From 27 to 29 May, the University of Girona hosted the Third Hispano-French Meeting of Historians of the Roman Republic (REFERER III), a biennial scientific conference that further strengthens the space for dialogue and collaboration between researchers specialising in the Roman Republic on both sides of the Pyrenees.
The meeting follows the previous editions held in Vitoria-Gasteiz (2022) and Toulouse-Albi (2024), and forms part of the broader tradition of the Libera Res Publica. Forum of Spanish Historians of the Roman Republic, which began in Seville in 2015 and has subsequently been held in Girona (2017), Palma (2019), Zaragoza (2021), Complutense University of Madrid (2023), and Santiago de Compostela (2025), with the next edition scheduled for Oviedo in 2027.
The main objective of the REFERER meetings is to showcase the latest research on the Roman Republic, with a strong emphasis on face-to-face scholarly debate, methodological exchange, the development of new collaborative initiatives, and the subsequent publication of research outcomes, either individually or collectively, in other academic forums.
The sessions took place in different venues across the University of Girona. On 27 May, activities were held at the Chapel of the Roser, while on 28 and 29 May they were hosted in the Antònia Adroher Hall (Building A, Rectorate). The event brought together leading specialists from universities and research centres in Spain, Belgium and France.
The conference was organised by Toni Ñaco, ICREA Research Professor at the University of Girona, and Martin Galinier, Professor of Roman History and Art History at the Université de Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD). Institutionally, the event received support from the Institute for Historical Research and the Department of History and History of Art at the University of Girona, as well as from the research project PID2021-124022NB-I00 (2022–2026), funded by the Spanish State Research Agency.
The scientific secretariat was coordinated by Jesús Huertas, a predoctoral researcher (IFUdG) in Ancient History at the University of Girona.
At the beginning of their presentations, speakers expressed their gratitude for the support provided by Across, as well as by Professor Martin Galinier, highlighting the positive impact of the alliance in promoting and disseminating the event, including through social media coverage during the conference.
A total of eight sessions were organised, covering thematic areas such as diplomacy, the crisis of the Republic, the role of women, memory, political institutions and the military. Each session featured three or four presentations. Participants also paid a heartfelt tribute to Professor Marianne Coudry (1950–2025), who recently passed away. Her scholarly contributions and personal legacy were warmly praised throughout the commemorative session.
During the final session, Mateo González, from Ikerbasque and the University of the Basque Country, presented his new research project, recently awarded an ERC Starting Grant, which will begin its activities this June at the University of the Basque Country’s Vitoria campus.
Finally, François Cadiou, from the Université Bordeaux Montaigne, offered to host REFERER IV in Bordeaux in 2028, thereby ensuring the continuity of this initiative.
