The Ancient Borderlands International Graduate Student Conference strives to bring together work from diverse fields, in order to explore the application of Borderlands Theory to research. The papers presented here are revised versions selected from the 2010 conference “Beyond Borders: Ancient Societies and their Intellectual Frontiers.”

The Ancient Borderlands Research Focus Group, which facilitates and guides the organization of the conference, unites UCSB faculty and graduate students with common research interests in the history of Mediterranean antiquity, broadly conceived. We are investigating the process by which groups define, create and maintain their identities over time. The creation of boundaries, among ethnic, political, or religious groups, is a dynamic activity that can be reflected, not only by changes in material culture, but also in the rhetorical strategies adopted by ancient authors and the political tactics pursued by those seeking power. As members of several departments, including Classics, History and Religious Studies, we are also interested in challenging the disciplinary boundaries between us, believing that we have much to learn from one another.

Ancient Borderlands Research Focus Group

Introduction