[classicsnw] CFP - Finding the Present in the Distant Past: The Cultural Meaning of Antiquarianism in Late Antiquity.
- From: CRASIS <crasis.aws@xxxxxx>
- To: undisclosed-recipients:;
- Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 16:16:40 +0200
On behalf of the organisers, we disseminate the following call for papers:
*Call for Papers – Finding the Present in the Distant Past:*
*The Cultural Meaning of Antiquarianism in Late Antiquity.*
Organised by Peter Van Nuffelen, Lorenzo Focanti (Ghent), Jan Willem
Drijvers and Raf Praet (Groningen). Confirmed speakers: C. Ando, B.
Bleckmann, J.W. Drijvers, M. Formisano, G. Greatrex, M. Maas, L. Perrone,
S. Schorn, G. Traina, P. Van Nuffelen.
The conference will be organised at the city of Ghent, 19-21th of May 2016.
We invite proposals for individual papers (approximately 500 words) to be
sent to the following e-mail addresses before the *1st of July, 2015*.
Lorenzo.Focanti@xxxxxxxx
r.g.l.praet@xxxxxx
1. Seeking antiquarianism: problems and perspectives
Antiquarianism in antiquity has generally been considered as a scholarly
study of the past, in which the cultural phenomena of the present are
explained through their origin in the days of old (Rawson 1985, Stevenson
2004, Bravo 2007). The antiquarian shuns literary or rhetorical treatment
and chronology is abandoned in favour of a systematic treatment of the
subject matter (Stevenson 2004). Such a definition of antiquarianism is
mainly based on the known antiquarian production in different periods of
antiquity, as, for instance, the classical and Hellenistic period, the late
republican period and the imperial period (Momigliano 1950, Rawson 1985,
Stevenson 2004, Bravo 2007). Yet it becomes highly problematic when we
consider late antiquity (4th - 8th centuries AD).
Although we can perceive a revived interest in antiquarian writing in late
antiquity, the antiquarian tradition as a whole has not yet been unearthed,
let alone traced for this crucial period. One of the causes of this gap is
the fragmentary survival of many late antique texts (Janiszewski 2006). As
a consequence, the tradition remains absent in overviews of late ancient
historiography (Rohrbacher 2002, Marasco 2003, Treadgold 2007).
Moreover, explanations for the continued interest in the genre in this
period tend to fall in two groups: (a) a religious interest is emphasized,
either for pagans wishing to preserve their heritage or for Christians
wishing to rediscover the classical past and argue with it (Ando 2001;
Dillon 2007; Ratti 2010); (b) political motives are detected, as the
description of past customs and states permitted veiled critique on
contemporary absolutism (Maas 1992; Kaldellis 2004).
Interest in late ancient antiquarianism is therefore limited and one-sided.
In particular, questions about continuity with classical antiquarianism are
rarely asked, and the tradition as a whole has not yet been traced for late
Antiquity. This renders claims about antiquarianism as an essentially
religious or political enterprise in late Antiquity fragile and
provisional.
2. Phenomenology of Antiquarian Production
The aim of this conference is to set the study of late ancient
antiquarianism on a new footing by situating the genre in its proper
socio-literary contexts. Important elements to be considered are the
relationship of antiquarian texts with the earlier literary tradition of
antiquarianism, the various historical and geographical contexts in which
antiquarian texts were produced, and the socio-cultural profile of the
antiquarian authors. These perspectives offer diverse possibilities of
analysis.
1.
Literary forms of antiquarianism
Ancient authors did not consider antiquarianism as a proper literary
genre. Therefore it is necessary to examine how antiquarian elements
permeated other types of late antique texts. Such an analysis covers a wide
range of possible genres. Antiquarian attitudes, methods and preferences in
subject matter could be found in various genres ranging from classicizing
history to scientific and grammatical treatises. An analysis of the
interface between antiquarianism and other, more established genres will
not only be useful to investigate the nature and form of antiquarian
production in late antiquity. It will also shed a new light on the
functioning of other late antique genres close to antiquarianism.
2.
Different models for different contexts
The antiquarian production was influenced by the author’s social,
cultural and geographical contexts. In this regard, the heterogeneous
panorama of late antiquity offers a plethora of starting points for
research. One could compare the particularistic traditions of Greek
communities (Hermeias of Hermoupolis) with the universal perspective in
Roman antiquarianism (Palladius of Methone), which is maintained in the
‘New Rome’ of Constantinople (John of Lydia). Another illuminating
comparison could be made between antiquarianism at the iconic centres of
the Roman empire on the one hand, and the multiple peripheries of the
empire on the other hand. In the west, a study of antiquarianism in the
barbarian successor-states can highlight the ways in which people tried to
preserve the heritage of Rome in contexts of change (Cassiodorus, Isidore
of Seville). Antiquarianism could be the crucial key to understand the
otherwise enigmatic instances of scholarship at the fringes of the
classical world (Virgilius Maro Grammaticus, Aethicus Ister). In the east,
the emergence of local identities has to be taken into account (for
instance, the city of Antioch will determine the outlook of authors as John
Malalas). The cultural *humus* is another important element: the link to
the pagan tradition (Macrobius), or the connection with the winning
Christian religion (Augustine) could be clear examples.
The identification of antiquarian influences in late antique literature,
along with the analysis of its general context, will constitute a proper
framework for reassessing the cultural meaning and function of
antiquarianism in late antiquity. Does antiquarianism teach us something
about a changing perception of past and present? How is this to be
explained?
3. Bibliography
Ando, C. (2001) ‘The Palladium and the Pentateuch: towards a sacred
topography of the later Roman empire’. Phoenix 55: 369-410.
Bravo, B. (2007) ‘Antiquarianism and History’. In: A Companion to Greek and
Roman Historiography, ed. J. Marincola. Volume One. Malden, MA: 515 – 527.
Dillon, J.M. (2007) ‘The religion of the last Hellenes’ In: Rites et
croyances dans les religions du monde romain, ed. J. Schneid (Entretiens
sur l’antiquité classique, 53). Geneva: 117-138.
Janiszewski, P. (2006) The Missing Link: Greek Pagan Historiography in the
Second Half of the Third Century and in the Fourth Century (The Journal of
Juristic Papyrology Supplements). Warsaw.
Kaldellis, A. (2004) ‘Identifying dissident circles in sixth-century
Byzantium : the friendship of Prokopios and Ioannes Lydos’. Florilegium 21:
1-17.
Kaster, R.A. (1997) Guardians of Language: The Grammarian and Society in
Late Antiquity (Transformation of the classical heritage 11). Berkeley –
Los Angeles – Oxford.
Maas, M. (1992) John Lydus and the Roman past: antiquarianism and politics
in the age of Justinian. New York.
Marasco, G. (ed.), Greek and Roman Historiography in Late Antiquity. Leiden.
Momigliano, A. (1950) ‘Ancient History and the Antiquarian’. Journal of the
Warburg and Courtauld Institutes 13 (3/4): 285 – 315.
Ratti, S. (2010) Antiquus error. Turnhout.
Rawson, E. (1985) ‘Antiquarianism’. In: Intellectual Life in the Late Roman
Republic, E. Rawson, London: 233 – 249.
Rohrbacher, D. (2002) The Historians of Late Antiquity. New York.
Stevenson, A.J. (2004) ‘Gellius and the Roman Antiquarian Tradition’. In:
The Worlds of Aulus Gellius, ed. L. Holford-Strevens – A. Vardi. Oxford:
118 – 155.
Treadgold, W. (2007) The early byzantine historians. Basingstoke.
--
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