Rachel Mairs

The events directly connected with the campaign of Alexander the Great in Central Asia are described vividly and in detail by ancient Greek authors and have been thoroughly evaluated by modern historians. Numismatic studies have reconstructed the history of the following centuries. However, our understanding of the (mutual?) acculturation
following the campaign remains limited. The aim of the conference was to discuss what actually happened in Central Asia at that time. It takes as much as possible a local point of view and ask how local people experienced these turbulent developments, and how they coped with the strange newcomers. As in the previous meetings of HCARN group in Reading 2016 and Berlin 2017, the Prague conference brings together archaeologists, historians, and numismatists working on various aspects of the Hellenistic Central Asia.

The events directly connected with the campaign of Alexander the Great in Central Asia are described vividly and in detail by ancient Greek authors and have been thoroughly evaluated by modern historians. Numismatic studies have reconstructed the history of the following centuries. However, our understanding of the (mutual?) acculturation following the campaign remains limited.

The aim of the conference is to discuss what actually happened in Central Asia. It will take a local point of view and ask how local people experienced these turbulent developments, and how they coped with the strange newcomers.

As in the previous meetings of HCARN group, the conference will bring together archaeologists, historians, and numismatists working on various aspects of Hellenistic Central Asia.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

Locating the events of Alexander´s campaign: Combined analysis of archaeological and textual sources

Settlement patterns and dynamics in the late Achaemenid and Hellenistic Periods
Structural changes in the local society
Elites and their adapting to the new reality
Material culture: local or introduced?
New fieldwork at relevant archaeological sites

November 14-16 2018, Institute of Classical Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague

The events directly connected with the campaign of Alexander the Great in Central Asia are described vividly and in detail by ancient Greek authors and have been thoroughly evaluated by modern historians. Numismatic studies have reconstructed the history of the following centuries. However, our understanding of the (mutual?) acculturation following the campaign remains limited.
The aim of the conference is to discuss what actually happened in Central Asia. It will take a local point of view and ask how local people experienced these turbulent developments, and how they coped with the strange newcomers.
As in the previous meetings of HCARN group, the conference will bring together archaeologists, historians, and numismatists working on various aspects of Hellenistic Central Asia.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Locating the events of Alexander´s campaign: Combined analysis of archaeological and textual sources
• Settlement patterns and dynamics in the late Achaemenid and Hellenistic Periods
• Structural changes in the local society
• Elites and their adapting to the new reality
• Material culture: local or introduced?
• New fieldwork at relevant archaeological sites

We welcome proposals for 20-minute papers on relevant topics, from both established scholars and early career researchers. Abstracts of no more than 300 words, along with the author’s name, title and institutional affiliation, should be submitted to
hcarn3@ff.cuni.cz
no later than 31 May 2018.

Thanks to the generosity of the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague, we anticipate being able to offer some travel funding to participants, on a case by case basis.

Ladislav Stančo (Charles University)
Gunvor Lindström (Deutsches Archäologisches Institut)
Rachel Mairs (University of Reading)