The Byzantine Commonwealth 50 Years On: Empires and Their Afterlife, Worcester College, Oxford, September 27–28, 2018
Celebrating the centenary of Dimitri Obolensky's birth, this conference is one of a series of events which aim to explore the singularity of Byzantium and the empire's place in the Eurasian world, and its interaction with other societies, cultures, and powers. The phenomenon of the Byzantine Commonwealth will be a central feature of these investigations.
The two-day conference, organised by Peter Frankopan and Jonathan Shepard, will address such questions as what were Byzantium's vital ingredients? Was it inclusive, exclusive, or expansionist? How and why did it appeal to members of external societies or elites? Was the afterlife of Byzantium wholly a matter of religion?
Advance registration required. Registration closes September 20.
The conference is the first part of a series of events celebrating Dimitri Obolensky’s centenary. These feature
- An exhibition of Dimitri Obolensky’s papers mounted by Christ Church Library to run during the Conference and Michaelmas Term 2018, with a reception to mark its opening on Wednesday 26 September.
- Eight lectures on the same theme of aspects of The Byzantine Commonwealth from Oxford-based scholars in Michaelmas Term 2018, constituting the Late Antique and Byzantine Studies seminar for the term.