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Janet H. Johnson is the Morton D. Hull Distinguished Service Professor of Egyptology at the University of Chicago, affiliated with the Oriental Institute. She has been teaching and researching at UChicago since 1971. Her expertise spans Egyptian language, particularly Demotic, and the history of Egypt's Late Period (1st millennium B.C.). Education: Ph.D. in Egyptology, University of Chicago, 1972 Research Interests: Johnson focuses on Demotic grammar, legal texts, gender studies in ancient Egyptian society, and economic practices. She directs the Chicago Demotic Dictionary Project , a foundational resource for studying this ancient language. Her work bridges linguistic analysis with social history, particularly examining women’s roles, property rights, and legal frameworks in Late Period Egypt. Teaching & Contributions: She teaches courses on Middle Egyptian hieroglyphs, ancient Near Eastern history, and gender in Egyptology. Her publications include Thus Wrote 'Onchsheshonqy (a Demotic grammar) and analyses of Demotic verbal systems. She frequently collaborates on projects involving Demotic papyri and museum artifacts. Labs/Teams: Lead director of the Chicago Demotic Dictionary Project , an interdisciplinary effort to document and analyze Demotic language materials.

• Egyptology
• Ancient Egyptian Language
• Late Period Egypt
• +4 more

Daniela Mairhofer is an Associate Professor of Classics at Princeton University, specializing in Latin language and literature across periods, with a focus on Late and Medieval Latin. Her research spans textual transmission, paleography, codicology, palimpsest studies, and the reception of classics in the Latin West. Education: Ph.D. (summa cum laude) in Classics from the University of Innsbruck, trained as a manuscript expert. Her current project involves a critical edition and monograph Totum Nihil (under contract with Oxford University Press) on a newly uncovered 13th-century Latin poem. She has published extensively on medieval manuscripts, including works on Würzburg, Mainz Charterhouse, and St. Catherine’s palimpsests. Her publications highlight interdisciplinary intersections between Classics, Medieval Studies, and Digital Humanities. She founded the Princeton Paleography Lab (PPLab) and contributes to cross-disciplinary programs at the Humanities Council. Scientific Award: 2024–25 Old Dominion Research Professor. Her teaching includes Latin paleography, classical reception, and the history of the book. She supervises undergraduate and graduate students and collaborates on projects analyzing Latin texts’ material and intellectual contexts. Labs/Teams: Founder and director of the Princeton Paleography Lab (PPLab), fostering manuscript studies and interdisciplinary research.

• Latin Language and Literature
• Late and Medieval Latin
• Textual Transmission and Criticism
• +10 more

Ziad Fahmy is a Professor of Modern Middle East History at Cornell University's Department of Near Eastern Studies within the College of Arts and Sciences. He specializes in the history of modern Egypt with particular expertise in sound studies, media history, and Egyptian nationalism. His academic journey began with a History Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in 2007, where his dissertation 'Popularizing Egyptian Nationalism' was awarded the Malcolm H. Kerr Dissertation Award from the Middle East Studies Association. His scholarly contributions include two major monographs: Street Sounds: Listening to Everyday Life in Modern Egypt (2020), which won the Urban History Association's 2021 award for Best Book in Non-North American Urban History, and Ordinary Egyptians: Creating the Modern Nation through Popular Culture (2011). Fahmy's research focuses on nationalism and state formation in the nineteenth and twentieth century Middle East, trans-nationalism and identity fluidity in the Mediterranean World, and historical soundscapes. His current book project, Broadcasting Identity: Radio and the Making of Modern Egypt, 1928-1952 , continues his exploration of media and national identity. His work has been supported by prestigious organizations including the Fulbright-Hays Commission, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Research Center in Egypt. Fahmy teaches courses on Women in the Modern Middle East, History of Modern Egypt, History of the Modern Middle East, Contesting Egyptian Identities, and Nationalism(s) & Nation-States in the Arab World. His interdisciplinary approach bridges history, sound studies, and media studies to illuminate how everyday sensory experiences contributed to the formation of modern Egyptian national identity.

• Middle East History
• Egyptian History
• Nationalism
• +4 more

Dr. John D. Currid is a distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS), serving 30 years in roles including Chancellor’s Professor, Chair of Biblical Studies, and academic leadership in Jackson and Charlotte campuses. He holds a B.A. from Barrington College, M.A. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. His career includes an NEH Post-Doctoral Fellowship at UNC Chapel Hill and prior service as Associate Professor at Grove City College. As a trained archaeologist, Currid participated in excavations at Carthage (Tunisia), Bethsaida, Tell el-Hesi, and directed the Lahav Grain Storage Project. His global engagements include lecturing/preaching in Russia, Ukraine, Great Britain, Australia, and Brazil. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America, he has ministerial experience across multiple congregations. Research focuses on Old Testament archaeology, ancient Near Eastern history, and theological interpretation. Key interests include biblical historical narratives, ancient religious practices, and interdisciplinary methodologies bridging archaeology and exegesis. His publications span commentaries, archaeological monographs, and theological treatises, emphasizing contextual understanding of Scripture through material culture and linguistic analysis. Major works include ESV Archaeology Study Bible (2017), Ancient Egypt and the Old Testament (1997), and multi-volume Genesis-Deuteronomy commentaries. Recipient of the NEH Post-Doctoral Fellowship (UNC Chapel Hill). Teaching and scholarship emphasize rigorous engagement with biblical languages, ancient comparative literature, and archaeological data to illuminate theological truths. Current research continues exploration of ANE cultural contexts and their implications for interpreting Scripture.

• Old Testament Studies
• Biblical Archaeology
• Ancient Near Eastern History
• +3 more

Sarah Lynn Malena serves as Associate Professor of History and Museum Studies Program Coordinator at St. Mary's College of Maryland. An accomplished ancient historian and archaeologist, she specializes in the cultures of the eastern Mediterranean with fieldwork experience in Jordan and Israel. Dr. Malena's research focuses on how intercultural relations in the ancient world impacted social and ideological change. Her scholarly profile encompasses historical and archaeological studies of the southern Levant, religion and mythology of the ancient world, intercultural trade and exchange, diplomatic marriage in the Late Bronze and Iron Ages, identity formation, and state formation in antiquity. Her current major project, Fertile Crossroads , examines elite exchange networks in the southern Levant during the early Iron Age (ca. 1100-800 BCE), investigating how interactions shaped the developing identities and states of the Philistines, Israelites, Phoenicians, Edomites, and other regional groups. Her publications demonstrate a consistent focus on diplomatic relations, cultural exchange, and the complex interplay between textual and archaeological evidence in understanding ancient societies. Society of Biblical Literature's Regional Scholar, 2020 Dr. Malena offers courses on the history of the ancient Mediterranean and the cultures of Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the southern Levant (encompassing modern Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan). She is particularly noted for her expertise in working with challenging ancient sources including myth, epic, and material remains. Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. and M.A. in History from the University of California, San Diego (2015 and 2003, respectively), and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Iowa (1996).

• Ancient History
• Archaeology
• Eastern Mediterranean Cultures
• +6 more

Lorenzo Castellano is a Postdoctoral Scholar at UCLA's Cotsen Institute of Archaeology specializing in environmental archaeology and paleoethnobotany. He coordinates activities at the Ancient Agriculture and Paleoethnobotany Laboratory (AAPL) and directs excavations at Niğde-Kınık Höyük in Turkey. Previously, he served as a Postdoctoral Lecturer in Archaeology at NYU's Department of Anthropology and the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World. 2022 PhD – Ancient Studies, New York University, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World 2017 MPhil – Ancient Studies, New York University 2012 MA – Archaeology (summa cum laude), University of Milan 2008 BA – Cultural Heritage Studies (summa cum laude), University of Milan Castellano's research focuses on ancient agricultural systems in Western Asia, particularly examining the relationship between agricultural strategies and political complexity, the impact of climatic and environmental change on farming practices, and long-term patterns of landscape transformation. His work is strongly interdisciplinary, drawing on Archaeological Methods and Theory, Archaeobotany, Paleoenvironmental Research, and Western Asia Archaeology and History. His publications reveal a strong focus on Anatolian archaeology across multiple time periods, with particular attention to Bronze and Iron Age agricultural systems. He has made significant contributions to understanding ancient viticulture in pre-Roman Anatolia, the emergence and collapse of Late Bronze Age agricultural landscapes, and long-term environmental changes in Cappadocia. His research spans multiple geographical regions including Turkey, Italy, and China, demonstrating methodological versatility across different archaeological contexts. Castellano has participated in archaeological fieldwork across diverse chronological and cultural contexts in Italy, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Since 2015, he has directed excavations at Niğde-Kınık Höyük in Turkey. His laboratory work at the Ancient Agriculture and Paleoethnobotany Laboratory (AAPL) focuses on investigating past agricultural systems and studying archaeological plant remains, providing resources for researchers interested in plants and people in ancient contexts.

• Environmental Archaeology
• Paleoethnobotany
• Archaeological Methods and Theory
• +3 more

Joan Breton Connelly is a Professor of Classics and Art History at New York University, affiliated with the Department of Classics within the College of Arts and Science. She has held visiting fellowships at Oxford University colleges (All Souls, Magdalen, New College, Corpus Christi), Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute, and Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study. Connelly directs the NYU Yeronisos Island Expedition, an interdisciplinary project investigating Cyprus’s archaeology, ecology, and maritime history. She is an honorary citizen of Peyia Municipality, Cyprus, and serves on boards including the Association of Members of the Institute for Advanced Study, the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute, and the Pharos Arts Foundation. Her education includes a B.A. in Classics from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology from Bryn Mawr College, where she later served as Assistant Dean and Board of Trustees member. Connelly’s research focuses on classical archaeology, myth, religion, performance, and landscape. She explores topics like women’s roles in ancient Greek rituals, maritime connectivity in the Mediterranean, and the intersection of art and cult practices. Her work challenges traditional views, such as reinterpreting the Parthenon’s symbolism through human sacrifice myths and analyzing priestesses’ public influence. Her publications include The Parthenon Enigma (2014), awarded the Phi Beta Kappa Emerson Prize, and Portrait of a Priestess (2007), a New York Times Notable Book. These works highlight her contributions to understanding ancient Greek religious practices and cultural heritage. Connelly has received prestigious teaching awards, including the Archaeological Institute of America’s Excellence Award and NYU’s Lillian Vernon Chair. She organizes collaborative 'Island Workshops' with NYU-Paris, focusing on themes like island archaeologies, maritime small worlds, and climate change impacts on ancient sites.

• Classical Archaeology
• Myth and Religion
• Performance
• +6 more

Carmen Gitre serves as Associate Professor of Middle East History and Associate Chair of the Department of History at Virginia Tech's College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. She earned her Ph.D. from Rutgers University in 2011 and previously taught at Seattle University from 2011-2014 before joining Virginia Tech. Dr. Gitre specializes in the cultural history of modern Egypt, with particular focus on the relationship between performance, identity, and political culture from the late 19th through mid-20th century. Her research examines how theatrical productions, comedy, and other cultural expressions served as sites for political discourse and identity formation during periods of significant social transformation. Her 2019 monograph Acting Egyptian: Theater, Identity, and Political Culture in Cairo, 1867-1930 (University of Texas Press) established her as a leading scholar in this field. Her scholarly output reveals consistent thematic focus on how cultural production in Egypt functioned as political expression. Recent publications demonstrate evolving research into interwar art, performance, and truth-telling, examining how artistic expression documented historical experiences during Egypt's transition to modernity. Her work bridges theater studies, cultural history, and political analysis to illuminate the complex ways Egyptians navigated colonialism and emerging national identity through artistic expression. As Associate Chair of History and former Director of Undergraduate Studies (2023-2024), Dr. Gitre has significantly contributed to departmental leadership. She has served on the Public History and Outreach Committee, College Curriculum Committee, and multiple faculty search committees. Her academic leadership extends to organizing significant events including the Israel-Palestine Crisis Series (2023-2024) featuring expert panels on international law, human rights, and media representation related to Gaza. Dr. Gitre's teaching portfolio includes courses on the History of the Middle East, Arab-Israeli Conflict, Imperialism, and specialized topics like The Politics of Performance . She developed the course Critical Readings and Analysis in History and has been instrumental in shaping historical methodology curriculum for undergraduate students, emphasizing critical engagement with primary sources and understanding cultural production's role in political discourse.

• Middle East History
• Cultural history
• Imperialism
• +3 more

Aaron A. Burke is a Professor and Kershaw Chair in the Archaeology of the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean at UCLA's Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. He directs the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project and leads the 2018 Turning Points research program on Bronze-to-Iron Age transitions. Ph.D. University of Chicago (2004) His research focuses on Amorite identity formation , Egyptian imperialism in Canaan , and fortification strategies during the Middle Bronze Age. He explores how warfare , trade networks , and refugee movements shaped cultural evolution from 2500–1000 BCE. Recent publications include Elements in The Archaeology of Ancient Israel (2024), Creating Crisis: Empire and Refugees (2024), and studies on Bronze Age harbors. His work spans journal articles, book chapters, and edited series like The History and Archaeology of Jaffa volumes 1–4. Awarded: NEH Collaborative Grant (2013–2018) G. E. Wright Award (2011) Mentors graduate student Jacob Damm . Contact: burke@humnet.ucla.edu .

• Archaeology of the Ancient Near East
• Bronze and Iron Age Levant
• Archaeology of Warfare
• +6 more

Samy Ayoub is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, holding joint appointments in the School of Law and Middle Eastern Studies (MES) & Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures (MELC) Graduate Studies Committee. His expertise spans Islamic law, modern Middle Eastern law, and the intersection of law and religion in contemporary Muslim societies. He approaches these subjects from a global comparative perspective, with particular focus on Ottoman imperial authority and late Hanafi jurisprudence. Education: Ph.D. in Islamic Law from the School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies and the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona MSc. in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies from the University of Edinburgh (2008) BA in Islamic Jurisprudence from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt (2006) Dr. Ayoub's research focuses on Islamic legal theory, Islamic ethics, Islam and politics, comparative Middle Eastern law, Islamic commercial law, and the legal history of the Late Ottoman Empire and Modern Egypt. His work examines how Islamic law interacts with state authority, particularly investigating the incorporation of Ottoman sultanic authority in Hanafi jurisprudence and the transformation of Islamic legal practice in colonial Egypt. He pays special attention to institutional frameworks that shape legal practice, including the role of religious courts, the Ministry of Justice, and al-Azhar. His scholarship demonstrates a consistent focus on the interplay between state authority and Islamic legal tradition, with particular attention to the Ottoman Empire and modern Egypt. Ayoub's work reveals how Islamic legal institutions adapted to changing political contexts while maintaining continuity with tradition. His research spans historical periods from the 16th-19th centuries through to contemporary legal systems, with a recurring theme of how Islamic law negotiates boundaries with state power. Scientific Awards and Honors: 2015 Malcolm H. Kerr Dissertation Award Fellow at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (2018-2019) President of the Islamic Law Section of the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) for 2018-2019 Member of the Editorial Board of Arab Law Quarterly Nominated for the Margaret T. Getman Service to Students Award at UC Santa Barbara Before joining UT Austin, Dr. Ayoub was a postdoctoral faculty fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara (2014-2015). He has served as an influential voice in Islamic law scholarship, contributing to major publications and participating in significant academic initiatives. His book "Law, Empire, and the Sultan: Ottoman Imperial Authority and Late Ḥanafī Jurisprudence" (Oxford University Press, 2020) represents a major contribution to the field. Dr. Ayoub is actively engaged in academic community building through his editorial work, conference participation, and leadership roles in professional organizations. His second book project, "Making Islamic Law Relevant," continues his exploration of state regulation of legal practice in Egypt from 1800-1950, examining the adaptation of religious courts to follow Jewish and Christian courts in restricting their scope to personal status law.

• Islamic Law
• Islamic Legal Theory
• Islamic Ethics
• +5 more

David Bertaina serves as a Professor in the History Department at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS), maintaining an office in UHB 3059 and contactable via phone (217-206-8412) or email (dbert3@uis.edu). His teaching portfolio spans critical historical periods and interfaith dynamics, including courses on Caesar to Charlemagne, Qur'an to Crusades, Christian-Muslim Encounters, Islamic Civilization, and the History of Christmas. Professor Bertaina's research centers on the religious history of the late antique and medieval Mediterranean world, with concentrated focus on Christian-Muslim intellectual encounters and polemics. His scholarship examines how medieval Christians and Muslims shaped mutual perceptions through theological debates, conversion narratives, and cultural exchanges, particularly within Fatimid Egypt and medieval Iberia. Additionally, he investigates the historical evolution of Christmas traditions as a lens for understanding religious syncretism and cultural continuity. His recent publications demonstrate consistent thematic depth across two primary trajectories: Arabic Christian perspectives on Islam (evident in his 2022 monograph on Bulus ibn Raja and related articles analyzing Fatimid controversies) and the cultural anthropology of Christmas (exemplified by his Oxford Handbook contribution). These works collectively highlight transregional intellectual networks connecting the Mediterranean, Near East, and Europe during the medieval period.

• Religious History
• Christian-Muslim Relations
• Medieval History
• +3 more

Andrea M. Berlin is the James R. Wiseman Chair in Classical Archaeology and Professor of Archaeology and Religion at Boston University, serving as Interim Director of the Archaeology Program. Since 1973, she has conducted excavations across the eastern Mediterranean, including projects at Troy (Turkey) and Coptos (Egypt), focusing on the Achaemenid, Hellenistic, and Roman eras. Her research emphasizes daily life under ancient empires and intersections of political/cultural change. Current projects include publishing the Persian-period excavations at Tel Kedesh (Israel) and a book on materiality in Second Temple Judaism. Educated at the University of Michigan (Ph.D., 1988), her expertise spans ceramic studies, Second Temple Judaism, and Levantine archaeology. Her excavations at Tel Kedesh (co-directed since 1997) and Coptos (1988-1992) have produced major publications, including Tel Kedesh: Persian Period Levels and The Middle Maccabees . Awards: 2021 P.E. MacAllister Award, NEH Senior Fellowship (2010-11), AIA Teaching Excellence Award (2009). Editorial Roles: Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, Tel Aviv . Teaching: Award-winning mentorship, emphasizing archaeological methodology and computational approaches. Her work bridges fieldwork, material culture analysis, and interdisciplinary scholarship, with a focus on reconstructing ancient socio-political dynamics through archaeological evidence.

• Achaemenid Archaeology
• Hellenistic Archaeology
• Roman Archaeology
• +5 more

Jeanette Belle serves as a Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of History at Missouri State University (Springfield campus) since 2021 and as an Adjunct Teacher at Ozarks Technical Community College since 2012, teaching core courses including HST 103 (Ancient History to 1600) and US History surveys. Her academic credentials feature interdisciplinary expertise: BA in Art History and Political Science (International Affairs), Drury University (1989) MA in History (Egyptology), University of Memphis (1994) MA in Religious Studies/History of Religions, Missouri State University (2007) Her research traverses ancient civilizations , religious evolution , and gender dynamics , with specialized focus on Egyptology, Mediterranean archaeology, medieval societal structures, and women's historical agency. She examines how patriarchy shaped ancient legal systems, analyzes Arthurian legends as cultural artifacts, and investigates witchcraft accusations through socio-religious lenses, demonstrating exceptional breadth across temporal and geographical contexts. Her publication record centers on Mediterranean Bronze Age studies, notably her 2006 Society of Biblical Literature-accepted paper "Sea Peoples," which examines migration patterns' impact on Egyptian and Hittite empires. This work exemplifies her methodological fusion of archaeological evidence with textual analysis to reconstruct cross-cultural interactions during civilization collapse periods. Academic recognition includes: Webster University academic scholarship (1985) Drury University academic scholarships (1986-89) London study abroad scholarship (1988) Art History Honors graduate (1989) Israel archaeology scholarship (1990) University of Memphis Presidential Graduate Assistantship (1992-93) Choctaw Nation scholarship (2005-07) Society of Biblical Literature paper acceptance (2006) She maintains active membership in the Council on Women in History, American Historical Association, Medieval Academy of America, and Phi Alpha Theta, contributing to historical discourse through conference participation. While her primary role centers undergraduate instruction, her scholarly profile reflects deep engagement with primary source analysis and interdisciplinary historiography. No graduate student advisement or major research grants are documented in public records. Personal scholarly pursuits include manuscript illumination techniques and historical bookbinding methods, though no formal research laboratories or collaborative teams are associated with her academic profile.

• Egyptology
• Ancient History
• Ancient European History
• +7 more

Jeffrey A. Stevens is an Associate Teaching Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of History at the University of Missouri. He specializes in Ancient History, Roman Archaeology, and Material Culture Studies. Stevens co-directs the Monteleone Sabino Archaeological Field School in Italy, focusing on hands-on student training in archaeology. His research explores Roman trade networks, slavery, and gladiatorial culture. He has consulted for major TV series like 'Spartacus' and 'Roman Empire: Reign of Blood.' Stevens has received awards including the Provost’s Junior Faculty Teaching Award and leads academic service roles such as chairing the Fordyce Mitchel Lecture Series. Education: PhD in History (UCLA, 2014), MA in History (UCLA, 2009; University of Oregon, 2007). Research Interests: Roman archaeology, numismatics, ancient sport, and slavery. Active in fieldwork at San Martino and Trebula Mutuesca sites in Italy. Key Contributions: Over a decade of archaeological field school leadership, 5+ peer-reviewed publications, and media consultation for historical accuracy in TV productions. Awards: MU Provost’s Award (2021), Teaching Scholars Program (2021), and numerous fellowships.

• Ancient History (Rome, Greece, Egypt)
• Late Antiquity
• Classical Archaeology
• +5 more

Sandra Gambetti is an Associate Professor at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York. Her research focuses on the Hellenistic period, particularly Hellenistic Judaism, Alexandria in Egypt, and the philosophical works of Philo of Alexandria. Her primary areas of interest include ancient Mediterranean history, classical philology, and the intersection of Jewish thought with Greco-Roman philosophy during the Hellenistic era. She contributes to the academic community through her expertise in ancient textual analysis and historical context of late antiquity. Scholarship and publications are listed as forthcoming, indicating ongoing research activity. No scientific awards or student advisement details are currently available.

• Hellenistic period
• Hellenistic Judaism
• Alexandria in Egypt
• +4 more