The University of Alicante's Faculty of Philosophy and Letters is hosting the international workshop titled ‘Ptolemaic, Roman and Byzantine Egypt’ today, November 13, 2026. Organised by the Spanish Institute of Egyptology and Coptology (IEEC) and the Art History Department, the event is being held in a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person and online participation.
This scientific gathering aims to promote the study, research, and exchange of knowledge regarding one of the most intricate and enriching periods of ancient Egyptian history, spanning from the establishment of the Ptolemaic dynasty in the late 4th century BC to the political, social, and religious transformations of late antiquity, culminating in the Arab conquest of the 7th century AD.
The workshop is designed as an academic dialogue among national and international researchers, facilitating the presentation of new research, methodological debates, and the establishment of scientific collaborations. Over nearly a millennium, Egypt underwent profound transformations due to its successive integration into Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine political and cultural spheres. However, these changes did not lead to the immediate disappearance of pharaonic traditions; rather, they resulted in complex processes of continuity, adaptation, and innovation affecting institutions, social structures, religious practices, artistic expressions, and economic organisation.
The coexistence of diverse communities, languages, legal traditions, and religious expressions made Egypt a unique space for studying the relationships between Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures, as well as the gradual establishment of Christianity and the formation of new identities during late antiquity.
From a multidisciplinary perspective, the workshop will address issues related to archaeology, political and social history, economics, gender studies, religion, art, architecture, material culture, law, epigraphy, numismatics, papyrology, linguistics, and anthropology. Additionally, the event places special emphasis on research that helps to understand the dynamics of transformation within Egyptian society, the relationships between tradition and innovation, regional diversity, and the significance of archaeological and documentary sources in reconstructing daily life, institutions, and cultural practices of these periods.
Through this initiative, the Spanish Institute of Egyptology and Coptology and the Art History Department of the University of Alicante aim to contribute to the understanding of a fundamental period for comprehending both the historical evolution of Egypt and its role in shaping the Mediterranean world of antiquity and the transition to medieval societies. To this end, they also plan to publish the scientific works arising from the presentations in a collective volume.
