Warfare in transition: International conference in Münster highlights mercenaries!

Warfare in transition: International conference in Münster highlights mercenaries!

On May 28, 2025, Ukraine will be the focus of international attention, fighting not only against regular Russian forces, but also against non-regular troops and mercenaries. These developments cast a shadow over the upcoming international conference “War in the Ancient World International Conference Münster 2025 – WAWIC 2025”, which will take place from May 29th to 31st at the University of Münster. The conference is led by Prof. Dr. Patrick Singer, a renowned ancient historian, guides and treats mercenaries and auxiliary troops in the ancient Mediterranean, particularly in the Greek and Roman spheres of influence between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC. BC uni-muenster.de.

A central concern of WAWIC 2025 is to shed light on the connections between antiquity and current conflicts, such as the one in Ukraine. This underlines that mercenary histories are not only archaeologically important, but also have contemporary relevance. This exciting perspective is part of a broader discourse on the militarization of research, including the psychological effects of warfare. In addition to lectures, there will be a highlight in the form of a lecture by Hendrik Remmel, an expert in warfare. Klaus Zimmermann, ancient historian and lieutenant colonel in the reserve, will also enrich the experience with practical insights. spiegel.de

Focus of the conference

The conference will cover a variety of topics related to mercenaries and auxiliaries. In addition to historical considerations, desertion, rebellion, martial law and military medicine are also discussed. The aim is to address both the professional world and an interested audience and to bring military history topics into academic and general awareness. The conference also includes a European part in Münster and a North American part in Duluth, Minnesota, with live connections enabling exchange between these locations. Your atmosphere should be as inclusive as it is informative, regardless of whether participants have academic or general interests.

A planned contribution for publication in the series "Bellona. Military, violence and war culture in antiquity" will pass on and prepare the findings and discussions from the conference. Economic and social aspects of being a mercenary should also be considered, which have often been neglected throughout history.

Historical considerations on the role of mercenaries

As part of the discussion about the mercenaries and their role in the war, the re-commercialization of war is discussed, which is discussed in an article in the renowned magazine “Der Spiegel”. It explores the evolution of mercenaries over 4,300 years, from ancient times to modern contexts such as the Wagner Group, which has recently come into focus for its role in the Ukraine conflict. degruyter.com

In historical considerations, the decline of the Roman Empire through the emergence of mercenary troops is also discussed. The conference aims to create awareness of these long-term developments and question the machinations of mercenary wars. This also includes historical figures such as Götz von Berlichingen and the Condottieri in Italy, who serve as examples of profit-oriented warfare.

The connection between old and new mercenary dynamics becomes clear, balancing the challenges of the present with the lessons of the past. The conference program thus points to contemporary relevance and is intended to broaden and question the view of mercenaries as “professionals of war”.