ΑΡΧΑΙΑ ΣΤΑΥΡΟΔΡΟΜΙΑ: ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΚΑΙ ΙΝΔΙΑ

The Loyola Marymount University organised an International conference under the title, “Ancient Crossroads: Greece and India”. This took place at the University from the 13th to the 16th of March 2003.  The conference was co-sponsored by the Marymount Institute for Faith, Culture and the Arts, the Department of Classics and Archaeology and the Yoga Philosophy Program of the University.

The aim of the conference was to examine the question of mutual influences between those two ancient cultures both before and after Alexander’s invasion in the Indian Peninsula in the 4th century BC. During the four-day conference, learned specialists in a variety of disciplines such as history, archaeology, philosophy, religion, literature and art presented their papers and documentaries. An exhibition of a collection of Gandharan sculptures and ancient coins from Bactria (Afghanistan) was also organised at the same time.

The conference was introduced and presented by Dr. Matthew Dillon, Dept. of Classics and Archaeology, LMU. The names of the scholars and the papers read in the conference are listed below:

“The Greeks in Bactria and the Indus River Valley” by Dr. Ralph Gallucci, Dept. of Classics, University of California, Santa Barbara.

“The Sound of Orpheus’ Lyre” by Dr. Thomas McEvilley, Rice University, author of The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophy

“The Visual Arts: Hellenism in the Land of the Buddha” by Dr. Katherine Harper, Art and Art History, LMU

“Greco-Buddhist Literature: The Questions of King Milinda” by Dr. John Casey, Dept. of Theological Studies, LMU.

“Yoga & Self-Control” by Dr. Adrian Piper, Wellesley College.
“Gandhi and Augustine on the Body and Sexuality” by Dr. Joseph Prabhu, Dept. of Philosophy, California State University, Los Angeles.
“Excess and Sublimation: Tantra and Karma” by Dr. Christopher Chapple, Dept. of Theological Studies, LMU

The conference ended with the presentation of the film documentary “Time sleeps in the Orient” by Nikos Anagnostopoulos, 1993 (75 mins.) This film is about a Greek community in Turkmenistan which (like the Kalas in Pakistan) claims descent from the army of Alexander the Great.

 

Source (edited): Bellarhine College of Liberal Arts.