SEMINAR: “Le rite réalise le droit“? – Rituals and the Law in the Ancient World (Marburg: Universität Marburg, 12–13 JUN 2026)

(image source: Universität Marburg)

“Le rite réalise le droit“? – Rituals and the Law in the Ancient World

Marburg University&Marburg Center for the Ancient World (MCAW)

In person participation: Marburg University, Room 00A26, Deutschhausstraße 12, 35032 Marburg

12–13 June 2026 (Friday–Saturday)

Program:

Friday, 12 June 2026

14:00. Introduction: Nils Heeßel (Marburg) and Constantin Willems (Marburg)

14:30. The Legal Value of Contractual Rites in Mesopotamia: Sophie Démare Lafont (Paris)

16:00. The Performative Nature of Sealing Clay Tablets: Steffen Jauß (Frankfurt)

17:00. In Search of the Lost Ritual. Ritual(s) and the implementation of Assyrian adê: Lionel Marti (Paris)

Saturday, 13 June 2026

09:00. The Role of Ritual in the Roman Legal Process: Grzegorz Blicharz (Cracow)

10:30. Formal Contracts in Roman Law and in the New Belgian Civil Code: Jean-François Gerkens (Liège)

11:30. Final Discussion, Conclusions: Nils Heeßel (Marburg) and Constantin Willems (Marburg)

The full Program is available in PDF format here: ProgramMCAW.