Filippo Marsili

Filippo Marsili, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of History at Saint Louis University’s College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on the cultural and political history of ancient China, the history of religion, and intercultural dynamics across ancient civilizations. He holds a Ph.D. (2011) and M.A. (2007) from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. (2000) from Università di Roma 'La Sapienza'.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 2011
  • M.A., University of California, Berkeley, 2007
  • B.A., Università di Roma 'La Sapienza', 2000

His research explores themes such as the role of religion in ancient Chinese empires, Greco-Roman historiography, and cross-cultural encounters. Notable works include Heaven is Empty: A Cross-Cultural Approach to Religion and Power in Ancient China (2018), which challenges Western-centric frameworks in analyzing non-Western religious systems.

Dr. Marsili co-created and organizes the Matteo Ricci Speakers Series, focusing on intercultural exchanges between China and the West. His pedagogical work includes courses on East Asian history, historiography, and cultural studies.

Recent publications span comparative religious methodologies, material culture analyses, and reviews of seminal works in Chinese intellectual history. His scholarship emphasizes critical, postcolonial approaches to understanding ancient cultural and religious systems.