Call for Papers - Beyond Borders: International Law in Antiquity

Following the success of the workshop held in January 2025, we are pleased to announce a second event dedicated to exploring questions of international law in the ancient world. This in-person workshop, the second meeting of the “Greek and Roman Law: A Combination (still) to Be Explored” series, is to be hosted at the University of Edinburgh on 7 November 2025. It aims to bring together PhD candidates and early career researchers working on literary or epigraphic sources in which legal norms, institutions, and diplomatic practices that governed inter-state or inter-community relations in antiquity are discussed.

We welcome papers that explore how ancient societies – across the Mediterranean (Greek and Roman World), the Near East, and Central Asia – conceptualised and practised forms of law beyond their own borders. The goal is to foster a dialogue between different scholars, disciplines, and historical backgrounds to develop a comparative and transhistorical perspective on ancient law, exploring similarities, differences, and influences between ancient legal systems.
 
Topics may include, but are not limited to:

– legal frameworks in treaties and alliances;
– warfare and rules of engagement;
– conflict resolution and arbitration;
– diplomatic immunity and protocols;
– exile, asylum, and the rights of foreigners;
– legal pluralism and cross-cultural interactions;
– theoretical reflections on law and sovereignty in antiquity.

We particularly encourage comparative approaches, interdisciplinary perspectives, and contributions that challenge traditional geographical or chronological boundaries.

Presentations should not exceed 20 minutes.

Abstracts of no more than 300 words (pdf format, bibliography excluded), along with a brief bio (max 150 words), should be submitted by 15 July 2025 to the email address workshop.greekromanlaw@gmail.com.

While we regret that we are unable to provide financial assistance for travel or accommodation, we are committed to assisting participants in finding suitable accommodation in the city centre.

Organisers
Professor Dr Paul J. Du Plessis (Professor of Roman law, Director of the Centre for Legal History, University of Edinburgh)
Serena Barbuto (PhD Candidate in Historical Studies, University of Milan)
Luca Fiamingo (PhD Candidate in Philology, Literature and Performance Studies, University of Verona) 

In person registration:
06/11/2025 - Register to attend in person
07/11/2025 - Register to attend in person
 

Online registration:
06/11/2025 - Register to attend online
07/11/2025 - Register to attend online
 
Image credit: Freepik