Johannes Hahn

Johannes Hahn is a Professor of Ancient History at the University of Münster, where he has held a chair position since 1996. He serves as a Principal Investigator in the Cluster of Excellence 'Religion and Politics in Pre-Modern and Modern Cultures' and is a member of the General Assembly. His research focuses on religious diversity and legal-political unity in ancient societies, with particular emphasis on conflict and differentiation in religious contexts.

Hahn received his academic training at several prestigious institutions. He completed his Magister Artium in Philosophy at the Free University Berlin in 1982, following studies in Philosophy, History, and Archaeology at universities in Munich, Heidelberg, Oxford, and Berlin. He earned his doctorate in Ancient History from Heidelberg University (1982-1986) and completed his habilitation there in 1993. From 1995-1996, he was a Heisenberg Scholar with the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Professor Hahn's research interests span the social and cultural history of the Roman Empire, the history of Judaism and Christianity within that context, and the religious, social, and cultural history of Late Antiquity. He also investigates the social and intellectual history of ancient philosophy, medicine, and science, with special focus on Alexander the Great and the Ancient Near East (particularly Palestine, Syria, and India from the Hellenistic period through Late Antiquity). His work frequently examines religious conflict, temple destruction, martyrdom, and the transformation of religious landscapes in the ancient world, with particular attention to how religious identities were constructed and contested in urban settings.

Hahn has held numerous prestigious positions throughout his career, including visiting professorships at the Central European University Budapest (2015), University of Erlangen (2013), and Eötvös Loránd University Budapest (1995-1996). He has been a Visiting Fellow at Princeton University on multiple occasions (2006-2007, 2009-2010), including as a Stanley J. Seeger Visiting Fellow in Hellenic Studies. His scholarly contributions have been recognized with several honors, most notably being awarded an honorary doctorate and professorship (Doctor et Professor Honoris Causa) by Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest in 2021.

His extensive editorial work includes co-editing major academic series such as 'Studien und Texte zu Antike und Christentum,' 'Historische Studien,' 'Religions of the Graeco-Roman World,' and 'Forschungen zur Geschichte der Juden' from the late 1990s through 2017. Professor Hahn has supervised numerous doctoral students whose work focuses on religious conflict, martyrdom, temple destruction, and other aspects of Late Antique religious history. His leadership extends to directing multiple research projects within the Cluster of Excellence, including studies on religious plurality in Late Christian Antiquity, martyrdom discourses in the 4th century, and sanctuary destructions in Late Antiquity.