Nils Jäger

Dr. Nils Jäger serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Classical Philology at the University of Göttingen, holding the position of Lehrkraft für besondere Aufgaben since November 2021. Previously, he held teaching and academic coordination roles at the University of Osnabrück (2018-2021) and served as a Research Assistant at Göttingen's Chair of Latin Philology (2010-2018).

His academic formation includes teacher training in Latin, Greek, and Philosophy at the Universities of Göttingen and Gießen (2004-2011), followed by doctoral studies in Latin Philology at Göttingen (2011-2017), which produced the monograph Amphiaraus. Ritual und Schwelle in Statius' Thebais (2020).

Jäger's research centers on Latin literature of the Roman Imperial period, with concentrated expertise in Senecan epistles, Flavian epic (particularly Statius), and mythological analysis in Ovid and Virgil. He investigates intersections of divine symbolism, rhetorical strategies, and philosophical frameworks within ancient texts, emphasizing how mythological motifs operate across genres and historical contexts. His work consistently bridges philological precision with broader cultural interpretation.

Recent publications reveal a pronounced focus on Senecan studies, especially the Epistulae Morales, alongside sustained engagement with mythological structures in Flavian poetry. His contributions to edited volumes demonstrate methodological versatility, combining close textual analysis with comparative approaches to ancient letter writing and myth transmission.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Travel Grant from the Göttingen Graduate School for Humanities (2013, 2014)
• Completion Grant from the Göttingen Graduate School for Humanities (2015-2016)

Through extensive editorial collaboration with the SAPERE series, Jäger has contributed to critical editions of Synesios, Plutarch, Libanios, and other ancient authors. Within the seminar, he serves as Module Coordinator and Quality Officer for System Accreditation, while his teaching encompasses diverse philological subjects. International lecture invitations to institutions including La Sapienza (Rome), Emory University (Atlanta), and the University of Zurich reflect his scholarly standing.