Professor Alison G. Salvesen (University of Oxford, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies) is a leading scholar in Early Judaism and Christianity, affiliated with the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies and Mansfield College. Her work bridges textual criticism, translation history, and reception studies. Current Projects: Hexapla Institute Executive Committee (electronic database of Origen's Old Testament), monograph on Jacob of Edessa (d. 708 CE) Teaching: Septuagint studies, Patristic texts, Textual criticism, Syriac literature Specializing in ancient Hebrew Bible interpretations, she examines Greek (Septuagint), Aramaic (Targums), Syriac (Peshitta), and Latin (Vulgate) traditions. Her research spans rabbinic Judaism and early Christian exegesis. Scientific leadership includes co-editing major reference works and directing the Polonsky Fellowship. Current DPhil students include Joel Bell, Yael Krämer, and Paul Ulishney. Key grants/awards: Polonsky Fellow in Early Judaism and Christianity
Dr Theodor Dunkelgrün is a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at Trinity College, University of Cambridge , and Academic Co-Ordinator of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation-funded project Religious Diversity and the Secular University (2017–2022) at CRASSH. He was previously a postdoctoral fellow at St John’s College (2013–2018) and has taught across History, Divinity, and Classics at Cambridge, Bryn Mawr, UPenn, and the University of Antwerp. Education : Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet (The Hague), Leiden University, University of Chicago (PhD, 2012). Visiting graduate work at Princeton (2005–06) and Oxford (2008). Research Focus : Intersections of biblical scholarship, history of the book, and interfaith intellectual exchange (1450–1900), particularly in the Low Countries and Mediterranean World. Examines how Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scholars engaged with the Hebrew Bible through technological shifts (print to photography) and institutional contexts. Publications include edited volumes like The Jewish Bookshop of the World (2020) and Bastards and Believers (2020), alongside articles on topics ranging from the Antwerp Polyglot Bible to Jewish converts in early modern Europe. Collaborations span institutions in Taiwan, Oxford, and Leiden, with ongoing work on global philological practices and the Hebrew Bible’s material history. Professional Engagement : Co-founded the Cambridge Seminar in Early Modern Scholarship and Religion (2017), and actively promotes academic freedom through refugee scholar initiatives. Affiliated with the Cambridge Forum for Jewish Studies, Centre for Material Texts, and international networks like EMoDiR and Ideas in Motion.
Kai Brodersen is a Professor of Ancient Culture at the University of Erfurt (since 2008) and a Full Professor of Ancient History at the University of Mannheim (since 1996/97). He previously served as Vice-Rector at the University of Mannheim and President of the University of Erfurt (2008–2014). Brodersen has held visiting professorships at Newcastle upon Tyne, St. Andrews, Royal Holloway, Oxford, and UWA Perth, and has been an honorary lecturer at the University of Sibiu since 2014. He was a Senior Fellow at the Wissenschaftskolleg Greifswald (2019/20). Born in 1988, with four children and four grandchildren ORCID: 0000-0003-1202-7625 His research spans ancient history, historiography, geography, rhetoric, mythography, paradoxography, Septuagint studies, ancient jokes, inscriptions, curse tablets, early Greek and Hellenistic history, Roman provinces, gender dynamics in antiquity, and the history of science and reception (including Asterix). He has contributed to children's literature and has a particular focus on applied sciences in antiquity.
Professor Alberto Rigolio is a leading scholar of Classics and Ancient History at Durham University, specializing in the cultural and intellectual history of the Eastern Mediterranean during the Roman and late antique periods. He holds a D.Phil. from Oxford University and has held prestigious fellowships at Harvard Dumbarton Oaks, Princeton Society of Fellows, and All Souls College Oxford. His research focuses on Syriac literature, Greco-Syro-Arabic translation movements, and religious debates in late antiquity. Rigolio has published extensively, including his award-winning monograph Christians in Conversation (2019), and currently leads projects supported by the British Academy and the Institute for Advanced Study. He supervises PhD students across multiple institutions and mentors postdoctoral researchers like Dr. Karl Heiner Dahm and Dr. Mara Nicosia. His work bridges classical antiquity with early Christian and Islamic intellectual traditions, emphasizing literary and educational exchanges in late antique societies. Educations: D.Phil., University of Oxford (2014) MPhil/BA, University of Milan and Oxford Research Interests: Syriac literary emergence, Greek-Syriac-Arabic translation networks, late antique dialogues, early Christian theology, and the cultural history of the Roman Near East. Rigolio's current projects investigate how Syriac became a major literary language and its role in transmitting Graeco-Roman thought to early medieval cultures. Grants & Awards: British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship (2024) All Souls College Visiting Fellowship (2024) Princeton IAS Membership (2023) Advising & Mentoring: Supervised 9 PhD students, including Cédrik Michel (Lancaster University Lecturer) and Lila Knight (awarded 2024). Mentors postdoctoral scholars in areas like Syriac rhetoric and late antique religious conflict. Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary research groups at Durham and collaborates with institutions like the Institute for Advanced Study, focusing on textual analysis and cultural history.
Dr. Logan Williams is a Kirby Laing Research Fellow in New Testament at the University of Aberdeen. He holds a PhD from Durham University (2020), an MLitt from the University of St Andrews (2016), and a BA from Biola University (2014). His research focuses on New Testament studies, particularly the intersection of Christology and ethics in Paul’s letters, the Gospel of Mark, and early Christian-Jewish relations. He has held positions as a lecturer at the University of Exeter (2022–2023) and a postdoctoral fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2023–2024). His current project examines Pharisaic law and its portrayal in Mark’s Gospel, supported by the Kirby Laing Foundation until 2027. Williams teaches New Testament courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including 'Exploring the New Testament' and 'God and Salvation in the Letters of Paul.' He leads a Greek reading group and an emerging classical Ethiopic study cohort. His scholarship bridges biblical exegesis and historical context, addressing topics like Pauline ethics, Markan theology, and intertextuality with Dead Sea Scrolls and Enochic texts. Recent publications include Christology and Ethics in Galatians (2024) and articles on Mark’s anatomical arguments and messianic imagery in 11QMelchizedek.
Professor Rosalind Thomas is Professor of Ancient Greek History at the University of Oxford and Fellow and Tutor in Classics at Balliol College. Her research centers on Greek historiography, particularly local histories and collective memory in the Greek world. Recent scholarship includes a comprehensive study of polis and island histories during the late Classical and early Hellenistic periods, analyzing these writings as cultural and political artifacts. Current work examines Greek interactions with the Persian Empire and Archaic Greek state formation processes. As Fellow of the British Academy, she maintains active research programs exploring how historical narratives shaped Greek identity and political organization across Mediterranean contexts.
Mark J. Smith is a Retired Professor of Egyptology and Lady Wallis Budge Fellow in Egyptology at University College, University of Oxford. He is affiliated with the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. His research focuses on ancient Egyptian religion, especially conceptions of the afterlife, and the study of ritual texts. He collaborates on projects like publishing Bodl. MS. Egypt. a.3(P) and demotic graffiti from Gebel es-Silsila. Smith teaches all aspects of ancient Egyptian civilization, history, and languages (Old Egyptian to Coptic), including scripts and religious practices. His research emphasizes understudied museum texts and the intellectual life of Graeco-Roman Egyptian priests. Notable publications include Following Osiris: Perspectives on the Osirian Afterlife (2017) and Traversing Eternity (2009). He has contributed to over a dozen scholarly articles analyzing ritual texts, orthography, and historical events like Antiochos IV's expulsion from Egypt.
Dr. Marina Escolano-Poveda is a Senior Lecturer in Classics/Ancient History and Egyptology at the University of Liverpool's Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, where she has held a permanent position since 2022. She previously served as a Lecturer at the same institution (2018–2021) and University of Manchester (2021–2022). PhD in Near Eastern Studies (Egyptology with minor in Ancient Greek) from Johns Hopkins University (2017) Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2019–2021) Over 15 years of archaeological fieldwork experience in Egypt and Spain Her research synthesizes: Literature, religion, and philosophy of Graeco-Roman Egypt Egyptian temple intellectual networks and priestly knowledge systems Demotic hieratic astronomical/astrological texts Early alchemical traditions in Egyptian contexts Papyrological work on magical handbooks Key publication trends include: Interdisciplinary analysis of astral sciences Decanal astrology in Demotic sources Cultural transmission in Mediterranean scientific practices Literary and religious syncretism in Egyptian-Greek texts Scientific recognition: Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (2019) Premio BTI-Manuel Iradier (2020) National Manuscripts Conservation Trust funding (2022–2024) She trains students in: All stages of Egyptian language (hieroglyphic, hieratic, demotic, coptic) Graeco-Roman Egyptian society and culture Ancient Greek language
Dr. Chiara Meccariello is a researcher at the University of Exeter's Department of Classics, Ancient History, Religion, and Theology. She holds a PhD in Classics from the University of Pisa and has held research and teaching positions at prestigious institutions including the University of Vienna, University of Oxford, University of Göttingen, and University of Cambridge. Primary Research: Papyrology and textual criticism of Greek poetry Affiliation: Focuses on Hellenistic and Roman cultural history Specialization: Greek tragedy, satyr drama, mythography, and ancient education Her work centers on using papyrological evidence to explore the transmission and reception of classical texts, particularly Euripides. She has published extensively on fragmentary works, including an upcoming chapter in the 2024 edited volume Greek Culture in Hellenistic Egypt: The Literary Experience . A recent key project involved analyzing a papyrus containing lines from two lost plays of Euripides. Dr. Meccariello supervises PhD research in Greek papyrology, textual criticism, and related fields. Her editorial work includes co-editing The Oxyrhynchus Papyri (vol. LXXXI), a critical resource for classical scholars. Her publications span topics from ancient educational practices to mythological interpretations in late antiquity. While no specific scientific awards are documented in the provided text, her research continues to shape understanding of classical text transmission and reception.
Professor Peter Stewart is a leading scholar in ancient art history, currently serving as Professor of Ancient Art at the University of Oxford, Director of the Classical Art Research Centre (CARC), and a Fellow of Wolfson College. His academic journey includes roles at The Courtauld Institute of Art (Reader in Classical Art) and Reading University (Lecturer in Classics and Curator of the Ure Museum). Stewart specializes in Roman provincial art, Gandhara art, ancient Greek textiles, and cross-cultural artistic exchanges across Eurasia. He oversees the Beazley Archive at CARC, a pivotal resource for ancient art research. His research focuses on sculptural traditions, material culture, and the reception of classical art. Notable works include Statues in Roman Society , The Social History of Roman Art , and Gandharan Art and the Classical World . He frequently publishes on Gandhara's artistic connections, Roman imperialism's artistic impacts, and the global dimensions of ancient art. Teaching interests span Greek and Roman art and archaeology. Recent publications emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to Gandharan Buddhist contexts, Roman sarcophagi, and collecting practices. His work bridges archaeological evidence with cultural history, addressing themes like connoisseurship, provenance, and ancient aesthetics' contemporary relevance. As CARC Director, Stewart coordinates international workshops on Gandhara's connections and supervises projects on sculpture collections like Wilton House's. His research highlights art as a medium of cultural dialogue, imperial control, and transregional exchange.
Dr Marcus Chin is a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford's Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents, affiliated with the Faculty of Classics. Previously, he served as a non-stipendiary lecturer in Roman history at Lady Margaret Hall (2020–2021). He holds a BA and MRes from Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia, 2014 and 2016), and a DPhil in Classics from Oxford (2021). His research explores the cultural and economic dynamics of the Hellenistic and Roman Mediterranean, particularly interactions between local communities and imperial powers. Current projects under the CHANGE initiative include a book on pre-Roman Asia Minor dynastic rulers and an electronic index of monetary data from pre-Roman epigraphy in Asia Minor, to be published via linked open data frameworks. Teaching experience includes Roman history modules for Mods and Greats (e.g., Cicero and Catiline, Tacitus and Tiberius, Augustan Rome), as well as tutorials on Roman History 5/6 and Nero to Hadrian. Research keywords encompass Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman history; epigraphy; numismatics; historiography; and Asia Minor studies. Future work includes articles on specific inscriptions, coinages, and a study of gift-giving in Diodoros Siculus, alongside an edited volume on Hellenistic monetary economies. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned. Advising and grants sections remain underdeveloped in the provided text. He is affiliated with the CHANGE Project and collaborates with institutions like the Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents and teams including Simon Glenn and Leah Lazar.
Professor Andrew Meadows is a Professor of Ancient History and Fellow and Tutor in Ancient History at New College, University of Oxford. He holds an MA, AM, and DPhil. His academic career includes roles as Curator of Greek Coins at the British Museum, Deputy Director of the American Numismatic Society, and Director of the Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents. His research focuses on Hellenistic history, numismatics, and epigraphy, with a particular emphasis on applying Linked Open Data methodologies to numismatic and epigraphic research. Key research projects include the CHANGE Project (studying ancient Anatolian monetary systems), the Nomisma project (digital numismatic data), and collaborative initiatives like the ARCH project and the Oxford Paris Alexander Project (OPAL). He has curated major exhibitions and published extensively, including works on coin hoards, Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum volumes, and studies on civic countermarks and regional coinage systems. Education: MA, AM, DPhil Roles: Fellow and Tutor at New College, Director of Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents Awards: Honorary Curator at the Ashmolean Museum (2015), Metcalf Lecturer (2014/5) His advisory work includes roles with the Royal Numismatic Society, the British Academy’s SNG Committee, and the International Numismatic Council. Current projects explore numismatic data integration, maritime archaeology collaborations (e.g., excavations at Herakleion), and the coinage of Alabanda in Caria.
Peter Head is a Tutorial Fellow in New Testament Studies at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford, where he has taught since 2017. He previously held teaching roles in London and Cambridge, and his academic journey includes a PhD from the University of Cambridge (Cantab). He specializes in textual criticism, epistolary communication, and early Christian history, with a focus on the New Testament's formation and interpretation. Education: DipMin (BCV), BTh (ACT), MA (CNAA), PhD (Cambridge) Current Role: Tutor in New Testament at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford Peter's research spans New Testament textual analysis, scribal practices, and Hellenistic letter conventions. His recent work explores Pauline epistolary communication, including the role of letter carriers and audience reception in Romans and Philemon. Publications include editorial contributions to The Greek New Testament and articles on textual criticism and biblical interpretation. His publications and research reflect expertise in: Textual Criticism (P66, manuscript studies) Epistolary Practices (ancient postal systems, greetings) NT Reception History (audience analysis, scribal behavior) Intertextuality (Isaiah in Matthew, OT citations)
Professor Helen Bond is a Professor of Christian Origins at the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh. She holds a prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE). Her research focuses on early Christianity, the social context of its emergence, and the biographical forms of early Christian texts. Notably, she has authored works on Mark’s Gospel, the historical Jesus, and figures like Pontius Pilate and Flavius Josephus. She served as Head of the School of Divinity from 2018–2013 and co-directs the Centre for the Study of Christian Origins (CSCO). Bond has taught at several institutions including the University of Aberdeen and Northern College, Manchester. She actively engages in public outreach through media appearances, lectures, and the Biblical Time Machine podcast with Dave Roos. Her academic journey began with a first-class degree in Biblical Studies from the University of St Andrews, followed by a PhD at Durham University. Her teaching spans undergraduates and postgraduates, with a focus on mentoring doctoral students in early Christian studies. Key research projects include Retelling Lives of Jesus (funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh) and studies on Greek education and rhetoric influencing Luke and Paul. Her publications explore topics such as Jesus’ death narratives, female discipleship, and the transformation of Markan traditions in John’s Gospel. Education: B.A. Biblical Studies (First Class), University of St Andrews PhD, Durham University (with studies in Tuebingen, Germany) Key Roles: Professor of Christian Origins Co-Director, CSCO Past Head of School of Divinity Bond’s research integrates textual analysis with historical context, emphasizing the intersection of biography, theology, and cultural history. Her work has been recognized through numerous reviews and international collaborations.
Rachel Mairs is Professor of Classics and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Reading, where she serves as Research Division Leader in the Department of Classics. She previously held positions at Brown University, the University of Oxford, and New York University. Her academic work bridges classical studies with Middle Eastern history, examining cultural interactions across historical periods. Mairs completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge in 2006 with research on ethnic identity in the 'Hellenistic Far East' (Bactria-Sogdiana, Arachosia and India). Her scholarly trajectory demonstrates a consistent focus on cross-cultural encounters, evolving from ancient Greek interactions with Central Asian populations to modern colonial encounters in the Middle East. Her research interests span multilingualism, ethnicity, cultural interaction, papyrology, and epigraphy, with particular emphasis on Hellenistic Egypt, Central Asia (Bactria and India), and 19th-century Middle East. Mairs examines how Greeks interacted with 'non-Greeks' in the Hellenistic world while also exploring modern legacies of colonialism in archaeological and linguistic practices. She has made significant contributions to understanding ancient multilingualism, especially Greek-Egyptian interactions, and has extended this interest to historical language learning in the colonial Middle East. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a sophisticated interdisciplinary approach that bridges classical studies, archaeology, linguistics, and postcolonial theory. Her work demonstrates consistent thematic threads including cultural mediation, language contact, and the politics of historical representation. From her early archaeological surveys of the Hellenistic Far East to her recent studies of Arabic language pedagogy in the 19th century, Mairs maintains a critical perspective on power dynamics in cross-cultural encounters. Mairs actively contributes to academic discourse through her organization of the Hellenistic Central Asia Research Network (HCARN) and co-founding of the 'Everyday Orientalism' blog, which critically examines colonial legacies in papyrology and classics. She has served as co-editor for significant publications including the 'Corpus of Ptolemaic Inscriptions' (2021) and a special issue on 'Bi-/Multi-lingualism and the History of Language Learning and Teaching' (2019). Her collaborative research extends across international boundaries, working with colleagues in Egypt, Canada, and the United States on projects examining interpreters, dragomans, and language teachers in historical contexts. Mairs maintains an active research agenda with recent publications addressing contemporary issues in postcolonial theory while maintaining her foundational expertise in Hellenistic archaeology and epigraphy.
