[We have the following call for papers.]
Law, Trade and the Sea: Discovering Maritime Trade in the Roman World
University of Helsinki, September 12th -13th, 2019
The ancient Roman Empire utilized, promoted and relied upon long-distance maritime trade in a scale unprecedented in the ancient world. This led to the development of both trade networks that made possible the growth of urban centres, water-related infrastructures and economic specialization, but also a normative framework, which enabled trade and commerce across political, linguistic and cultural boundaries. The purpose of this workshop is to explore the emergence of the Roman system of maritime trade both as a logistical and a normative enterprise. The technology of transportation, from the ships to the ports and warehouses, developed in tandem with the rules that governed that trade. The conference will benefit of communications that place legal theory versus daily sea practices. The organizers invite paper proposals for a number of central themes relating to the topic.
The issues addressed are Food distribution and the annona; Taxation; Socio-legal structure of maritime enterprises; Administration and regulation of port environments; Risks and hazards of seafaring (e.g. piracy); Financing maritime trade; Stockage and warehousing; Freedom of navigation and the administration of trade (migration, control of movement); Interaction between native and Roman law (issues of compliance and enforcement, dispute resolution).
Confirmed keynote speakers are Prof. Eva Jakab (University of Szeged,
Hungary); Prof. Roberto Fiori ("Tor Vergata" University, Rome); and
Prof. Simon J. Keay (BSR, BA, University of Southampton, UK).
The proposals should be 400-500 words long and accompanied by a short CV of the author. The deadline for abstracts is March 10th, 2019. The proposals should be sent to lawtradeandthesea@gmail.com
There is no conference fee. The organizers are unfortunately unable to aid in either travel arrangements or the cost of travel.
With the collaboration of Law, Governance and Space. Questioning the Foundations of the
Republican Tradition (Spacelaw). Funded by the European Research Council and Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies and cosponsored by the University of Edinburgh.
