Peter Van Nuffelen

Peter Van Nuffelen is a Research Professor in the Department of History at Ghent University, Faculty of Humanities. He is currently on leave and serving as a Visiting Professor with the ERC Starting Grant 'ACO' project at the University of Bamberg, Germany. His work bridges ancient history, philosophy, and patristics, with a focus on religious and cultural dynamics in Late Antiquity (AD 250–800).

His research interests include the history of religion in the ancient world, particularly ruler cults, philosophical views of religion, early Christianity, late antique historiography, sermons, religious debates, toleration, violence, and the representation of action. He employs philological methods combined with broader interpretive frameworks, working with texts in Greek, Latin, and oriental languages. His current projects involve editing fragmentary historians, writing a cultural history of late antique historiography, and studying the performance of values in the period.

The recent publications reflect a deep engagement with late antique narratives, theological discourse, and rhetorical strategies. Themes such as religious tolerance, identity construction, and the interplay between philosophy and religion recur across his works, indicating a sustained scholarly trajectory centered on understanding ideological and cultural shifts in the transition from antiquity to the medieval world.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Laureate of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts (2011)
• Prix Franz Cumont (2012)
• Corresponding Member, German Archaeological Institute, Commission for Ancient History and Epigraphy, Munich

He has held academic positions at Leuven and Exeter prior to joining Ghent University in 2009. He serves as Ghent University's representative on the board of OIKOS, the Dutch research school for Classics. His advisory roles and collaborations, particularly with Prof. Lieve Van Hoof, underscore his active role in shaping research in late antique studies. Though no specific grants led by him are detailed here, his affiliation with the ERC-funded ACO project at Bamberg highlights his involvement in major European research initiatives. He is also associated with collaborative teams focusing on communication between rulers and subjects, conciliar acts, and imperial constitutions.