معرفی
Juraj Franek is a Researcher at the Department of Biblical Studies within the Cabinet for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences. He has maintained dual academic affiliations, working at the Institute of Classical Studies at Masaryk University from 2012-2024 while simultaneously holding positions at the Czech Academy of Sciences since 2019 (with a brief gap between 2021-2024).
Education:
- PhD in Philosophy (2016, Masaryk University), Dissertation: "Critique of Religion in Antiquity and Contemporary Times"
- Master's in Classical Greek Language and Literature (2010, Masaryk University)
- Master's in Philosophy (2009, Masaryk University), Thesis: "Reception of Socrates in Hellenistic and Patristic Philosophy"
Dr. Franek's research centers on ancient magic, particularly epigraphic evidence of curse tablets (defixiones) and apotropaic amulets (phylacteria), with special attention to performative language in ritual contexts. His work bridges philology, archaeology, and cognitive science of religion, examining how ancient magical practices reflect broader religious and philosophical frameworks. He has made significant contributions to understanding the role of King Solomon in magical traditions across Greek, Latin, and Hebrew contexts during Late Antiquity and Early Byzantium.
His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly output with 15 major publications between 2019-2025, revealing a distinctive research trajectory that combines meticulous epigraphic analysis with theoretical approaches to religious studies. His work shows increasing specialization in magical amulets and curse tablets while maintaining strong connections to philosophy of religion and cognitive approaches to ancient religious phenomena.
Awards:
- Dean's Award of the Faculty of Philosophy of Masaryk University for significant creative achievement (2020)
Dr. Franek has secured competitive research funding as principal investigator for the GA21-06319S project "Performative Formulae in Epigraphic Documents of the Ancient Mediterranean Tradition" (2021-2023) and has participated in multiple other grant projects examining religious transmission between Hellenism, early Judaism, and early Christianity. His international scholarly engagement is evidenced by numerous presentations at academic institutions across Europe including Warsaw, Potsdam, Athens, Jerusalem, Salamanca, and Ghent.
As an active member of the Cabinet for Classical Studies, Dr. Franek contributes to the research environment focused on classical reception, biblical studies, and medieval lexicography, participating in the institute's scholarly events and international collaborations while maintaining strong connections with Masaryk University's academic community.
