16th Trends in Classics International Conference.

“Memory, Ritual, and Identity in Greece and Rome”

Thessaloniki, September 29 to October 1, 2022

Conference Venue

Auditorium I

Aristotle University, Research Dissemination Center

September 3rd Avenue, University Campus

Though the issue of identity is not new, it has recently dominated the arena of public debate with renewed force and urgency. Identities are created through an amalgamation of multivalent views, values, and bonds. Individuals determine their sense of self through personal values; by belonging to ethnic, religious, familial, or other social groups; and/or by adhering to certain political views or ideologies. Individual identities are inextricably linked to collective identifications, informed by shared memories and experiences; these in turn shape the narratives, histories, and practices that strengthen the connections among members of the community. Ritual plays a foundational role in this process, as deeply felt, iterative action that brings members of a community together, to form powerful memories in which they negotiate their relationships with one another, society at large, and the gods. Like memory, ritual constitutes another means through which societies establish, perform, and enhance their collective identity.

In this conference we would like to consider the triptych of memory, ritual, and identity to explore their complex interconnections; the ways in which they shape and in turn are shaped by individual and collective experiences; and how they can help us understand better the concept of identity in the ancient Greco-Roman world. This conference aims to consider the topic from a truly interdisciplinary perspective.  We welcome papers that deal with material culture, broadly construed (epigraphy, visual arts, architecture, etc.) as well as texts (historical, literary, oratorical, etc.).

More information here