2017 Graduate Student Conference in Classical Studies - "Foreign Relations in the Ancient Mediterranean World"

Boston University’s 2017 Graduate Conference in Classical Studies will consider the place of empires, kingdoms, and other political entities in their larger regional, commercial, and diplomatic contexts both within and beyond the borders of Classical Antiquity. Such states have always depended on manageable coexistence with neighboring powers. These foreign relations were the key to maintaining their ever-fragile grip on peace and prosperity – or on authority – abroad. This conference welcomes submissions in Classical Studies, Ancient History, and related disciplines that explore the means by which Bronze and Iron Age civilizations negotiated the delicate and variable world of foreign relations, diplomacy, and cultural connectivity to pursue and preserve their interests.