’ constitutive norms and provided individuals with a sense of personal belonging. Their centrality to daily life meant that households periodically became the focal point of religious conflicts playing out across the wider community – with varying consequences for family cohesion. The breakdown of family bonds over internal differences and the uniting of family members against external pressures define the broad spectrum of domestic responses to clashes of religious belief systems. From the familial resistance of the Jewish Maccabees to the defiance of filial piety by Christian martyrs to the legal repercussions against ‘heretical’ households, the domestic dimension of ancient religious conflicts has long attracted the attention of modern scholars. However, it is commonly studied in disciplinary isolation and limited to its specific historical context rather than explored as a diachronic and intercultural phenomenon connecting the experiences of religious conflict across time and space.
This conference aims to investigate the domestic dimension of religious conflicts in the Ancient Mediterranean for continuities and cross-fertilisations as well as for fissures and idiosyncrasies. Its scope is emphatically interdisciplinary, welcoming papers on relevant topics in the history, literature, and archaeology of the Greco-Roman world, including adjacent writing cultures (e.g. Hebrew, Syriac, Coptic, Armenian or Arabic), between the fourth century BCE and the seventh century CE. Papers might address, for example:
- the evolution of tropes like that of filial resistance or paternal disciplining across literary genres and cultures;
- the rhetoric and efficacy of legislation curtailing intermarriage or the domestic expression of deviant religious practices;
- the interplay between the household as a locus of collective imagination and the venue of real religious confrontation;
- the role of family structures in ensuring conformity with or resistance against dominant religious norms;
- the material framework of domestic worship in a religiously hostile environment.
Applications from all scholars, especially early career scholars, are welcome. Abstracts of 500 words for 30-minute papers should be sent to karl....@durham.ac.uk by 5.00pm on January 30.
The conference is generously funded by the Leverhulme Trust.
CfP: Eunapius' World
We are delighted to announce a CfP for the panel Eunapius’ World: Philosophy and Historiography in Late Antiquity, to be held at the Celtic Conference in Classics (Maynooth, Ireland), from 14 to 17 July 2026.
This panel will explore the works and world of Eunapius, the late Roman biographer and historiographer, known for his works in Greek that depict the lives of sophists and philosophers of Late Antiquity. The panel will focus on Eunapius’s works and position during the decline of paganism, his admiration for Emperor Julian, and his place within the broader context of late-antique historiography and (Neoplatonic) philosophy, as well as the history of the later Roman empire. This panel is being organized on occasion of recent and forthcoming textual editions and translations of Eunapius’ works, including all fragments and testimonia.*
We explicitly invite early career scholars to contribute and to delve into the works and world of this underexposed author on the brink of a revival.
Themes and topics may include:
- Eunapius’s historiographical style, rhetorics and literary traditions.
- Identity and society at the end of the pagan world.
- Biographical and educational practices in Late Antiquity.
- Connections with other late-antique writers such as Ammianus Marcellinus, Dexippus, Julian, Libanius, Olympiodorus, Philostratus and Zosimus.
- Late pagan philosophy and Neoplatonic reactions to Christianity.
- Impact, legacy and reception of Eunapius.
We welcome proposals for original research that engage with Eunapius’s writings or related subjects, including the political and religious contexts of late antiquity. We aim to explore Eunapius’ appeal to modern scholarship, and address questions concerning cult, creed and communication in the later fourth century and beyond.
Submission details:
- Number of papers: 15–21 (5 confirmed speakers, see below)
- Presentation format: in-person, 40-minute papers
- Submission deadline: Please send your abstract to d.w.p.bu...@uu.nl by Monday 2 February 2026. Please include your name, institutional affiliation, a brief abstract (250-300 words), and a short CV.
Confirmed speakers
- Bruno Bleckmann (Düsseldorf)
- Han Baltussen (Adelaide)
- Diederik Burgersdijk (Utrecht / Bologna)
- Richard Haasen (Amsterdam)
- Gunther Martin (Bern / Zürich)
CfP: Cooperate, contain, confront. Roman Foreign Relations from the Mid-Republic to the late Empire (3rd century BC-5th century AD)
We are delighted to invite submissions to our panel on Roman foreign relations at the upcoming Celtic Conference in Classics (Maynooth University, 14-17 July 2026).
Cooperate, contain, confront. Roman Foreign Relations from the Mid-Republic to the late Empire (3rd century BC-5th century AD
From the third century BC on, the Roman Republic came to dominate the political landscape of the ancient Mediterranean and beyond. Rapid, unprecedented expansion was followed by the erection of an empire that would last for centuries. This process transformed both Rome and its political practices as well as the world around it: on the one hand, Roman authorities had to develop strategies to maintain rule in vastly heterogeneous regions, on the other hand, political actors engaging with Rome had to find the right course between cooperating, containing or confronting this new global player (Wendt 2008, Burton 2011, Fibinger Bang 2015, Wilker 2022).
Various historical examples illustrate the wide array of possibilities in how to deal with the Romans. The Attalids of Pergamon demonstrate that amicitia with Rome and loyal support in war could result in enormous territorial rewards, which saved the Romans immense military and administrative costs (Nelson / Pezzini / Rebeggiani 2025). At the other end of the spectrum, the Chatti in Germania chose permanent hostility to the empire and yet survived several wars – not least since subduing them would have meant even greater expenses for Rome (Will 1987, 55–58; Bleckmann 2009, 146–154). A particular case is Parthia/Sassanid Persia, the only external power that could match Rome – a situation that led to both exhaustive wars over control of the Near East and extended periods of accepted coexistence (Schlude 2020; Edwell 2021; Andres 2022).
Meanwhile, the dynamics of Judaea exemplify how difficult it was for allied rulers to strike the right path between loyalty and service to Rome on the one side and appeasing their own subjects and preserving a degree of autonomy on the other side (Baltrusch 2012; Wilker 2022). For the Romans, choosing the most adequate persons to govern as ‘client princes’ was sometimes equally challenging (Baltrusch/Wilker 2015; Coşkun 2008). In Late Antiquity, migration and so-called ‘barbarian’ incursions challenged Roman hegemony, giving the newcomers the opportunity to carve out their own realms (Heather 2001). The Vandals, for instance, had to carefully negotiate their relationship with the Western Roman Empire over decades before finally being able to establish their own kingdom in North Africa by force (Steinacher 2016).
Recent scholarship has seen a growing interest in Roman diplomacy, treaties and the role of the amici populi Romani (Burton 2011; Ish-Shalom 2021; Hartmann / Schleicher / Stickler 2022; Sánchez 2024; Gieseke 2026). We seek to go beyond a dichotomy between peace and war, allies and enemies, to establish a wider scope of practices and ideas within Roman foreign relations. Accordingly, the panel explores the diverse modes of contact between Rome and its neighbours as much as the individual actors and their options and restrictions within the field of foreign affairs. The contributions should aim to debate questions around the following topics: Successful cooperation with Rome, the role of appointed ‘client kings’, warfare against imperial Rome, raids and migration into the empire, depiction of foreign peoples in literary texts and other sources, practices of accommodating and distancing in Roman foreign affairs, forms of communication beyond war and peace and their possible failure.
Some lines of research may include:
- Which diplomatic, political, military and economic strategies and opportunities emerged from Roman imperialism?
- To what extent did literary texts, inscriptions, coins etc. portray foreign actors and their role in imperial affairs? (Woolf 2011; Maas 2025)
- How precarious was the situation of minor rulers allied to Rome, especially during the imperial period, and how did they try to navigate these challenges?
- How useful are concepts like those of cultural/political brokers or the middle ground to describe the role of dependent and allied rulers between Rome and their own subjects? (Paine 1971; Hoffmann-Salz 2021)
- On which levels did Roman foreign policy influence the transformation of the empire and its neighbours (in Late Antiquity)?
- Which general developments in the area of Roman foreign affairs can be traced from the mid-Republic to the Late Empire?
- Individual presentations should be in English, French, German or Italian and 20-25 minutes long (online presentations may be considered). However, participation in person is desirable if there are no special personal reasons preventing it.
- Contributions from researchers at all career stages are welcome; the conference is equally open to doctoral students, early-career researchers, and established academics. We especially encourage early career researchers to participate and are aiming for parity in gender.
- The contributions are planned to be published in an edited volume. Further details will be provided after the conference.
- Abstracts of 150-300 words in PDF or Word should be sent to Julian Gieseke (julian....@uni-bielefeld.de) and/or Malte Speich (malte....@uni-bielefeld.de) until 15 February 2026.
Confirmed speakers:
Dr. Julian Gieseke (Bielefeld)
Malte Speich (Bielefeld)
Dr. Rebecca Kreßner (Münster)
Florian Feil (Trier)
Prof. Julia Wilker (Pennsylvania)
CfP: Psalms and Paraphrases (Leuven, 12-13 May 2026)
The Book of Psalms is a little Bible, as Martin Luther famously wrote. It is also a rich poetry collection that has inspired authors and composers alike. The Psalms offered a model for private prayer, a prism for theological enquiry, the vehicle of scientific and encyclopaedic knowledge. Their enduring literary force challenged translators, poets and scholars to rework and revise their verses into different languages and formats.
This conference studies the ways in which paraphrases and translations of the Psalms functioned as literary exercises, interpretive statements, and educational tools. We invite contributions that explore the poetic, religious and intellectual negotiation of meaning in these texts, where Jewish poetics, Christian worldviews and classical forms come together. We also solicit insights into the original Hebrew text for a better understanding of the subsequent versions.
We welcome perspectives from transnational languages such as Hebrew, Latin, Arabic, and Byzantine Greek, as well as vernacular languages until 1800. Interdisciplinary approaches which discuss, for example, musical settings of or book historical questions related to relevant texts are equally welcome. Given the conference’s longue durée perspective, we encourage papers that deal with long-distance reception or cross-linguistic comparisons.
PRACTICAL
The conference takes place at KU Leuven, 12-13 May 2026; accommodation costs will be covered by the organisation and (partial) compensation for travel costs is foreseen, especially for students and scholars with limited funds. Abstracts on the text, the translation and the rewriting of Psalms from their original composition until early modern times can be submitted to simon...@kuleuven.be by 15 January.
MORE INFO
https://literatureswithoutborders.com/2025/11/25/call-for-papers-psalms-and-paraphrases/
The conference is supported by KU Leuven Institute LECTIO and the FWO-funded Scientific Research Network Literatures without Borders.
Local organising committee: Dr Simon Smets, Prof. Dr Raf Van Rooy, Prof. Dr Reinhart Ceulemans, Prof. Dr Pierre Van Hecke
3. JOBS AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Application Call for Virtual Mentorship Program: For Byzantine Studies Scholars Academically Based in Turkey, Including Armenian, Georgian, and Syriac Studies
We invite applications for a virtual four-session mentorship program tailored for scholars who are academically based in Turkey specializing in Byzantine studies (including Armenian, Georgian and Syriac Studies).
For Byzantine Studies Scholars Academically Based in Turkey, including Armenian, Georgian, and Syriac Studies. Apply by January 30, 2026.
Co-Organizers: Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, Hacettepe University and Bilkent University in Ankara, Koç University Sevgi Gönül Center for Byzantine Studies and Boğazici University Byzantine Studies Research Center in Istanbul
This program is meant to offer professional development and workshop opportunities around the following topics:
Presenting at conferences
Publishing in top academic journals and books
Writing successful grant applications
Preparing successful job documents
Each professional development event will include virtual presentations from experts and opportunities for Q&A and feedback.
These events will be followed by virtual one-on-one mentoring sessions, which are intended to expand on the feedback received, while offering additional tailored guidance for each participant. There might be the possibility for an in-person gathering of all participants upon the completion of the program.\
Two sessions will take place in the spring of 2026 (March-May), and the remaining two will be in the fall of 2026 (October-December).
The program and all relevant materials will be in English.
Eligibility
Applicants should be advanced MA (at the thesis completion stage) candidates, PhD candidates (at advanced thesis writing stage), or junior-level scholars up to 5 years after graduation with a doctoral degree.
We encourage historians, archaeologists, and art historians with a specialty in Late Antique, Byzantine, and Medieval Anatolia to apply to this program. We anticipate selecting up to 15 participants for this program.
Applications
For more information and application, please visit: https://www.doaks.org/research/fellowships-and-awards/virtual-mentorship-program
All participants are expected to attend all workshops and mentoring sessions in order to complete the program successfully. Upon completion, each mentee will receive a letter of participation.
For all inquiries regarding this program, please email byza...@doaks.org.
Lewis-Gibson Fellowships at the University of Cambridge
The Cambridge Centre for Greek Studies is pleased to announce this year’s competition for Lewis-Gibson Fellowships, for study periods of 4–10 weeks in Cambridge during the academic year 2026–7. Details of eligibility and how to apply:
Please note the closing date of 31st January 2026.
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Madeleine Duperouzel
DPhil in History
President, Oxford University Byzantine Society
http://oxfordbyzantinesociety.wordpress.com