Contact phenomena between Greek and Latin and peripheral languages in the Mediterranean area (1200 B.C. - 600 A.D.)

The Association Rodopis – Experience Ancient History in cooperation with the Department of Philology, Literature and Linguistics of the University of Cagliari is planning an international workshop to be held in Cagliari (Italy) at the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy on 13th and 14th April 2015, on the topic: 
Contact phenomena between Greek and Latin and peripheral languages in the Mediterranean area (1200 B.C. - 600 A.D.) 

Ph.D. students and junior researchers are very welcome to apply and present their contributions by sending an abstract on one of the following main focus areas: 
1. Relationship between Greek and Latin on one side, and neighbouring dominant languages (such as Persian or Parthian) on the other, either in Classical times or in the age in which Greek and Latin had not yet reached the status of dominant languages. The aim is to understand – not only from a linguistic point of view, but also with an historical and political perspective – the value of the encounter between languages, whose rise and fall carries along with it underlying cultural, economic and social claims. 
2. Spread and dynamism of languages other than Greek and Latin in the Mediterranean basin in Classical time, with particular attention to the literary (and/or historical) production in such languages (where it exists). The aim is to highlight how (and if) languages other than Greek and Latin managed to survive not only as a means of ordinary communication, but also as a means of cultural continuity. 
3. Multiplication of literary written languages. This thematic area concerns the phenomenon by which, especially in Late Antiquity, several languages – up to then relegated to “peripheral” status – flourished again, developing a huge written literature (e.g. Coptic, Syriac, etc.) or appeared for the first time as written literary languages (e.g. Armenian, Georgian, Gothic, etc.). In Late Antiquity, such a dynamics is necessarily interwoven with the diffusion of Christianity (and other religions) and the translation of the Bible (and of other texts) in various local languages. The aim is to analyse the renewed linguistic and cultural exchange brought about by that context, with attention to the political and social background that affects (and is in turn created by) such exchange.

Each session is organised in a keynote lecture of 40 minutes, and contributions of 20 minutes presented by the applicants selected through the present call for papers. 

Keynote speakers: 
Prof. Giulio Paulis (Università degli Studi di Cagliari) 
Prof. Ignazio Efisio Putzu (Università degli Studi di Cagliari) 
Prof. Alessandro Orengo (Università degli Studi di Pisa) 
Prof. Davide Astori (Università degli Studi di Parma) 

Rules for the submission of abstracts: 
Those interested in participating are welcome to send an abstract with a maximum length of 300 words in .pdf format to the address workshop.rodopis@gmail.com, no later than 20th December 2014. The abstract must include name, surname, status and affiliation of the applicant. The accompanying mail should also include a CV. The result of the evaluation will be communicated by 20th January 2015.