Toasting Euroclassica in Georgia - renewal and expansion
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Euroclassica 2026 was hosted by the Institute of Classical, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), with support from the Otar Lordkipanidze Vani Archaeological Museum, the Georgian National Museum, and the Academia Europaea Tbilisi Knowledge Hub.
Delegates attended from: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK.
Strengthening the European Classics Community
The Euroclassica General Committee reaffirmed its commitment to expanding membership to better reflect the full European landscape of Classics educators. Outreach continues to Albania, Czechia and Montenegro, and this year the General Assembly welcomed a prospective delegate from Armenia, who offered a short but engaging presentation on the state of Classics in his country.
19 August — Excursion to Mtskheta
The conference opened with a memorable excursion to Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Highlights included:
Jvari Monastery (6th century) — offering panoramic views over the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi rivers. Delegates were introduced to the deep historical layers of Georgian identity, from Bronze Age habitation to the legends of Jason and the Argonauts, and the debated accounts of Alexander the Great’s passage through the region.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century) — the coronation site and burial place of Georgian kings, and home to the relics of Saint Anthony. The visit became a live case study in how monumental architecture can be used pedagogically to explore national history and the development of Georgian Orthodox Christianity.
The excursion set a powerful tone for the days ahead: a reminder that Classics thrives when embedded in place, memory and living cultural heritage.
20–21 August — Academic Programme
The academic sessions were held at TSU and opened with very warm welcomes from Dr. Irine Darchia (Associate Professor, Deputy Head of TSU Institute of Classical, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies), Dr. Levan Gigineishvili (Professor, Head of TSU Institute of Classical, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies) and Dr. Nino Lordkipanidze (Chief Scientist, Otar Lordipanidze Institute of Archaeological Studies, Georgian National Museum).
Key Lectures and Presentations
Christian Laes (Belgium) — Why We Need to Teach Greek: a compelling argument for the humanities as formative disciplines, drawing on recent publications including Teaching Classics Worldwide. He recently contributed a chapter on the Active use of Latin in CPiCE 1 (2026).
TSU Students — A remarkable bilingual presentation (Latin, Ancient Greek, with English translation) on Georgia as the homeland of the Golden Fleece, wine culture, and its unique alphabet.
Peter Glatz (Austria) — Updates on Cursor, the Euroclassica journal, and the launch of the redesigned Euroclassica website.
Irine Darchia (Georgia) — Classical Languages in Secondary and Tertiary Education in the Context of Global Politics: demonstrating how Bologna Process frameworks can be leveraged to advocate for Classics at university level. This topic I found particularly useful, as it provided evidence of how smaller countries, where Classics is not especially well-established (or where its established position has been lost due to political or other circumstances) are able to fight back. She walked us through the process:
Developing Classics Education in Georgia
In 2005, Classics was not taught in any secondary school in Georgia. The development of Classics education therefore required building the subject from the ground up within the Georgian higher-education system.
The Bologna Process provided an important framework for this development. By using existing bureaucratic and institutional structures, it became possible to establish Classics courses within universities and integrate the subject into wider European academic standards.
International exchange programmes were another key element. Professors from abroad contributed to teaching and academic development, while Georgian students gained opportunities to study overseas. This created stronger international links and exposed students to a wider Classics community.
A particularly important development was the introduction of a Classics minor, allowing students to study the subject alongside their main degree. This helped create a critical mass of students in the classroom and made Classics a sustainable part of university education.
The double-degree programme further strengthened international connections by linking Georgian universities with institutions abroad. Students from countries including China came to Georgia, creating a more diverse and internationally connected academic environment.
Finally, the students themselves were given opportunities to publish their research in an academic journal. This encouraged students to see themselves not only as learners but also as emerging scholars, giving them valuable experience in research and academic publication.
Overall, these initiatives transformed Classics from a subject with virtually no presence in Georgian secondary education in 2005 into an internationally connected university discipline with courses, student exchanges, degree partnerships, and opportunities for research and publication. Irine contributed a chapter on Classics in Georgia in my book Teaching Classics Worldwide.
Maria Vasiloudi (Germany) — A pedagogical analysis of Kantharos, highlighting inconsistencies within the textbook and their implications for teaching Greek at university.
Gabriel Danzig (Israel) — Strategies for navigating first‑year Greek, with particular attention to vocabulary frequency lists and alternative pathways through traditional textbooks.
Florence Turpin (France) — Presentation of Humanités dans le texte, a collaborative project linking school and university teachers to produce shared resources. Florence contributed a chapter on Classics in Croatia in my book Teaching Classics Worldwide.
Šime Demo (Croatia) — Cultural layers in Early Modern Latin inscriptions from Istria, revealing shifts in subject matter and epigraphic conventions. Šime contributed a chapter on Classics in Croatia in my book Teaching Classics Worldwide.
Edward Ross (UK) (online) — Ethics and Efficacy in an AI World: reflections on teaching ancient languages amid generative AI, with emphasis on hallucinations in image generation and the ethical responsibilities of educators. Edward is contributing a chapter to my forthcoming book on Teaching Ancient Greek, on the subject of using AI (Cambridge University Press, 2027).
After the lectures, delegates enjoyed a walking tour of Tbilisi’s old town, including the historic sulphur baths that originally may have prompted Roman foundations.
21 August — Latin Day
Friday was devoted entirely to Latin:
Luigi Miraglia (Accademia Vivarium Novum, Italy) — On the importance of spoken Latin and the distinctive vitality of ancient languages: linguae immortalitatem adeptae de peculiari sermonum antiqorum vita.
Ignacio Armella (Accademia Vivarium Novum, Italy) — A linguistic and stylistic exploration of Caesar’s narrative technique, focusing on vocabulary choice and word order: stilus diendi magister: quomodo scriptorum genera dicendi in scholis tradi possint.
Musical workshop by Tyrtarion and TSU students — Rhythmic and choral performance of ancient metrical patterns, an energising demonstration of embodied Latin pedagogy.
General Assembly
The afternoon assembly covered:
Financial reports and approval of accounts.
Renewed encouragement for member participation.
Discussion of social media strategy.
Reports from Academia Homerica (Chios) and Academia Ragusina (Dubrovnik).
Examination updates: Egex and Elex now published in Cursor, with Level 1 Latin to be simplified in 2027 and full vocabulary provided.
Confirmation of Euroclassica 2027, will be held 27–29 August in Rabat, Malta, with a theme focused on outreach to schools.
There followed a visit to see the incredible Georgian gold artefacts at the Georgian National Museum – perhaps some of the origins of the legend of the Golden Fleece. The day concluded with a celebratory dinner featuring generous Georgian hospitality and many toasts with delicious Georgian wine in honour of Classics, TSU, and the host country.
22 August — Excursion to Vani
Saturday offered a full‑day excursion to Vani, organised by the Otar Lordkipanidze Vani Archaeological Museum. Although the author was unable to attend due to homeward travel arrangements, delegates reported an excellent visit.
Closing Reflections
The 2026 Euroclassica meeting in Tbilisi was marked by intellectual generosity, cultural immersion, and a shared commitment to strengthening Classics across Europe. The combination of scholarly exchange, pedagogical innovation, and deep engagement with Georgian heritage made this gathering both memorable and forward‑looking.
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