Robert Rollinger

Robert Rollinger is a Professor of Ancient History and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Innsbruck. His work bridges the political, ideological, and economic entanglements between the Aegean world and the Ancient Near East, with a focus on the first millennium BCE. He leads the research center Ancient World Studies and Archaeologies (AWOSA) and co-organizes international projects like the Achaemenid Workshops and the Melammu Symposia. Recent conferences highlight his expertise in empires, protoglobalization, and mental mapping of ancient landscapes.

His research spans comparative empire studies, ancient historiography (particularly Herodotus and Ctesias), and the Achaemenid Empire's role in Afro-Eurasian connectivity. He has contributed to understanding how imperial borderlands transformed local economies and how the Mediterranean became conceptualized as an inland sea through Near Eastern exploration. Key themes include imperial dynamics, spatial perception, and cultural transmission.

Key Publications: His edited volumes, such as the Blackwell Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire (2021) and The Intellectual Heritage of the Ancient Near East (2023), reflect his commitment to interdisciplinary analysis. These works emphasize protoglobalization, entanglement theory, and the long-term impact of empires.

Awards:

• Südtiroler Sparkasse Science Prize (2022)
• Ausonius Prize (2023)
• Academia Europaea Member (2011–present)
• Austrian Academy of Sciences Member (2018–present)

Editorial and Institutional Roles: He co-edits the Philippika and Classica et Orientalia series and serves on advisory boards for journals like Journal of Egyptian History and State Archives of Assyria Bulletin. He chairs the NAWA-funded project 'From the Achaemenids to the Romans' and leads the Austrian Academy's commission on 'Transformationsprozesse und Imperium.'