Date: 4 July 2026
Under the auspices of His Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Konstantinos An. Tasoulas, the Scientific Symposium entitled “The Art of Divination in Epirus: The Oracle of Dodona and the Necromanteion of Acheron” will take place in Ioannina on 4 July 2026.
The symposium aspires to become a landmark scientific and cultural event, highlighting the pivotal role played by the two most significant divinatory centers of antiquity in shaping the historical trajectory, collective memory, and spiritual identity of Epirus.
Through a contemporary interdisciplinary approach, distinguished scholars, academics, researchers, cultural figures, and public intellectuals will explore the multifaceted dimensions of divination—not merely as a religious and cultural phenomenon of the ancient world, but also as a mechanism that influenced social organization, political decision-making, collective consciousness, and systems of knowledge whose legacy continues to resonate in modern society.
The Oracle of Dodona, the oldest oracle in the Greek world, and the enigmatic Necromanteion of Acheron, a site associated with humanity’s timeless quest for knowledge, foresight, and communication with the transcendent, will be examined through the lenses of archaeology, history, philosophy, political science, psychiatry, medicine, international relations, theatre studies, and contemporary scientific thought.
By bringing together eminent voices from diverse disciplines, the symposium seeks to illuminate the enduring relevance of Epirus as a crossroads of culture, spirituality, and intellectual inquiry. At the same time, it aims to foster meaningful dialogue between antiquity and modernity, tradition and innovation, memory and future perspectives.
This unique gathering offers participants an exceptional opportunity to engage with one of the most fascinating aspects of the ancient Greek world and to reflect on how humanity’s enduring desire to understand the unknown continues to shape scientific, cultural, and political thought today.
PROGRAMME
Friday, 3 July 2026
17:30 | Welcome Reception and Opening Remarks
Historical Archive and Museum of Epirus (IAMI)
Welcome addresses by:
Dr Elisavet Grapsa, President of the Centre for Island and Mediterranean Culture “MESONISOS”
Dr Martha Papadopoulou, President of the Historical Archive and Museum of Epirus (IAMI)
A welcome reception and dinner in honour of the speakers will follow at Spuntino “Kyra Frosyni” Restaurant, located on the shores of Lake Pamvotis.
Saturday, 4 July 2026
09:30 – 17:00
Proceedings of the Scientific Symposium
17:30
Guided visit to the Archaeological Site of Dodona
20:30
Official Gala Dinner at Politeia Frontzou
SPEAKERS AND PRESENTATIONS
Dr Ioannis Chouliaras, Archaeologist, Head of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ioannina
Presentation:
“The Frescoes of Saint John at the Necromanteion and the Early Christian Basilica of Dodona”
Professor Ioannis Tzamtzis, Professor of Archaeology, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Ioannina
Presentation:
“Augury in Ancient Rome”
Dr Martha Papadopoulou, Archivist, Director of the General State Archives – Historical Archive of Epirus, President of IAMI
Presentation:
“From Oracle to Algorithm: Dodona as a Proto-Informational and Political System and its Reinterpretation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”
Georgios Riginos, Archaeologist, Ministry of Culture, Ephorate of Antiquities of Preveza
Presentation:
Title to be announced
Dimitris Dolis, Professor, Ambassador, Politician, Former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
Presentation:
Title to be announced
Professor Agapi Kandylaki, Hellenic Mediterranean University
Presentation:
“Religion and Politics at the Oracle of Dodona: The Timeless Search for Hope”
Stathis Livathinos, Academician, Theatre Director
Presentation:
“Voice, Chorus and Catharsis: Reflections of a Man of the Theatre”
Professor Meni Malliori, Professor of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Presentation:
“Divination and Mental Health”
Professor Efstratios Patsouris, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Former Dean of the Schools of Health Sciences
Presentation:
“Divination and Health in Ancient Greece”
Professor Stylianos Perrakis, Professor of International and European Institutions, Former Vice-Rector of Panteion University, President of the Centre for International Law and Diplomacy
Presentation:
“Contemporary Forms of Divination: Foresight and Applications of International Law in Times of Global Uncertainty”
Ioannis Politis, Journalist, Vice-President of the National Council for Radio and Television (NCRTV)
Presentation:
“The Dominance of Fake News and the Erosion of the Right to Reliable Information”
Professor Paraskevas Sfikas, Senior Scientist at CERN, Professor of Physics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Director of IESE
Presentation:
“Predicting the Future: From the Oracles of Antiquity to Modern Scientific Knowledge”
Professor Grigoris Tsaltas, Emeritus Professor, Panteion University, Jean Monnet Chair Holder, Former Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change
Presentation:
“Aristotle and the Relationship between Divination and the Natural Environment: The Case of the Ancient Theatre of Dodona”
Professor Nikolaos Farantouris, Professor, University of Piraeus, Member of the European Parliament
Presentation:
“From Dodona to Brussels: Divination as the Art of Politics”
Dr Elisavet Grapsa, Historian, Researcher, PhD, Sorbonne University
Presentation:
“From the Voice of the Sacred Oak to the Collective Unconscious: Dodona as an Archetype in the Work of Angelos Sikelianos”
