Thomas Poiss

Dr. Thomas Poiss is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Classical Philology at Humboldt University of Berlin, specializing in Classical Philology with a focus on Greek and Latin literature, translation studies, and intellectual history. He holds a PhD from the University of Vienna and has been affiliated with the university since 1994. His work bridges ancient texts with modern interpretations, examining themes such as poetic translation, ancient philosophy, and the cultural role of classical studies.

Education:

• Bachelor/Master studies in Classical Philology, Medieval Latin Philology, and General Literature at the Universities of Vienna, Konstanz (DAAD scholarship, 1985/86), and Munich
• Austrian State Examination in Latin and Greek (1986)
• Doctorate in Classical Philology from the University of Vienna (1990)

Research Interests: Explores the intersection of classical texts with modern literary and philosophical thought, with emphasis on translation as a creative act, ancient geographical concepts, and the legacy of scholars like August Boeckh and Hölderlin. His work also engages with contemporary poets such as Les Murray and Franz Josef Czernin.

Awards:

• Peter Huchel Prize (2008)
• Ernst Jandl Prize (2015)

Advising & Grants: Collaborated on DFG projects including the Collaborative Research Center 644 (2005–) and individual grants on classical philology history (2006–). Known for editing major works on Pindar and Herodotus, and contributing to encyclopedic entries on poetry and literary techniques.

Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary research groups such as the Cluster of Excellence TOPOI and the Marburg Talks on Ancient Medicine. Co-organizes workshops on classical medicine and narrative techniques.