Warfare in Antiquity: Approaches and
Controversies
Funded by UCD Graduate School
Conference
August 12-13th 2011, University College Dublin, Ireland
The study of ancient warfare is a broad and well established subject that stretches
across a range of disciplines. However, persistent controversies regarding
interpretations of and approaches to the subject matter remain. In light of this and
in celebration of the recent 2,500 year anniversary of the battle of Marathon, the
UCD Schools of Archaeology and Classics will be co-hosting a two-day
interdisciplinary conference entitled ‘Warfare in Antiquity: Approaches and
Controversies’ .
The aim of the conference is to provide a platform for discussion and exchange of
ideas on current approaches and controversies regarding the study of ancient
warfare. The conference is aimed equally at postgraduate students, early career
researchers and established academics. There are no specific spatial or temporal
parameters regarding the subject matter of papers, although it is anticipated that
contributions will focus on the Mediterranean basin and North Western Europe
from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity.
Warfare in Antiquity: Approaches and Controversies
Venue – Theatre 1, Newman Building
UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Friday 12th August
9.00-10.30
Registration and coffee
10.30-12.30
Panel 1
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Stephen O’Brien, University of Chester - Controversies and Uses of ‘Warrior Graves’ in Later Aegean
Prehistory
Dr. Efrem Zambon, Venice - The modes of warfare in classical Sicily: defining a Sicilian way of war?
Samuel Gartland, Leeds - The Theatre of Ares: Stagecraft and the visual in Boiotian conflict
Matthew Lloyd, Oxford - Euboean Warriors: Early Iron Age Aegean Warfare (c. 1050-700 BCE)
Lunch
2.00- 4.00
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Panel 2
Leonardo Gregoratti, Udine University,Italy – Pilum versus Bow: Anti Parthian Tactics in Ancient
Historiography
Anna Zawadzka, Warsaw – Celtic Horned Helmets: Realities and Stereoptypes
Aimee Schofield, Manchester – The Catapult: A revolution in Military Affairs
Catherine Parnell, UCD / Ioannis Georganas, Foundation of the Hellenic World – The kopis and the
macheira: fit for a hero or befitting a barbarian?
Coffee
4.30- 6.00
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Panel 3
Kevin de Groote, UCD – Thucydides and the drifting phalanx - an experimental approach to a Classical
problem.
Peter Myler UCD – Unit cohesion in the open form ‘phalanx’
Nick Barley, Swansea - Hoplites, hookers, and inappropriate analogies: the othismos of Classical Greek
battle.
Conference dinner
Saturday 13th August
9.00-11.00
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Panel 4
Julie Laskaris, Virginia - Military Medicine: a Battlefield Casualty
Owen Rees, London - Combat Trauma: a Methodological Perspective
Alan Peatfield, UCD – The Egyptan Kopesh
Christelle Fisher-Bovet – The Ptolemies, the Navy and the Egyptians
Coffee
11.30-1.00
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Panel 5
Adam Anders , Cardiff – Roman Transmission of Commands in Battle During the Republic and
Principate
Jonathan Eaton, Newcastle – The Imperial Family in the lives of Roman Soldiers 31 BC –AD 235
John Shean, La Guardia NYC – What happened to the late Roman Army?
Lunch
2.30-4.00
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Panel 6
Lucy Corcoran, Ucd – Women and Warfare in Homer: the Origin, the Objective and the Other
Cezary Kucewicz, UCL – Honour War and Body Parts: the mutilation of the dead in the Iliad
Sara Chiarini, Berlin - Λοκροί τʼἀγχέμαχοι: a possible explanation
4.15-5.45
Key note
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Jon Coulston, St. Andrews
Philip de Souza, UCD
Nick Secunda, University of Gdansk
Hans van Wees, UCL
Wine reception and Classical Museum
Warfare in Antiquity: Approaches and Controversies
University College Dublin,
August 12th and 13th, 2011
Registration Form
Name
________________________________________________
Institution
________________________________________________
Position in Institution / degree for which you are enrolled _______________________________
Email
________________________________________________
Telephone
________________________________________________
Conference fees are 10 euro for students/unwaged and 15 euro for all others. These are payable at
registration on Friday 12th of August. Lunch, coffee breaks on both days and the wine reception on
Saturday are included in the conference fee.
Signed __________________________________
Completed forms should be emailed to warfare.antiquity@gmail.com by July 30th 2011.
For more information contact:
peter.myler@ucdconnect.ie
Peter Myler,
School of Classics,
University College Dublin,
Belfield,
Dublin 4,
Republic of Ireland,
(+353) 1 716 8168