About
Mark Schiefsky is the C. Lois P. Grove Professor of Classics and Director of the Center for Hellenic Studies at Harvard University. His research focuses on the history of ancient philosophy and science, particularly in the domains of medicine, mechanics, and Graeco-Arabic intellectual transmission. He is a leading figure in digital humanities, having developed the Arboreal software for semantic network analysis of textual corpora, and led major projects like the Archimedes Project (NSF-funded) and the Mellon Foundation corpus initiative. His work bridges classical antiquity with later reception, including Renaissance commentary on ancient mechanics and Arabic translations of Greek texts. Schiefsky’s publications span critical editions, historical analyses, and interdisciplinary studies in natural language processing applied to ancient texts.
- Roles: Classics Faculty, Harvard University
- Key Projects: Arboreal software, Graeco-Arabic Translation Movement studies
- Recent Work: Digital humanities methodologies for conceptual history
His research interests include the interplay between philosophy and science in antiquity, with a focus on techne (art/craft expertise) as a conceptual framework. He also explores the reception of Greek thought in Arabic and Renaissance contexts, emphasizing how scientific and philosophical ideas were transmitted and transformed across cultures.
Publications highlight technical studies of ancient texts (e.g., Philo of Byzantium’s artillery treatises, Galen’s anatomical theories) alongside methodological innovations in digital scholarship. His 2005 book on Hippocrates’ On Ancient Medicine remains a foundational text in the field.
