Call for papers -- An End to Unity? East and West in the Fourth Century

Call for Papers
An End to Unity? East and West in the Fourth Century (Nijmegen, 24th-26th October 2012)

The fourth century was a pivotal age in the history of the Roman Empire, an age of transition: New residencies of imperial power emerged in both West and East, with Constantinople as upcoming principal court and stage for imperial triumphs and celebrations. The attitude of the emperors towards
Christianity changed from proscription to prescription, though religious belief and practice, Christian as well as traditional, were still diverse.
.... Our hope is that this meeting will prompt a dynamic interchange among scholars with a focus on ancient history, literature, archaeology, architecture, religion, law and philosophy, (but also on)
cultural memory and identity building. Comparisons of political, social or cultural phenomena in the Eastern and Western part of the Empire are as much appreciated as papers which discuss fourth century views on unity (or separation). With this conference, we hope to deepen our understanding of the complexities of unity and discord in the late Roman empire.

Organisation: drs. Roald Dijkstra and drs. Sanne van Poppel, Radboud University Nijmegen
Location: Radboud University Nijmegen (the Netherlands)
Date: 24-26 October 2012
Papers are accepted in English, German or French (30 minutes length).

Abstract (500 words) should be sent in before 1 May 2012 to unity@let.ru.nl.
15 May at the latest, you will be informed about your admission to the conference. For further questions, please mail to the address mentioned above.

* Confirmed speakers:
-Dr. Jan Willem Drijvers (University of Groningen) - tba
Prof. dr. Christian Gnilka em. (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster) - "Die Reichsidee des Prudentius"
-Prof. dr. Mark Humphries (Swansea University) - "The Centre and the Centrifuge: Imperial Unity and Civil War in the Fourth Century"
-Prof. dr. Hervé Inglebert (Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense) - "Concordia, Romania et Ecclesia catholica : les discours de l'unité romaine au IVe siècle"
-Prof. dr. David Potter (University of Michigan) - "Can we measure the might of Rome?"
-Dr. Alexander Skinner (Cardiff University) - "Aristocrats and Imperial Service: Observations on an East-West Contrast"
-Prof. dr. Paul Stephenson (Radboud University Nijmegen) - tba

* Chairs:
-prof. dr. Sible de Blaauw (Radboud University Nijmegen)
-prof. dr. Bas ter Haar Romeny (Leiden University)
-dr. Daniëlle Slootjes (Radboud University Nijmegen)

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Radboud University Nijmegen,
Drs. Roald Dijkstra
Drs. Sanne van Poppel