September 11-12th 2026 at The Ohio State University
Since its inception in 1986, the Center for Epigraphical and Paleographical Studies has been a pole of excellence that has hosted over sixty national and international fellows and visiting scholars. With its fortieth anniversary fast approaching, the Center is pleased to announce a call for papers for a two-day conference to mark and celebrate this important milestone, reflecting on the history of our discipline but also looking towards to its future achievements. In the forty-year history of the Center, scholars’ approach to epigraphy has changed monumentally. This conference provides a space to reflect on the history of our field and to explore what theories, methodologies and approaches can carry us through the next decades. Confirmed keynote speakers are John Bodel (Brown University) and Sarah Forsdyke (University of Michigan.)
This conference seeks to explore how inscribed material culture –inscriptions, documentary papyri, tablets, coins, graffiti, instrumenta – is used to enrich and problematize the study of social history in the ancient world. We invite submissions related to evidence from all languages and geographical regions of the ancient Mediterranean that are primarily focused on methodology.
Possible topics include but are not limited to:
· The lived experiences and daily lives of non-elite groups and communities (the enslaved, women, children, non-citizens, foreigners, ethnic, linguistic, or religious minorities).
· Human mobility, its scale, and effects in the ancient Mediterranean world.
· The role and impact of interpersonal networks (pseudo-familial, religious, professional) in society.
· Local economies, forms of labor, apprenticeship, human and animal labor interactions.
· Religious practices and expressions of belief in divine intervention (e.g., votives and curse tablets).
Please submit your anonymized abstract via email (cepsconference@gmail.com) by 04/01/2026. Paper submissions that explore new methodologies and comparative approaches are particularly welcome. Furthermore, an important goal of this conference is to encourage mentorship and foster community among scholars. All sessions will be plenary with ample time for questions and many informal opportunities to discuss each other’s papers. Please also consider this a good venue to receive early feedback on works in progress.
Limited funding is available for graduate student and scholars whose institutions cannot cover travel costs and expenses. If you wish to apply for funding, please include your request when you submit the abstract. There will be no registration fee. All meals will be provided.