On the trail of ancient roads
Viachronie offers a multidisciplinary forum for discussion on the study of ancient roads, routes and itineraries, and on ways of mapping circulations from Antiquity to the contemporary period.
Presentation of the Viachronie seminar
The aim of this event is to bring together and share knowledge on this topic. We are a collective of researchers, engineers, PhD students and experts who have recently come together to observe that many past and ongoing projects deal with this theme. Most of these research projects seek to reconstruct the course of ancient roads that have now disappeared or been forgotten. The analysis of historical routes and pathways draws on a wide range of disciplines (archaeology, history, geography, archaeogeography, mathematics, geomatics, remote sensing, etc.), approaches, methods and tools (GIS, LiDAR, modelling, etc.). Pooling knowledge and experience therefore appears essential in order to provide an initial overview and further research in this field.
Scope: the chosen theme, “ancient roads”, is deliberately broad so that the seminar can offer both a quantitative and qualitative survey of current research in the field, while fostering cross-disciplinary exchanges as much as possible. Contributions may address this topic in the form of experience reports, presentations of ongoing research, or theoretical reflections. All historical periods and geographical areas (regions, countries) are welcome in order to promote a multifaceted and multi-scalar understanding of road systems.
- Ancient and medieval road networks
- Circulation of goods, people and ideas
- Textual and iconographic sources
- Historical cartography & GIS
- Digital methods and modelling
- Landscapes, territories, borders
Possible lines of inquiry
Without being exhaustive, the call for papers welcomes contributions dealing, among others, with:
- the reconstruction and dating of road layouts (ancient roads, medieval paths, modern routes);
- material and immaterial circulations (goods, pilgrimages, scholarly mobility, etc.);
- tools for historical cartography, spatial analysis or network modelling;
- the uses of ancient roads in heritage policies or contemporary planning.
- …
The seminar is aimed at both established scholars and doctoral candidates, in particular from:
- archaeology and history (all periods);
- geography, geomatics and scientific cartography;
- digital humanities and heritage studies;
- …
Submission guidelines
Proposals for papers (in French or in English) should include:
- a 300–500‑word abstract clearly presenting the sources, methodology and expected results;
- a short biographical note of around ten lines (position, affiliation, main publications or current project);
- a set of keywords (4 to 6) specifying the geographical, chronological and thematic framework.
Format: oral presentation of 20 minutes maximum. Up to 3 papers will be scheduled per session, so as to allow ample time for discussion.
Proposals should be submitted by 10 January 2026, via the submission form on the Sciencesconf platform (link below) or by e‑mail to: viachronie[at]sciencesconf.org (replace [at] with @).
Please indicate in the subject line: “Viachronie 2025‑2026 proposal”.
Go to the submission formOrganisation & contact
The sessions will be held online. Practical information (access details) will be provided on this page after 10 January 2026.
The seminar is open to all. Registration is free of charge but recommended.
