We are pleased to announce that the next Annual Meeting of Postgraduates in Ancient Literature (AMPAL) is due to be hosted by the Open University in Milton Keynes, and will take place on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 January 2009, a little later than its regular slot in November (hence AMPAL 2008 late in 2009).

AMPAL is a conference where graduate students present their research to other postgraduates. It offers an opportunity to take part in discussion, exchange ideas and meet other postgraduates in a friendly and supportive environment. This year the theme for the conference is:

‘Sex and the (ancient) City: Love and Friendship in Greece and Rome’

FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS

We are now accepting abstracts (maximum 250 words) on any aspect of the theme of ‘Sex and the (Ancient) City: Love and Friendship in Greece and Rome’.

Some suggestions are:

· Gendered roles

· Relationships

· Families, fraternities and friendship

· Importance of the city

· Metamorphoses and transformations

· Boys and girls initiation rites

These are suggestions only, and we welcome any other interpretations of the theme, and as in previous years expect to see a mix of papers covering ancient Greek and Roman literature, performance and reception.

We are also pleased to announce that our keynote speaker will by Professor Lorna Hardwick.

Registration for this conference will be free, although there will be a charge for accommodation. See the website for further details of the venue and accommodation:

www.open.ac.uk/Arts/ampal2008/

Please send your abstract to ampal08 AT googlemail.com with Abstract as the email title and include your name, University, and title of paper, by 1 October 2008. Please also direct any queries about the conference to this address.