Perceptions and Receptions of Persia (PERSIAS)

Programme

This research group seeks to explore perceptions and receptions of Persia in Judean writings from Yehud/Judaea, Samaria, Babylon, and Egypt in Antiquity. Our research aims at scrutinizing why Persia is such a fertile symbol or cipher with which to construct meaning among Judean minorities under Empire, that is, in Persian, Hellenistic and Roman times. We will especially emphasize that these perceptions and receptions were produced among subaltern groups across a variety of socio-cultural systems within a vast geographical area including the ancient Levant, Mesopotamia and Egypt. PERSIAS aims at stimulating multidisciplinary discussions on theoretical and methodological perspectives related to appropriations of conceptualizations, memories, and multifaceted imaginations of Persia, with particular emphasis on local patterns of perception and reception, transmission and translation within approaches grounded on cross-cultural studies. The research group aims at advancing a critical reflection on cultural encounters and dynamics in the Ancient world.

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Chairs

Kristin Joachimsen

MF-Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society

Kristin De Troyer
University of Salzburg

Ehud Ben Zvi
University of Alberta

Wuppertal 2021 Call for Papers

This unit is not accepting any new proposals for the 2021 conference

Perceptions and Receptions of Persia (PERSIAS) invites papers exploring theoretical and methodological questions related to appropriations of conceptualizations, memories and multifaceted imaginations of Persia in Judean writings from Yehud/Judaea, Samaria, Babylon, and Egypt in Antiquity, with particular emphasis on local patterns of perception and reception, transmission, translation within approaches grounded on cross-cultural studies. PERSIAS aims at publishing the papers presented in a collective-essay volume.