ConferenceAnnouncement and Call for Papers
Centred’Histoire et Civilisation de Byzance (UMR 8167) 52 rue du Cardinal Lemoine75005 Paris May 24-25, 2013
The‘School of Gaza’: Literary Space and Cultural Identity in Late Antiquity
Guidingline
The studyof literary activity in V-VI c. AD Gaza is in full bloom. In recent years, neweditions of Procopius of Gaza, Chorikios and John of Gaza have been publishedor are in preparation as well as a bibliography of the literature covering theperiod 1930-2012, to appear in Lustrum. This is a good moment for aninternational conference in which senior specialists and young researchers ofthe period will be able to exchange views and to advance research on the topic.
Buildingon the results achieved by two previous conference (Christian Gaza in LateAntiquity, ed. B.Bitton-Ashkelony, A. Kofsky, Leiden-Boston 2004 and Gaza dans l’Antiquitétardive. Archéologie, rhétorique et histoire, ed. C.Saliou, Salerno 2005), the present occasion intends to surpass the designation‘School of Gaza’ invented by K. B. Stark in 1852, a certainly convenientformula, but which runs the risk of screening the perception of a reality richin nuance. Our focus will be on the common characteristics that define as suchthe authors of Gaza.
The confrontof these authors and texts defines a specific literary space that resonateswith the spirit of the period, as part of the thread of a more general trendwhich bridges Antiquity and Byzantium. This literature is crossed and inspiredby the practice of Rhetoric, Poetry, History and Science. It produces a uniquecultural identity inscribed in the heritage of Gaza, one of the first citiesmentioned in the Bible and still present in the news of the modernworld.
Scientificorganization
Ascientific committee composed of both experts of the period and scientificpersonalities chosen for their ability to provide an outside view on the matterwas formed. The following professors have agreed to participate: Prof. JeanBouffartigue, Luciano Canfora, Béatrice Caseau, Raffaella Cribiore, VincentDéroche, Denis Feissel, Pierre-Louis Malosse, Enrico Maltese, Lorenzo Perroneand Jacques Schamp. At least ten nationalities will be represented. Aroundthirty interventions of twenty minutes, presented in three languages (French,Italian, English = official languages of the conference) will be divided intoeight sessions (1. Texts, authors, structures. – 2. Epistolography. – 3.History. – 4. Spiritual literature. – 5. Poetry. – 6. Rhetoric. – 7. Scienceand Philosophy. – 8. Background and posterity. Each session will be introducedand chaired by a scholar who has authority on the subject. Several moments ofdiscussion will also take place, as well as partial and general conclusionsthat will punctuate the progress of the scientific debate. Finally, theproceedings will berapidly published. Each article will be peer-reviewed. The publishing house andcollection will be indicated at a later date.
Materialorganization
Participationin the conference fee is set at 50 euros per person (25 euros for students) andincludes the conference materials, two buffet lunch and refreshments.Accommodation costs (two nights, on the basis of a single room) will be coveredby the conference organization for invited participants only. Transport costsare borne by participants.
Call forPapers
Peoplewho wish to submit a paper are requested to send an abstract of ca. 500words to the organizers by June 15, 2012. The themes which will be more welcomeare Philosophy of the School of Gaza (Theophrastus of Aeneas and Ammoniusof Zacharias) and the author Zacharias Scholasticus in general. Thedecisions taken by the Scientific Committee will be sent to the interestedparties prior to July 15, 2012.
Contacts Forany correspondence concerning the conference, you are cordially invited towrite to: Delphine Lauritzen delphinelauritzen@gmail.com, with copyto: Eugenio Amato eugenio.amato@univ-nantes.fr and AldoCorcella aldo.corcella@unibas.it
