Freedmen in the Roman World: Agency, Diversity & Representation

November 14-15, 2019

Hosted by the UCSB Department of Classics and Argyropoulos Endowment in Hellenic Studies, together with the Department of History, IHC’s Research Focus Group in Slavery, Captivity, and the Meaning of Freedom, College of Letters & Science, and Humanities & Fine Arts.

This colloquium aims to re-evaluate traditional narratives surrounding freed slaves in the Roman world by asking how and to what extent they participated in society and how they and others represented that process. Papers address the problem of defining “the freedman” as a social category while acknowledging the diversity of this population, the vibrancy and complexity of its cultural practices, and its close involvement with other groups, including the aristocracy and the freeborn plebs.

Papers will be pre-circulated among registered conference participants. You can read the abstracts here and view the conference schedule here.

Keynote:
Dan-el Padilla Peralta
Princeton University

Speakers:
Dorian Borbonus
University of Dayton

Nicole Giannella
Cornell University

Katharine Huemoeller
University of British Columbia

Marc Kleijwegt
University of Wisconsin, Madison

Franco Luciani
Newcastle University

William Owens
Ohio University

Devon Stewart
Angelo State University

The colloquium is free and open to the public. Lunch and refreshments will be provided for all registered participants. To register, please email rmaclean@ucsb.edu no later than November 7.

Accommodation will be available at Pacifica Suites at a reduced rate (while supplies last) that includes breakfast and shuttle service to and from campus. The most convenient airport is Santa Barbara Airport (SBA). Shuttle service from LAX is available through Santa Barbara Airbus. The Amtrak station closest to campus is Goleta.