RAC/TRAC 2018
The combined Roman Archaeology Conference (RAC) and Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference (TRAC) is the premier international event devoted to Roman archaeology. The two conferences are held together every two years and attract a broad international audience. In 2018, RAC/TRAC will be hosted by the School of History, Classics and Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, from Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 April 2018. A trip to the Antonine Wall will be arranged for Sunday 15 April 2018.
RAC/TRAC 2018 is very grateful for the financial support of the Roman Society, the National Museum of Scotland, and the British School at Rome.
Registration for RAC/TRAC 2018 is now open at the 'Register' link.
Confirmed speakers
There are 30 sessions and over 200 presentations confirmed for RAC/TRAC 2018. A full programme can be downloaded at the link below:
Key information on registration and the conference location can be found here:
Sheppard Frere Prize
The RAC and TRAC 2018 organising committees and the Archaeology Committee of the Roman Society are also pleased to announce that the winner of the best and most innovative student poster at RAC/TRAC 2018 will be awarded the Sheppard Frere Prize. This prestigious and generous prize includes a year’s free membership to the Roman Society, a £100 cheque and a book voucher worth £50.
Bursaries
Thanks to the generous support of the Roman Research Trust, the Roman Society is making a total of £4000 available to support delegates attending RAC/TRAC 2018 in Edinburgh. Further details and an application form can be found at www.romansocietyrac.ac.uk
Evening events and excursions
- Thursday 12 April: the keynote lecture, delivered by Dr Elizabeth Fentress, will be delivered on the evening of the first day of the conference at 6.15 pm in Appleton Tower. This be followed by a drinks reception at the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street between 7.15 and 9 pm.
- Friday 13 April: a ceilidh (a traditional Scottish dance) and the TRAC party will be held from 8.30 pm in Potterow on the University’s Central Campus, 3 minutes walk from the Appleton Tower conference venue.
- Sunday 15 April: a trip to the key sites along the Antonine Wall will be lead by Dr David Breeze and Dr Rebecca Jones. Buses will leave Appleton Tower at 9.30 am and return by 4 pm. Lunch and travel is included in the price and those wanting to join the trip should sign up at registration. Spaces are limited.
Accommodation
Edinburgh has a large number of hotels, bed and breakfasts, vacation apartments and hostels. Information about accommodation can be found here: http://edinburgh.org/hotels/. Airbnb lists a very large number of apartments in Edinburgh, while Booking.com is useful for finding affordable hotels. The University offers a range of accommodation outside of term time, most of it located just to the east and south of the Central Campus. Details can be found here: https://www.book.accom.ed.ac.uk/ and conference attendees can use the promotional code CONF18 to get a 15% discount.
Travel
Edinburgh is well connected to the rest of the UK by road and rail and to the rest of Europe via its airport. More information about travelling to and from Edinburgh can be found here: http://edinburgh.org/travel/
The conference will be held in Appleton Tower on the University’s Central Campus, just to the south of the Old Town. This is a short, 10-15 minute walk from Waverley Station, the city’s main rail hub.
A taxi from the airport to the conference venue will cost £20-£25 and we would recommend catching either the bus or tram.
From the airport, the blue Airlink buses (no. 100) and the tram system provide regular fast service to the city centre and Waverley Railway Station. A slower alternative is the new Skylink service (no. 300), which takes longer – about an hour or more – but goes directly past Teviot Place and does not require any change at Waverley. A single Airlink or Skylink ticket currently costs £4.50, a period return ticket is £7.50. For details please consult lothianbuses.co.uk/airport An adult single for the tram is £6, a return ticket £8.50, details at edinburghtrams.com
Edinburgh has a very reliable public transport network with an equally reliable route planner available at othianbuses.co.uk/getting-around/journey-planner Single bus tickets are £1.70 per ride; please note that drivers will not give change (you are expected to pay the exact amount in cash when embarking on the bus). Delegates may want to consider to download the m-tickets app to their smartphones as an easier way to pay: lothianbuses.co.uk/tickets/m-tickets. This app also covers the AirLink and tram, but unfortunately, any purchase of tickets done this way must be above £10.
Visiting the city
The University’s Central Campus is located in the heart of Edinburgh, 5-10 minutes walk from Edinburgh Castle, 10 minutes from the National Gallery of Scotland and Princes Street, and 15 minutes walk from the Palace of Holyrood and Arthur’s Seat. More information about the city and what to do during your stay can be found here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/visit/city and http://edinburgh.org/.
Conference participants wishing to take some extra time exploring more of Scotland might want to consider a trip into the Highlands. 1 or 2 day trips, starting in Edinburgh, are offered by a range of bus companies, including Rabbie’s, Timberbush and Haggis Adventures. The VisitScotland website has a range of useful information for those wanting to wander further afield.
Further enquiries
Any further enquiries can be directed to the rac2018@ed.ac.uk and hca-trac2018@ed.ac.uk.
We look forward to welcoming you in Edinburgh,
The RAC and TRAC 2018 Organising Committees
RAC/TRAC 2018
Appleton Tower, 11 Crichton Street, Edinburgh EH8 9LE