CALL FOR PARTICIPATION in the first international conference The Quaestura Exercitus in its Regional Context: Historical and Archaeological Perspectives 16 – 19 September 2025, Varna, Bulgaria
The National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Varna Regional Museum of History have the pleasure of inviting you to the first international conference “The Quaestura Exercitus in its Regional Context: Historical and Archaeological Perspectives”.The quaestura exercitus was a provincial institution established by Justinian I in AD 536 with the aim of facilitating the movement of supplies (especially the annona militaris) and soldiers. It brought many changes to the administration of the region as well as to the lives of the people within its territory and beyond, and set the course for more reforms which, eventually, shaped the Middle Byzantine period.
Contributors to the conference are invited to discuss all aspects relating to the quaestura exercitus itself and also to the provincial administration, economy and history of the Eastern Balkans and the EasternMediterranean during the 6th and the 7th centuries. Topics of interest include but are not limited to: civicand Christian archaeology; political, cultural, economic and military history; ceramics, glass, and othercraft studies; numismatics and sigillography.
The event will be hosted in the main hall of the Museum in Varna, the city which – known at that time as Odessos – served as the seat of the quaestura exercitus. The last day of the conference will include an organized trip to the Late Antique fortress and archaeological site near the modern-day town of Byala, on Sveti Atanas Cape. The proceedings of the conference will be published online in the open access publication Bulgarian e-Journal of Archaeology (Be-JA) Supplements.
Participation will be in person only. There is no participation fee, but please note that no travel or accommodation costs will be covered. The organizers are happy to assist the participants with finding suitable accommodation in Varna.
Communications should be presented in English and should not exceed 15 minutes. Posters should be in English and of A1 size (594 x 841 mm). Authors should be aware of copyright regulations and will be responsible for bringing and presenting their printed posters. For both communications and posters, please send an abstract of approximately 250 words to quaestura.conf.2025@gmail.com.
Deadline: 15 April 2025
Organizing committee:
Dr. Alexander Harizanov (Asst. Prof., National Archaeological Institute with Museum – BAS)
Dr. Vassil Tenekedjiev (Asst. Prof., Varna Regional Museum of History)
Dr. Pantelis Charalampakis (Researcher, National Archaeological Institute with Museum – BAS)
Dr. Milena Raycheva (Asst. Prof., National Archaeological Institute with Museum – BAS)
Dr. Maria Manolova-Voykova (Assoc. Prof., Varna Regional Museum of History)
Dr. Orlene McIlfatrick (Visiting Researcher, Varna Regional Museum of History)