CALL FOR PAPERS
Lectura Ciceronis IV. Cicero’s Pro Archia
The Accademia Vivarium Novum in Frascati (Rome) is pleased to host an international conference on Cicero’s Pro Archia, to be held from 1 to 3 March 2027. The Conference is generously sponsored by the Patrum Lumen Sustine Foundation (PLuS) and the Accademia Vivarium Novum.
This is the fourth conference in the Lecturae Ciceronis series, annually organised by the Société Internationale des Amis de Cicéron (SIAC, Paris): after the first conference on the De inventione (Paris, 21–23 March 2024), the second on the correspondence to Brutus (Epistulae ad Brutum) (Turin, 20–21 March 2025), and the third on the philosophical treatise De legibus (Cyprus, 19-21 March 2026), this conference will be on Cicero’s defence speech of Archias (Pro Archia).
This conference is organised in collaboration with the Europa Ciceroniana project, funded by the European Union. The proceedings will be published in the journal “Ciceroniana On Line” (COL) at the end of 2027, following a double-blind peer-review process.
The speech Pro Archia was delivered in 62 BC in defence of the Syrian poet Archias, who had been accused of unlawfully claiming Roman citizenship. In 1333, Petrarch not only rediscovered the text in an abbey in Liège, but also spread its content by frequently referring to it and by circulating his copy among other humanists, thereby making it a key text for the development of humanist thought.
Within this framework of research and scholarly reflection, we welcome proposals for papers addressing all aspects of this discourse (exegesis, philology, style, sources, philosophical reflections, historical and political context, etc.), as well as its manuscript and printed transmission, and its reception from the classical period to the present day.
Proposals will be evaluated by the members of the Scientific Committee of the Lectura. Selected researchers will be accommodated free of charge at Vivarium Novum or in the surrounding area. Unfortunately, it is still not possible to guarantee reimbursement of travel expenses at this stage. In addition to the academic sessions, the programme will also include cultural visits as well as theatrical and musical performances.
Submission Guidelines:
Interested scholars are invited to submit an anonymized abstract (max. 500 words) and CV (max. 2 A4) to pro.archia.ciceronis@outlook.com by 30 September 2026.
Applicants will be notified of acceptance by 15 October 2026.
Papers may be delivered in English, French, Italian, Latin or Spanish.
Organising Committee:
Ignacio Armella, Lidewij van Gils, Ludovico Giurlanda, Sander Heil, Ermanno Malaspina, Filippo Mastroianni.
Scientific Committee:
Ignacio Armella, Andrea Balbo, Stephan Busch, Charles Guérin, Lidewij van Gils, Ermanno Malaspina, Luigi Miraglia, David Movrin, Christoph Pieper, Veronica Revello.
Confirmed Participants:
Mauro Agosto (Pontificia Università Lateranense, Vivarium Novum) , Ignacio Armella (Vivarium Novum) , Andrea Balbo (Università di Torino) , Stephan Busch (Universität Trier) , Guido Capelli (Università di Napoli “L’Orientale”) , Roberto Cardini (University of Florence), Leonardo Costantini (University of Bristol) , Altay Coskun (University of Waterloo) , Lidewij van Gils (Universiteit van Amsterdam) , Charles Guérin (Sorbonne Université) , Ermanno Malaspina (Pontificia Academia Latinitatis) , Luigi Miraglia (Vivarium Novum) , Antonio Moreno (UNED Madrid) , David Movrin (Univerza v Ljubljani) , Daniele Pellacani (Università di Bologna) , Christoph Pieper (Universiteit Leiden).
Important dates:
Deadline for abstract submission: 30 September 2026
Notification of acceptance: 15 October 2026
Transmission of handouts/papers from speakers: 15 February 2027
Conference dates: 1, 2 and 3 March 2027
Due date for publication in COL: 15 June 2027
Note: this is not a Classical Association event – please contact the organisers directly with any enquiries.
