Steve Mason

Steve Mason is a Professor at the University of Groningen specializing in Eastern Mediterranean history under Hellenistic and Roman rule, with expertise in Judaea, Jewish diaspora communities, and Jewish-Christian-Roman relations. Previously associated with McMaster University (Canada), he directs major international projects including the 16-volume Flavius Josephus: Translation and Commentary series and the Project on Ancient Cultural Interaction, which he is relocating to Groningen. His 189 publications and media engagements (including 2024 coverage in Leeuwarder Courant analyzing Jesus' resurrection) demonstrate active scholarly leadership.

His academic credentials include:

• Doctor of Philosophy, University of St. Michael's College, Toronto (1986)
• Master of Arts in Judaism and Early Christianity, McMaster University (1981)
• Bachelor of Arts, McMaster University (1980)

Mason's research centers on Flavius Josephus as a primary source for Judaean history, ancient inter-ethnic conflicts, and rhetorical analysis of historical texts. He examines elite social-political discourse in antiquity while developing a groundbreaking project on Human Rights, Realism, and Religion in Antiquity. His work directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals through cultural preservation and historical education, with recent focus on diaspora communities and religious coexistence in the Roman Empire.

Analysis of his 2023-2024 publications reveals deepening engagement with Josephus' narrative techniques in Jewish War, particularly rhetorical strategies in Book 4 speeches and neglected passages like Ananus II's oration. These works increasingly connect ancient historiography to modern religious studies, examining Jewish-Christian intersections through historical methodology rather than theological frameworks.

His scientific recognition includes:

• Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (2021)
• Visiting Professor at École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris (2019)
• First Dirk Smilde Fellow (2014)
• Berlin Research Award (Forschungspreis, 2013)
• Scholar in Residence at Siena College (2009)

Mason has supervised 2 graduate students while leading the Flavian Literature Network and editing the Flavius Josephus commentary series. His Project on Ancient Cultural Interaction (pace-ancient.mcmaster.ca) remains a key digital resource during its transition to Groningen. Current initiatives include completing volumes on Jewish War Book 4 and expanding his Human Rights in Antiquity research, demonstrating sustained scholarly productivity through lectures like Stranger Danger! Judaean Amixia in Philo, Josephus, and Non-Judaean Authors (2017) and media commentary on Christ mythicism (Harmonic Atheist, 2020).