Current Research Projects

The option of going into exile "voluntarily" was a significant element of the Roman Republican political system. In the Imperial period, on the other hand, this phenomenon is virtually unknown and exile comes to be seen as a severe punishment. Christian Reitzenstein-Ronning's habilitation project seeks to understand how and why this transformation occurred. more

A dedicated historical study of Hermupolis Magna would fill a substantial gap in the study of Graeco-Roman Egypt, but also in the study of the ancient city in general. The habilitation project conducted by Dr. Alexander Free aims to produce such a history of the city that incorporates all the new source material. more

The research network "Norm and Narration in Ancient Societies" organises researchers from a broad range of disciplines from the field of Ancient Studies, including Oriental Philology, Egyptology, Coptology, Ancient History, Classical Philology, Bible Studies, Patrology, as well as Jewish and Islam Studies. The network's central concern is with issues of norm establishment, tradition and criticism in and by narrative texts. more