Classical Empires in Contemporary Culture
University College London
A conference sponsored by University College London and the Classical
Reception Studies Network
The nineteenth century was the century of empires, the twentieth saw
their demise. At the start of the twenty-first century, according to
Eric Hobsbawm in his most recent work Globalisation, Democracy and
Terrorism (2008), the old era of empires is beyond revival and there is
no prospect of a return to the imperial worlds of the past. Yet, in
popular political debate, the empires of the ancient world have a vital
place as parallels and warnings about contemporary political formations
– most notably the United States of America has widely been perceived
as a modern Roman empire. Classical empires also surface regularly in
media such as historical fiction, Hollywood cinema, or computer games.
Documentaries reconstructing these ancient worlds routinely appear on
European and American television networks.
This conference aims to explore the rich presence of the classical
empires in contemporary culture, across a broad range of media (such as
scholarship, education, fiction, art, theatre, film, television,
advertising and the internet) and for a wide variety of purposes
(education, entertainment, political argument, consumer pleasure).
The Classical Reception Studies Network, the main sponsor of the
conference, is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK).
A small amount of funding is available from the CRSN to provide
graduate students who wish to attend with bursaries to help cover
travel- and subsistence-related expenses.
The conference will be run according to a workshop format, with papers
limited to 20 minutes each to allow for ample discussion. Please send
abstracts of about 350 words to Maria Wyke at m.wyke AT ucl.ac.uk by 3rd
December 2007.
There is no registration fee, and the conference is open to all.
University College London
A conference sponsored by University College London and the Classical
Reception Studies Network
The nineteenth century was the century of empires, the twentieth saw
their demise. At the start of the twenty-first century, according to
Eric Hobsbawm in his most recent work Globalisation, Democracy and
Terrorism (2008), the old era of empires is beyond revival and there is
no prospect of a return to the imperial worlds of the past. Yet, in
popular political debate, the empires of the ancient world have a vital
place as parallels and warnings about contemporary political formations
– most notably the United States of America has widely been perceived
as a modern Roman empire. Classical empires also surface regularly in
media such as historical fiction, Hollywood cinema, or computer games.
Documentaries reconstructing these ancient worlds routinely appear on
European and American television networks.
This conference aims to explore the rich presence of the classical
empires in contemporary culture, across a broad range of media (such as
scholarship, education, fiction, art, theatre, film, television,
advertising and the internet) and for a wide variety of purposes
(education, entertainment, political argument, consumer pleasure).
The Classical Reception Studies Network, the main sponsor of the
conference, is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK).
A small amount of funding is available from the CRSN to provide
graduate students who wish to attend with bursaries to help cover
travel- and subsistence-related expenses.
The conference will be run according to a workshop format, with papers
limited to 20 minutes each to allow for ample discussion. Please send
abstracts of about 350 words to Maria Wyke at m.wyke AT ucl.ac.uk by 3rd
December 2007.
There is no registration fee, and the conference is open to all.