For all those Byzantine History Wonks

**Wismer** · October 05, 2010, 07:49 PM

University of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, PA, is hosting a large (relatively speaking) convention on Byzantine history this coming weekend. Obviously it's geared for scholars but for those semi-serious amateur historians. Out of curiosity, is anyone going to this or is at least aware of it?

Here's the link for the convention.

http://www.bsana.net/conference/index.html

EDIT: I forgot to ask where the forum is for the Byzantine geeks. I tried finding it but gave up after 30 minutes of searching. Sorry....

**Ishan** · October 05, 2010, 08:00 PM

Thread Moved to Vestigia Vetustatis.

**RomanSoldier9001** · October 05, 2010, 09:26 PM

Dont live in US XD.

**~~Exarch~~** · October 05, 2010, 11:08 PM

thanks for the tip
wish i could make it, but i'm on the freakin' other end of the world

**Tiberios** · October 06, 2010, 02:39 AM

Damn. I don't have the time and I live across the Atlantic. Sounds exciting though.

**Wismer** · October 06, 2010, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by Kralle18

Damn. I don't have the time and I live across he Atlantic. Sounds exciting though.

hah yea it does. I think this means we are dorks.

**MathiasOfAthens** · October 06, 2010, 08:00 AM

Too bad Philadelphia sucks.

I would go though if I could.

**Stavroforos** · October 06, 2010, 08:04 AM

Damn I wish I was still in NY, this would have been pretty interesting to go to.

**motiv-8** · October 06, 2010, 01:24 PM

Some truly awesome and intriguing panels going on there. Wish it was remotely possible for me to attend.

Note: This isn't just a large convention on Byzantine Studies, this is THE convention on Byzantine Studies. It doesn't get any bigger, better, or more important than this in the United States.

**Wismer** · October 06, 2010, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by motiv-8

Some truly awesome and intriguing panels going on there. Wish it was remotely possible for me to attend.

Note: This isn't just a large convention on Byzantine Studies, this is THE convention on Byzantine Studies. It doesn't get any bigger, better, or more important than this in the United States.

The one in Dumbarton Oaks isnt that great then, I guess? I heard about that one....

**Tiberios** · October 06, 2010, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Wismer

hah yea it does. I think this means we are dorks.

Haha yeah probably.

Originally Posted by motiv-8

Note: This isn't just a large convention on Byzantine Studies, this is THE convention on Byzantine Studies. It doesn't get any bigger, better, or more important than this in the United States.

Ohh God damnit. Now I'm even more sad I can't go

**motiv-8** · October 06, 2010, 01:54 PM

I didn't say that, at all. Dumbarton Oaks is a program of import that can't be overstated. I've read nearly all the Dumbarton Oaks Papers. It's just a simple fact that the international convention hosted by what is now the BSANA (its component parts made up of organizations involved with counterparts all over the world) is a much larger-scale event. Dumbarton Oaks is valuable in a different way, in that it has programs running throughout the year as well as hosting one of the best collections of Byzantine artifacts and scholarship in existence.

**Wismer** · October 06, 2010, 02:40 PM

Yea, that makes sense. I've met some scholars at UPENN who mentioned Dumbarton before but didnt have that great of an idea what it's all about.

The weird thing is that I visited the place for the gardens it has but didn't learn till later that it had an impressive library on Byzantine history. I was very curious about the building itself more than the garden but we weren't allowed in.

**motiv-8** · October 06, 2010, 03:01 PM

Well yes, the building has a history and life all its own completely separate from the academic studies that go on there. It's where the concept for the United Nations was dreamt up IIRC.