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Rahim ShayeganView profile

Professor

University of California, Los AngelesUnited States

M. Rahim Shayegan is a prominent scholar in Iranian and Near Eastern studies, specializing in Old and Middle Iranian philology, Achaemenid-Sasanian history, and Greco-Roman-Iranian cultural interactions. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and has conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Göttingen and Sorbonne. His work bridges philology, epigraphy, and historical analysis to explore ancient political ideologies, religious traditions, and cross-cultural exchanges. Education: PhD, Iranian Philology & Ancient History, Harvard University MA, Iranian Philology, Sorbonne University BA, Philosophy & Comparative Philology, University of Cologne Research Interests: Iranian epigraphy and royal inscriptions Political dynamics of pre-Islamic Iranian empires Greco-Roman and Iranian cultural dialogues Zoroastrianism and ancient Near Eastern religions His publications include seminal works like Arsacids and Sasanians: Political Ideology in Post-Hellenistic Persia (2011) and Cyrus the Great: Life and Lore (2019). He has held prestigious fellowships at the Guggenheim Foundation and is a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Awards: Ehsan Yarshater Book Award (2012) Academia Europaea Membership (2019–) Courses Taught: Achaemenid Civilization Sasanian History Old Persian Cuneiform Zoroastrianism and Ancient Religions

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Martin Willis MonroeView profile

Assistant Professor

University of New BrunswickCanada

Martin Willis Monroe is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University of New Brunswick. His research focuses on the ancient Middle East, particularly cuneiform cultures, with an emphasis on the history of scholarly knowledge in Babylonian and Assyrian societies. He specializes in Mesopotamian astronomy and astrology, as well as quantitative approaches to historical data. Dr. Monroe holds a PhD in Assyriology from Brown University (2016), an MPhil and BA in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (2008, 2007). Previously, he served as a postdoctoral fellow and research associate at the University of British Columbia (2016–2023). His current projects include the publication of his Hellenistic astrology research under contract with Brill, titled Celestial Schemata: A Series of Astrological Tables from Seleucid Babylonia , and his role as associate director of the Database of Religious History , a global initiative to quantitatively analyze religious and cultural data. He has contributed to excavations at the Neo-Assyrian site of Tušhan in southeastern Turkey and advocates for responsible qualitative-to-quantitative data conversion in historical scholarship. Dr. Monroe’s research bridges traditional philological approaches with digital humanities, focusing on topics such as cuneiform astral diagrams, the intersection of ‘scientific’ and ‘religious’ texts in antiquity, and the application of computational methods to undeciphered scripts. He teaches courses on ancient civilizations, Near Eastern history, and archaeology.

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Jay CrisostomoView profile

Associate Professor

University of Michigan-Ann ArborUnited States

Jay Crisostomo is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Michigan's Department of Ancient Near Eastern Civilization and Languages and Civilizations within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He holds the George G. Cameron Professorship. His research focuses on the languages and intellectual histories of ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform cultures, with emphases on sociolinguistics, multilingualism, translation, and scribal practices. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2014. Teaching encompasses courses on ancient Middle Eastern history, languages, and cultures, including 'Science and Technology in the Ancient Middle East' and 'Madness, Medicine, and Magic in the Middle East.' He also teaches on sport history and language in the ancient Mediterranean. As Director of Graduate Studies, he supports MES program students, advising prospective PhD candidates in ancient Middle East history/Assyriology. Research highlights include his book Translation as Scholarship: Language, Writing, and Bilingual Education in Ancient Babylonia and ongoing projects on the 3,000-year history of Sumerian language use, Babylonian scholars, and Sumerian-Akkadian linguistic contact. Current efforts involve editing 150 lexical tablets in Germany's collections. His work bridges ancient textual analysis with broader themes in cultural transmission and knowledge systems. He collaborates on critical editions of cuneiform texts and maintains affiliations with international research networks. Contactable via cjcrisos@umich.edu, his office is located at 202 South Thayer Street, Ann Arbor.

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Milad AbediView profile

Lecturer

University of ZurichSwitzerland

Milad Abedi is a PhD candidate in Linguistics at the University of Zurich and Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (INALCO), Paris, focusing on the cultural history of Sino-Iranian lexical contacts. He has taught Zoroastrian Middle Persian and Middle Iranian languages at the University of Zurich while conducting research on topics including language contact mechanisms and historical Persian grammar. PhD in Linguistics (2020–Present), University of Zurich & INALCO, Paris MA in Ancient Languages and Cultures of Iran (2015–2019), Allameh Tabataba'i University (Highest Distinction) BSc in Cellular-Molecular Biology (2010–2015), Islamic Azad University His research spans ancient Iranian language contact (Elamite-Iranian, Sino-Iranian, Arabic-Iranian), historical grammar of Persian, and Classical Persian literature. He has published on topics such as kinship term evolution, cuneiform epigraphy, and metonymic phrases in Achaemenid Elamite. Recent publications highlight his focus on lexical diffusion across Eurasia, with key works on donkey terminology in cross-cultural contexts and the origins of felt words in Iranian languages. His collaborative research with Wolfgang Behr and Samira Müller demonstrates interdisciplinary approaches combining linguistics and archaeology. 2021 Travel grant, University of Zurich 2016 Travel grant, Allameh Tabataba'i University 2016 Top student award, Allameh Tabataba'i University As a Lecturer at the University of Zurich, he has taught courses on Zoroastrian Middle Persian and historical linguistics. His digital humanities expertise includes ELAN software, GIS, and SQL for language documentation.

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Andrew GeorgeView profile

Professor

SOAS University of LondonUnited Kingdom

Professor Andrew George is a distinguished scholar at SOAS, University of London, affiliated with the School of History, Religions and Philosophies. With over four decades of academic contributions from 1979 to 2021, he has established himself as a leading authority in Assyriology and ancient Mesopotamian studies. His work primarily focuses on cuneiform texts, Babylonian religion, and the Epic of Gilgamesh, making significant contributions to our understanding of ancient Near Eastern civilizations. George's research interests span a wide range of topics in ancient Mesopotamian studies. He specializes in the analysis of cuneiform tablets, Babylonian cosmogony, religious knowledge transmission, and ancient literary traditions. His work often bridges disciplines, connecting Assyriology with religious studies, history, and comparative literature. George has particular expertise in Old Babylonian texts, including school exercises, letters, and literary compositions like the Epic of Gilgamesh. An analysis of George's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on primary source material from ancient Mesopotamia. His work demonstrates exceptional philological skill in textual criticism and historical analysis of cuneiform documents. George frequently collaborates with international scholars and institutions, working with important collections like the Schøyen Collection and the academic papers of W. G. Lambert (1926-2011). His research shows particular strength in connecting textual evidence with broader historical and cultural contexts of ancient Mesopotamian civilization. Specializes in cuneiform tablet analysis and interpretation Expert in Old Babylonian and Standard Babylonian literary traditions Focuses on religious knowledge transmission in ancient societies Works extensively with previously unpublished materials from major collections

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Abraham WinitzerView profile

Associate Professor

University of Notre DameUnited States

Abraham Winitzer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. His scholarship focuses on ancient Near East languages (Akkadian, Aramaic, Hebrew) and the cultural/intellectual history of the region, particularly through Akkadian literature and the Hebrew Bible in its ancient context. Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions (2015–present) PhD in Assyriology, Harvard University Research interests include: Mesopotamian divination systems Comparative mythological frameworks (e.g., Nergal/Ereškigal vs. Jacob's ladder) Reception of Mesopotamian traditions in the Hebrew Bible, Judaism, and Islam Historiography of Near Eastern studies, especially A. Leo Oppenheim's legacy His 2023 Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions article on divination 2023 Oxford Bibliographies entry on Mesopotamian mythology 2024 Iraq paper linking Nergal/Ereškigal to Genesis Forthcoming Brill book on A. Leo Oppenheim's historiographical ideas reflect a strong engagement with textual interplay and comparative methodologies.

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Josephine FechnerView profile

Researcher

University of GöttingenGermany

Dr. Josephine Fechner is a researcher at the University of Göttingen's Seminar for Ancient Near Eastern Studies, specializing in Mesopotamian mythology, proverbial literature, and ritual practices. As coordinator of the DFG Research Group 2064 STRATA, she focuses on transmedial comparative analysis of underworld narratives and mythological demonology. Her work bridges textual studies with iconographic analysis, particularly examining the Apkallū figures and Dumuzi myth cycles. Research Focus: Mesopotamian mythological traditions, Akkadian/Sumerian proverbs, ritual hermeneutics Current Projects: Edition of Lamentations on Netherworld Demons; Analysis of the 7 Sages tradition Academic Affiliation: University of Göttingen (Faculty of Humanities) Her recent publications explore intertextuality in underworld myths, transformative ritual language, and human-animal encounters in proverbial texts. She actively contributes to international conferences including Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale and SOAS Cuneiforum, while teaching advanced seminars on Mesopotamian wisdom literature and comparative mythology.

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Jonathan TenneyView profile

Lecturer

University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom

Dr Jonathan Tenney is a University Lecturer in Assyriology at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow at Jesus College. He serves as Curator of Works of Art and Director of Studies in Archaeology at Jesus College. His research focuses on Mesopotamian archaeology, cuneiform studies, and socio-political institutions of ancient Babylonian and Kassite periods. BA, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania PhD, University of Chicago Tenney employs philology and social science methodologies to analyze cuneiform tablets and archaeological evidence from Mesopotamia (modern Iraq, Iran, and Syria). His academic interests include: Cuneiform (Akkadian and Sumerian languages) Historical demography of Mesopotamia Settlement patterns and environmental interactions Comparative slavery systems Religious and political ideologies His publication record (2022–2009) spans topics like: Kassite administrative systems Babylonian population dynamics Cuneiform documentation of servile labor Urban development in Mesopotamian cities Socio-economic structures in ancient Near East Religious-political integration in Babylonia Key research themes include materiality of bureaucratic records and epistemological methodologies in Assyriology. Outstanding Dissertation Prize by The American Academic Research Institute in Iraq (2009) Tenney is currently on sabbatical (2025/26) but remains available for consultancy. His work intersects with the Department of Archaeology’s research themes on Environment, Landscapes and Settlement, Material Culture, and Rethinking Complexity. He contributes to teaching in Assyriology, Mesopotamian Languages, and socio-political archaeology.

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Joseph LamView profile

Associate Professor

University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUnited States

Joseph Lam is an Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (2012) and specializes in ancient Near Eastern languages and literatures, particularly Hebrew Bible studies, Ugaritic texts, and Semitic linguistics. His research focuses on religious thought, metaphor theory, and ritual practices in ancient Syria-Palestine and Anatolia. Lam teaches courses on Classical Hebrew, ancient Near Eastern history, and religious metaphors, and has authored influential works like Patterns of Sin in the Hebrew Bible (2016). He has received awards including the Schwab Academic Excellence Award (2017) and Lydie T. Shufro Research Fellowship (2017). His current projects explore sacrificial traditions and their connections to sin concepts in ancient Israel. Lam also contributes to public scholarship through courses on Wondrium and academic council roles. Education: Ph.D., University of Chicago (2012); M.A. (2005), M.Div. (2003), and B.A.Sc. (1999) from other institutions. Research interests include Hebrew Bible context, ritual analysis, Semitic languages, and metaphor in religious discourse. Key publications address sin metaphors, Ugaritic literature, and linguistic studies of ancient texts. He maintains affiliations with the Society of Biblical Literature Council and has developed innovative courses on ancient Near Eastern mythologies and religious practices.

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Annette ZgollView profile

Professor

University of GöttingenGermany

Prof. Dr. Annette Zgoll is a Professor at the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Studies , Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, and a member of the Academy of Sciences in Göttingen (2010–present). She co-directs the interdisciplinary Collegium Mythologicum (2011–present) and leads the DFG Research Group 2064 STRATA (2016–present), focusing on mythological stratification and cross-cultural storytelling. Her research spans comparative mythology, hylistic theory, and the interplay between myth, ritual, and cultural transmission. Director of the Collegium Mythologicum (2011–present) Principal Investigator for DFG STRATA Research Group (2020–present) Editorial roles in the Mythological Studies series (De Gruyter, 2019–present) Her research interests include: myth as a polymorphous and polystratic Erzählstoff (narrative material), stratification analysis of mythological traditions, and hylistic methods for reconstructing myth variants across texts, images, and rituals. She specializes in comparative studies of Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman myths, particularly those involving celestial descent, underworld journeys, and divine-human interactions. Recent scientific awards include the Peregrinus Prize (2023) for innovative mythological research. She has organized international conferences like the First International Early Career Researchers’ Conference on New Approaches to Myths (2023) and co-edited volumes such as Was vom Himmel kommt (2021), analyzing sky-origin myths across ancient Mediterranean cultures. Teaching includes courses on Hittite language, comparative myth studies, and interdisciplinarity. She collaborates with institutions like Oxford University and the University of Helsinki, and her lab/team activities involve the Collegium Mythologicum and DFG STRATA Group , advancing transmedia and cross-cultural myth analysis.

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RICHARD TREADWELL HALLOCKView profile

Professor

University of ChicagoUnited States

Richard Treadwell Hallock (1906–1980) was a distinguished Elamitologist and Assyriologist affiliated with the University of Chicago’s Department of Oriental Languages. He served as associate professor (1963–1970) and later professor (1970–1971), retiring as professor emeritus. His career included foundational work on the Persepolis Fortification Tablets, revolutionizing understanding of Achaemenid Persian administration and languages. Hallock earned a B.A. at the University of Toronto (1929), an M.A. (1931), and Ph.D. (1934) from the University of Chicago under Edward Chiera. His research spanned cuneiform studies, Elamite grammar, and Assyrian lexicography. Hallock’s major contributions include editing the Assyrian Dictionary project and publishing Persepolis Fortification Tablets (1969), which established a comprehensive corpus of Achaemenid administrative records. His work clarified Elamite syntax, Iranian onomastics, and imperial bureaucratic systems. He was honored as a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy (1972) for his transformative contributions. During WWII, Hallock served in military intelligence, later resuming academic work at the Oriental Institute. His publications addressed cuneiform scripts, grammatical analyses, and historical reconstructions, shaping Achaemenid studies through meticulous textual analysis and interdisciplinary approaches.

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Céline DebourseView profile

Assistant Professor

Harvard UniversityUnited States

Céline Debourse is an Assistant Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University's Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (NELC). She serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies and is a member of the RITM study group. Her work focuses on Assyriology, specializing in the languages, history, and religion of Babylonia during the first millennium BCE, with particular attention to the impact of foreign imperial rule (Persian, Hellenistic, Parthian) on Babylonian priestly identity and ritual practices. Her research integrates rigorous philology, historical criticism, and sociological theories to explore themes like the agency of ritual texts and the evolution of priestly literature under foreign domination. Debourse's major publications include Of Priests and Kings: The Babylonian New Year Festival in the Last Age of Cuneiform Culture (2022) and co-edited volumes such as Ceremonies, Feasts, and Festivities in Ancient Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean World (2023). Her current projects include Babylon Beyond Cuneiform: Reimagining the End of a Culture (331 BCE–224 CE), analyzing Babylon’s post-cuneiform history from a comparative perspective. Her research emphasizes Late Babylonian Priestly Literature as a response to cultural displacement, examining how ritual texts like those of the New Year Festival redefined priestly authority in the absence of local kings. She also investigates the textualization of ritual in comparative contexts, linking Babylonian practices to Hebrew Bible traditions. Debourse actively engages in academic leadership, co-organizing workshops on topics such as ritual power dynamics and priestly literatures. Her contributions span peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations, and scholarly reviews, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue on ancient Near Eastern studies.

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Matthew T RutzView profile

Associate Professor

Brown UniversityUnited States

Matthew T. Rutz is an Associate Professor and Chair of Egyptology and Assyriology at Brown University. His research focuses on Assyriology, specializing in Akkadian and Sumerian texts from the second millennium BCE, Late Bronze Age Syria, and ancient Mesopotamian intellectual history. He holds a PhD in Cuneiform Studies from the University of Pennsylvania (2008) and has been affiliated with institutions like the University of Pennsylvania Museum and the British Museum. His notable works include Bodies of Knowledge in Ancient Mesopotamia (2013) and co-editing Archaeologies of Text (2014). Awards include the Richard B. Salomon Faculty Research Award and fellowships from the Kolb Foundation and Penn Museum. He teaches courses on Akkadian language, Mesopotamian history, and ancient religious texts, and is active in professional societies like the American Oriental Society. Rutz’s research integrates textual analysis with archaeological context, emphasizing the materiality of cuneiform tablets and their role in ancient knowledge systems. His work bridges Assyriology with archaeology, ethics of textual preservation, and interdisciplinary studies of ancient Near Eastern cultures.

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Marc Van De MieroopView profile

Professor

Columbia UniversityUnited States

Marc Van De Mieroop, the Miriam Champion Professor of History at Columbia University, is a leading scholar in ancient Near Eastern history. He directs Columbia’s Center for the Ancient Mediterranean and serves as Founding Editor of the Journal of Ancient Near Eastern History . His research spans socio-economic and political history, historical methodology, and intellectual traditions of the ancient world. Ph.D., Yale University (1983) M.A., Yale University (1980) B.A., Katholieke Universiteit (1978) Van De Mieroop’s work explores the intellectual history of ancient Babylonia, its epistemological systems, and cross-cultural influences on Greece and the biblical world. His publications, including over 100 articles and books, examine topics like cuneiform documentation, ancient economic practices, and historiographical methods. His recent publications (2015-2023) focus on Babylonian epistemology, global historical frameworks, and administrative systems in Mesopotamia. These works highlight connections between ancient Near Eastern thought and later philosophical traditions while emphasizing the role of writing in resisting imperial control. Guggenheim Fellow (2013-14) ACLS Fellow (2016-17) Van De Mieroop’s academic contributions include translating and editing critical texts such as The Invention of Cuneiform and Uruk: The First City . His research has been supported by prestigious fellowships, and his books have been translated into multiple languages, including Chinese, Turkish, and Polish.

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Paul-Alain BeaulieuView profile

Professor

University of TorontoCanada

Paul-Alain Beaulieu is a Professor of Assyriology at the University of Toronto, specializing in the civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia. He holds a PhD from Yale University and has held academic positions at Yale, Harvard, and Notre Dame before joining Toronto in 2006. His research focuses on Babylonian history, cuneiform archives, and intellectual history, with a geographic emphasis on Babylonia and temporal focus on the first millennium BC. He teaches courses on Akkadian/Sumerian languages, cuneiform script, and Mesopotamian civilization, including a popular first-year seminar contrasting Babylon’s historical reality with mythological depictions. Education: LL.L. in Law, University of Montreal M.A. in History, University of Montreal M.A. and PhD in Assyriology, Yale University Research Interests: Beaulieu’s work examines political history, religion, intellectual life, and linguistics in ancient Mesopotamia. Key areas include Babylonian priestly migrations, cuneiform archives, and the intersection of Aramaic and Babylonian languages. He has extensively studied the pantheon of Uruk, legal texts from Nabonidus’ reign, and the fall of Babylon to the Persians. Administrative Roles: Chair Graduate Chair Publications: His works analyze Babylon’s historical trajectory, Judeo-Babylonian interactions, and linguistic dynamics in first-millennium Iraq. Recent publications include Judah in the Shadow of Babylon (2020) and A History of Babylon (2018).

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