Conveners

Francisco J. González Ponce (University of Seville, President of GAHIA) [ponce@us.es]

Roberto Nicolai (University of Rome “La Sapienza”) [roberto.nicolai@uniroma1.it]

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Brief description of the proposal

Since 2014, the International Association GAHIA has the aim of acting as a platform of exchange of ideas among senior and young scholars who share the interest in Ancient Geography and Historiography. After its 4 years of history, GAHIA consists of more than 150 members based in institutions all over the world (Spain, Italy, France, Germany, UK, Israel and US, among others). One of its main fields of interest is the study of historiographical and geographic literature transmitted in fragmentary condition, as references of later authors which use earlier written texts as sources of information as well as of authority. The eyes of the transmitting authors are the filter through which we now see, e.g., ancient periplography, most part of Hellenistic Geography (both scientific Geography and descriptive works) and the greater part of Hellenistic and postclassical Historiography. The figure of the intermediary, its intentions, its intellectual context and, overall, the ways in which all this establishes a dialogue between the transmitter and its source, become the subject of interest of this panel.

 

Expected contributors

The proposal is open to all members of the scientific network of GAHIA, but is not limited to them: also external scholars are welcome. GAHIA counts among its members figures of internationally acknowledge relevance, as e.g. Klaus Geus (FU Berlin), Didier Marcotte (Sorbonne), Serena Bianchetti (Florence), Pierre Moret (CNRS, University of Toulouse) or Stefan Schorn (Louvain, responsible of Vol. IV of the New Series of Fragmente der griechischen Historiker). Contributions of both established and young scholars are expected to create a climate of discussion where the voice of experience and fresh and innovative contributions can enrich each other.