Piotr Kochanek

Professor Piotr Kochanek is a full Professor of Ancient, Byzantine and Medieval History at the Institute of History, Faculty of Humanities, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL). Holding the Polish academic title "prof. dr hab.", he is an internationally recognised scholar whose work bridges ancient history, Byzantine studies, medieval history, historical geography and cartography.

Education & Scholarships:

• Post-doctoral fellowship, Leibniz-Institut für Europäische Geschichte, Mainz (1998)
• Two-year post-doctoral scholarship, Istituto Luigi Sturzo, Rome (1990–1992)

Research Interests:
Professor Kochanek’s scholarship focuses on the reception of classical and biblical traditions in medieval culture. He explores how ancient texts, symbols and geographical concepts were transmitted and transformed in Byzantine and Western medieval contexts. Central themes include the figure of Noah’s Ark in patristic and medieval exegesis, the Hyperborean myth in early-modern historiography, the iconography of Constantinople on medieval maps, and the intersection of theology and cartography.

Publication & Research Trends:
From 2020 to 2024 his output intensified around four clusters: (1) detailed structural analyses of Noah’s Ark in Latin patristic literature and in Michelangelo’s Sistine frescoes; (2) Hyperborea as a historiographical and ideological construct in French, German and Scandinavian thought; (3) symbolic readings of medieval maps (Albi, Tabula Peutingeriana, Beatus maps); and (4) Byzantine moral theology, especially the cardinal virtues in Basil of Caesarea. These studies combine philological precision with cultural-historical interpretation.

Scientific Awards & Distinctions:

• Medal of the National Education Commission (2020)
• 1st Degree Team Award of the Rector of KUL (2018)
• Honourable Mention, Association of Catholic Publishers „Feniks 2024” (History category)

Conferences, Grants & Outreach:
Since 2010 Professor Kochanek has organised or co-organised every annual “Ogólnopolska Konferencja Bizantynistyczna” at KUL and numerous international symposia, including the 2011 International Conference on the Eastern Patriarchates in Antiquity. He is a frequent keynote speaker and session chair at congresses of the Association Internationale des Études Byzantines and Polish Historical Society. Research stays at the Universities of Iași, Sofia, Lviv and Kyiv have been supported by EU and Church-funded mobility schemes.

Laboratory, Teams & Editorial Roles:
He currently serves as thematic editor for “Byzantine Studies and Church History” in the journal Vox Patrum and sits on the scholarly councils of Echa Przeszłości (University of Warmia and Mazury) and several national historical commissions.