10/09/2026
MAKING WAVES ON THE NILE – The conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE has long been considered a watershed moment in the history of the country, and has undoubtedly shaped the parameters of various academic disciplines. Whether or not this moment should be considered a divide, the Hellenistic period that followed certainly produced significant change and innovations across Egyptian society, from large scale economic innovations such as the first widespread coinage in Egypt to highly specialised developments such as the increasing number of hieroglyphs. Such developments drew on both imported practices and the continuation of indigenous traditions, but to what degree were they also creating a uniquely Hellenistic Egyptian way of life? And how universally was this felt across all layers of society?
The conference will bring together early career scholars from diverse fields with a shared interest in Hellenistic Egypt and in particular the societal developments of the period to both share their own research, and create links with colleagues they might otherwise not get to meet. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/2026/09/making-waves-on-the-nile-change-and-continuity-in-hellenistic-egypt
