The War in the Ancient World International Conference brings together scholars on ancient warfare from around the world to share research and ideas. This annual hybrid conference includes presentations on any aspect, era, or geographical region of ancient warfare. We encourage a broad and inclusive discussion of ancient warfare, and contributions from archaeological, philological, and historical perspectives are welcome, with a particular interest in topics related to the Greco-Roman world, the ancient Near East, ancient Egypt, and neighboring cultures. The conference is open to doctoral students, early-career researchers, and established scholars alike.
Conference Dates: June 9 - 11, 2027
Conference Locations: Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Turin, Italy
Call for Papers:
The 2027 conference will take place in a hybrid in-person format at two venues: Sioux Falls (for participants based in North America) and Turin, Italy (for participants based in Europe). Selected panels will be connected via Zoom to facilitate transcontinental exchange and discussion.
We welcome proposals in three categories: (a) individual papers, (b) posters (Turin only), and (c) thematic panels:
Individual papers may address any aspect of ancient warfare and will be assigned to appropriate panels by the organizers. Presentations should not exceed 20 minutes and will be followed by a 10-minute discussion. Please submit a 150–300-word abstract and a brief biographical note.
Posters (Turin only) are intended primarily for PhD candidates and graduate students. The poster session will take place only if at least 10 submissions are received. A Best Poster Award is planned. It is possible to submit both a poster proposal and an individual paper. Please submit a 150-word abstract of your project and a brief biographical note.
Thematic panels should focus on a clearly defined topic related to ancient warfare and consist of 3–6 related presentations. Panels may be hosted at either venue. We especially encourage proposals for transcontinental panels (with 3–4 presentations; with at least 1 presentation in each location). To facilitate the review process, please let us know your ideas for panels as early as possible. Panel proposals must include a 150–300-word abstract of the panel topic, 150-word abstracts for the individual presentations, and a complete list of speakers with their contact details. Early submission of panel proposals is strongly encouraged, as it also increases the likelihood of acceptance.
All submissions must be sent to [email protected] by January 15, 2027.
In-person participation at one of the two venues is expected, unless compelling personal circumstances or intercontinental travel make this impossible. Students and early-career researchers as well as unemployed researchers will be able to apply for up to € 150 of their travel expense reimbursed.
Please indicate whether you plan to attend the conference in Sioux Falls or Turin, or provide a short explanation if you are requesting online participation. If you wish to apply for travel support, please include this in your submission.
If you have any questions about the conference locations, please contact the local organizers, and for questions about the conference series, please reach out to [email protected]. Detailed information about the locations, including useful details for participants, will be distributed in due time.
Publication Opportunities: Participants are invited to submit their papers and short thematic sections to the Diamond Open Access Online Journal “Deimos” after the conference (https://journals.ub.uni heidelberg.de/index.php/deimos/index). Thematic panels may also be proposed for the book series “Bellona”.
Local Contacts: Graham Wrightson / Katrina Knight (South Dakota State University / University of South Dakota; [email protected] / [email protected])
North American (Sioux Falls) Participants: Graham Wrightson (South Dakota State University, [email protected]) and Katrina Knight (University of South Dakota, [email protected])
European (Turin) Participants: Fabrizio Biglino ([email protected]) and Han Pedazzini ([email protected]), University of Turin
Conference Coordinator Contacts:
Europe: Lennart Gilhaus (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, [email protected])
North America: Graham Wrightson (South Dakota State University, [email protected]) and Jeffrey Rop (University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected])
Information for in-person participants and guests:
North American Conference Session
European Conference Session
Policy on AI use:
All contributions and presentations at WAWIC are expected to be the original work of the author. The use of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) or Large Language Models (LLMs) is strongly discouraged. Any use of such tools (e.g., checking grammar and spelling) must be explicitly acknowledged.