Classics
Subject: Second Sophistic.
Advisor: Dr. Yakir Paz.
Abstract: My research will address the question of defining the status and identity of the Greek intellectuals who constituted the phenomenon known as the 'Second Sophistic' under the Roman Empire. I aim to examine the alternative elite they sought to construct for themselves, as well as the shaping of their activity under foreign imperial rule. I wish to ask whether and how they employed classical texts – those that made up the ancient culture they aimed to revive – for this purpose: how did they use these texts to explore their own identity? How did they use them to shape their intellectual advantage over their rulers?
MA Honors 2025/26