Epigraphy and Latinity in the Middle Ages (May 18-23, 2026)

International Conference organized by CESCM (University of Poitiers/CNRS)

 

Conference Committee :

Vincent Debiais, CNRS, EHESS

Estelle Ingrand-Varenne, CNRS, CESCM

Andreas Rhoby, Austrian Academy of Sciences

Damien Strzelecki, CNRS, CESCM

Carlo Tedeschi, Università degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti – Pescara

Cécile Treffort, Université de Poitiers, CESCM, IUF

Conference Description

            Concluding the ERC GRAPH-EAST and IUF CARMECA research projects, the international conference ‘Epigraphy and Latinity in the Middle Ages’, organised by the CESCM with the support of Equipex+ Biblissima+, aims to do more than just provide a historiographical review of medieval epigraphy (covering theoretical reflections, disciplinary foundations and developments, and recent applications). This conference will explore medieval inscriptions within the broader context of Latin culture and its geographical and cultural margins through thematic summaries and case studies. The goal is to assess the significance of written expression in shaping identities. 

      ‘Latinitas,’ both a historical concept and historiographical notion, is particularly well-suited for this exploration. Beyond its original rhetorical use, the concept of Latinitas, in its broadest sense, allows for an examination of very different epigraphic fields. The Latin alphabet brings up the question of writing itself. The Latin language, meanwhile, addresses not only linguistic issues but also literary and stylistic ones.        

      From a cultural, social, or geographical perspective, Latinitas can refer to those in the West or East who, through a multilingual Christianity, used Latin as their liturgical language and were subject to the primacy of the Roman Church. In the East, Latinitas also defined a collective ‘identity’ – that of the ‘Latins’ – which could even encompass a particular habitus (manners, customs, clothing, etc.). Finally, discussing medieval Latinitas requires situating it in time, between the Romanitas of classical or late Antiquity and the ‘neo-Latinitas’ of the Renaissance and the humanists.

      The Poitiers conference seeks to explore how inscriptions contributed to the formation, development, understanding, and presentation of the concept of ‘Latinitas’ across diverse contexts. It will provide an opportunity to analyze the varied manifestations of medieval Latinitas through epigraphic media and their creators, promoting a ‘connected’ historical perspective and a dynamic approach to interactions with other epigraphic cultures, spanning the Mediterranean and further north. This allows for comparison of ‘Latinitas’ with other group identities, whose nuances are only partially captured by neologisms like ‘Francité,’ ‘Grecité,’ or ‘Arabité.’

      Epigraphic documentation thus offers a unique and important lens for re-evaluating medieval Latinitas. Building on studies initiated in the 1990s concerning social writing practices and literacy, contemporary research in medieval epigraphy now views the inscribed object as a true ‘text in context.’ Its spatial, visual, and material dimensions—even its iconic and symbolic aspects—can be remarkably intricate. This broader perspective, which can be termed as ‘holistic’ or ‘ecological’, enables us to understand inscriptions by examining their text, graphic and material forms, the circumstances in which they were created, and reception within specific contexts. It also provides an opportunity to break down traditional disciplinary barriers, allowing for a broad definition of epigraphy that encompasses inscriptions on seals, coins, and even graffiti, which often resembles cursive handwriting.

To foster lively exchange and discussion, the conference is structured around five key themes:

1. Writing. In epigraphy, writing is undeniably the most instantly recognizable visual element, making it the most effective means of expressing and identifying Latin culture. We will consider: How has epigraphic writing, through its forms, visuality, and iconicity, shaped the graphic landscape of the West? What connection do the creators of inscriptions—patrons, editors, artists, and craftsmen—have with Latin culture? Does the choice of materials and techniques influence the production and perception of Latin letters? From this viewpoint, how can we interpret ‘images of writing’ (e.g., pseudo-Latin writing, more or less skilled imitations of foreign scripts) and graphic ‘otherness’?

2. Questions of Style. While epigraphic language frequently appears highly standardised, we can also investigate the role of inscriptions in shaping a particular type of Latin culture. Could the long-term circulation and transmission of common linguistic features (e.g., formulas) have contributed to the formation of specific textual networks in both the West and the East? Might so-called epigraphic poetry—a vast and multifaceted domain, previously overlooked by historians yet ubiquitous in both manuscripts and material inscriptions—have played a similar role?

3. Latin and Vernacular Languages. Inscriptions also illuminate the relationships between languages within societies or on a broader scale. This includes the various registers and layers of Latin from late Antiquity through the Middle Ages, followed by the emergence of vernacular writing during the Middle Ages, and ultimately, a renewed interest in Latin culture during the Renaissance. These dynamic, nondichotomous relationships will be central to our discussion, approached from linguistic, sociolinguistic and socio-semiotic perspectives. We will pay particular attention to epigraphic texts in medieval French, encompassing their diverse dialectal forms from Ireland to Cyprus and the Latin states of the Holy Land.

4. Latinity in contact. Whether in the East or the West, cosmopolitan and multicultural societies present a complex and intertwined epigraphic landscape in which the concept of Latinity can serve either as a catalyst or a lens of revelation. This invites us to explore forms of permeability, crossfertilisation, and even hybridity evident in both the content and presentation of epigraphic messages— manifested through choices in letterforms, visual composition, graphic aesthetics, or specific techniques employed. While not excluding northern traditions such as runes or Ogham script, the Mediterranean context will be prioritized, given its rich opportunities for comparative analysis between Latin and other scripts and languages, including Greek, Arabic, Syriac, Armenian, Georgian, Hebrew, Cyrillic, and more. Particular emphasis will be placed on instances of bilingualism or digraphism within individual inscriptions or sites, enabling an examination of diverse issues: similarity or difference in textual relationships—whether translation or adaptation—between different examples; the bilingual cultural backgrounds of patrons, artisans, or intended audiences; and, more broadly, the significant identity dynamics reflected in these epigraphic choices.

5. Latinity as seen by others. The final segment of the conference will focus on how Latin inscriptions have been perceived by other cultures from the Middle Ages to the present day, including within the frameworks of modern scholarship and Orientalist perspectives. How are inscriptions rendered in Latin characters viewed from an external standpoint? Can we identify instances of ‘Latinisation,’ that is, the appropriation of identity through the incorporation of monumental Latin inscriptions on architecture, or, conversely, negative responses manifesting as erasure or destruction? What socio-cultural, ideological, and political meanings are attached to these languages and scripts when displayed?