The doctoral program "Ancient Languages and Texts" focuses on the written heritage of ancient cultures which includes literary works as well as documentary texts like inscriptions and papyri. Also research is carried out into phenomena of mediality such as the interaction between texts and pictorial representations. In this line of inquiry, traditional philological methods are being combined with historical and cultural issues. In addition to that, particular emphasis is placed on theories and approaches of modern literary studies and linguistics.

Thus the doctoral program is characterized by a plurality of methods and a wide understanding of the concept of a ‘text’, while the interdependence of text, culture and knowledge in their historical conditionality is a focus of interest in all of the program research. This approach takes up the successful tradition of literary study of antiquity in Berlin.

Numerous libraries as well as the text corpora and editorial projects of the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften offer ideal conditions for the study and analysis of languages and texts from ancient cultures.

Members of the managing committee

Prof. Dr. Markus Witte (HU) (chairman)
Prof. Dr. Stefan Esders (FUB)
Prof. Dr. Melanie Möller (FUB)
Prof. Dr. Klaus Hallof (BBAW/HU) (permanent guest)
Dr. Giulia Maria Chesi (HU) (academic associate)
Dr. Carmen Marcks-Jacobs (coordinator)
Anna Gehler-Rachůnek M.A. (FUB) (student representative)
Eric Steilmann M.A. (FUB) (dep. student representative)

Departments and institutes connected with the doctoral program

Freie Universität Berlin

• Egyptological Seminar
• Friedrich-Meinecke-Institut (Ancient History)
• Institute of Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
• Institute of Classical Archaeology
• Institute of Greek and Latin Languages and Literatures
• Institute of Philosophy
• Institute of Religious Studies
• Seminar for Semitic and Arabic Studies

 

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

• Department of Archaeology - Northeast African Archaeology and Cultural Studies
• Department of Archaeology - Classical Archaeology (Winckelmann-Institut)
• Department of Classics
• Department of Cultural History and Theory
• Department of History - Ancient History
• Department of Philosophy
• Department of Romance Studies
• Institute for Christianity and Antiquity
• Institute of Ancient Near Eastern and Hellenistic Religious History

Information on requirements for admission as a doctoral student in your chosen field can be obtained from the relevant doctoral office (Promotionsbüro) of the relevant faculty (at the Humboldt-Universität) or department (at the Freie Universität). Please bear in mind: the doctorate regulations of the relevant faculty/department determine whether persons chosen to act as supervisor are eligible to serve as reviewers of the dissertation.

You can find more information in the FAQ.