Oxford Centre for Late Antiquity (OCLA)

Description

Late Antiquity, a period spanning approximately 250 to 750 CE, witnessed significant cultural and political transformations in the British context. This era marked the rise of major monotheistic religions such as rabbinic Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It also saw the emergence and eventual downfall of the Sasanian Empire, the last Persian empire of Antiquity, as well as the Germanic conquest and settlement of the Western Roman Empire. Additionally, Byzantium underwent a process of militarisation and Christianisation. The world of 750 differed greatly from that of 250, and the effects of these changes continue to shape reality today. European states can trace their origins back to Germanic invaders, while the rise of Islam has contributed to cultural divisions.

Oxford University boasts a diverse group of over 90 senior scholars, along with numerous graduate students, dedicated to researching Late Antiquity. These scholars cover a wide range of disciplines, including Archaeology, Theology, and more, and focus on various geographical areas within the late antique world, from Coptic Egypt to Sasanian Iran and the Celtic North. Their collaborative efforts are facilitated through the establishment of the 'Oxford Centre for Late Antiquity' (OCLA), which operates under the Oxford History Faculty. The primary goal of OCLA is to encourage dialogue and collaboration among different scholarly disciplines and institutions worldwide that specialise in the study of Late Antiquity

Objectives of the Centre include:

• Organising and funding colloquia and lectures, inviting esteemed senior scholars to present their work at Oxford University, both to internal and external audiences.
• Promoting all research seminars and special lectures related to Late Antiquity held in Oxford through an informative website.
• Publicising the research conducted by senior scholars and graduate students at Oxford on Late Antiquity through electronic means.
• Providing comprehensive information on graduate courses and doctoral opportunities related to Late Antiquity offered at Oxford University.
• Maintaining an effective electronic mailing list for graduate students, scholars within the university, and interested external individuals to announce special events and regular seminars held at Oxford.
• Offering small grants to support Late Antiquity events in Oxford, organised independently of the Centre, by established scholars and graduate students primarily for covering speaker travel expenses and event publicity.
• Cultivating a sense of community among scholars and graduates specialising in Late Antiquity and promoting interdisciplinary connections. This is achieved primarily through special lectures and colloquia, where speakers are encouraged to present their work in a manner that transcends disciplinary boundaries.

The Centre is overseen by a committee. All speaker invitations and grants are approved through electronic communication circulated among all committee members. At the end of each academic year, the Committee convenes to review the Centre's activities, examine and approve its financial records, discuss broader policies, and consider potential invitees for the following year.

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

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University of Oxford