Convenors: Claudia Sode (Universität zu Köln), Alessio Sopracasa (Sorbonne Université), Olivier Delouis (CNRS-Collège de France/MFO), Martina Filosa (Universität zu Köln)
In recent years, related fields such as Classical and Medieval Studies have made significant progress in developing auxiliary disciplines—papyrology, epigraphy, numismatics, and linguistics—through the use of digital tools. Byzantine Studies, however, still lag behind in this area. Institutions like Sorbonne University, the University of Cologne, and the CNRS Orient & Méditerranée (Paris) have recently come together to apply digital methods to Byzantine sources, including seals, manuscripts, and coins. Nevertheless, more work is needed to establish standardized, reliable methodologies and sustainable data practices, particularly through engagement with broader digital initiatives in Classics and Medieval Studies. This workshop will explore XML encoding and AI applications in areas such as digital palaeography, sigillography, and epigraphy (using TEI and EpiDoc for post-classical Greek); prosopography (via the PROSOPON consortium); numismatics (AI-assisted EpiDoc for coin inscriptions); and papyrology and manuscript studies (ontology-based metadata description).
All welcome!
PROGRAMME
9:30 Introduction
Session 1 – Modelling data in Byzantium and beyond
10:00–10:50 Charlotte Tupman (Exeter): TEI modeling of the new PLRE
10:50–11:40 Martina Filosa (Cologne), Claes Neuefeind (Cologne), Claudia Sode (Cologne), and Alessio Sopracasa (Paris): A search engine for Byzantine sigillography
11:40–12:30 Jonathan Prag (Oxford): Modelling data integration in ancient epigraphy: the FAIR Epigraphy ontology and related projects
12:30–14:00 Lunch break
Session 2 – Visualizing text, images, and connections
14:00–14:50 Staffan Wahlgren (Trondheim): Computational approaches to Byzantine Greek
14:50–15:40 Sviatoslav Drach (Cologne): Imaging techniques (3D, RTI) and semantic annotations for Byzantine seals
15:40–16:30 Dominic Oldman (London): Ontology and data modelling for Greek manuscripts collections
16:30–16:50 Coffee break
Session 3 – Artificial intelligence applied to text-bearing objects
16:50–17:40 Isabelle Marthot-Santaniello (Basel): AI and the paleography of Greek and Byzantine papyri
17:40–18:30 Joe Sheppard (Oxford), and Marguerite Spoerri Butcher (Oxford): EpiDoc-based and AI-aided edition of coins
18:30–19:20 Round table and open discussion moderated by Charlotte Roueché (London)
19:20–19:30 Concluding remarks
20:00 Dinner for invited speakers
This workshop is made possible through the support of the DigiByzSeal project, funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), the University of Cologne, Sorbonne University (Initiative Circulation médiévales – MeCir), the CNRS (UMR 8167 Orient & Méditerranée, Paris), the VolkswagenStiftung-funded initiative “Creating a Sustainable Digital Infrastructure for Research-Based Teaching in Byzantine Studies” based at the University of Cologne, and the Maison française d'Oxford.
