Making Peace in the Ancient World: Proceedings of the 7th Melammu Workshop, Padova, 5-7 November 2018

The title of the Melammu Workshop Making Peace in Antiquity points to two intertwined aims. The first consists in the analysis of the events, conditions, decisions and rules that led to and/or contributed to building and maintaining peace in particular periods and circumstances of the ancient world. The second consists in considering the idea and instruments of peace and making peace as evolving over time in a process that has distant roots. For instance, it is possible to trace this path, which certainly was not linear, in the stipulation of treaties, a practice which is attested since the 25th century BC, and in the formulation of international law 4,500 years ago. Moreover, it is worth considering the expectations and the meanings attributed to peace in their historical development and change. Section I presents Key Note Lectures by Paolo Matthiae, Marc Van De Mieroop and Kurt A. Raaflaub. Section II is devoted to Ancient Near East and Egypt encompassing the histories of peace in Babylonian, Assyrian, Hittite, Biblical and Achaemenid realms. Section III, The Mediterranean Worlds and Beyond focusses on making peace from Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods.