We are delighted to announce that Dr Caroline Petit has been awarded the prestigious Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany.

The award recognises Dr Petit’s excellent academic achievements, and she will be invited to carry out a new research project of her choosing in collaboration with colleagues in Germany.

Dr Petit’s research interests lie in the textual transmission, translation and interpretation of ancient medical texts. This includes the many ways they have been appropriated up to modern times.

Her recent projects include ‘Medical Prognosis in Late Antiquity’ (Wellcome Trust University Award, 2013-2018) and ‘Rethinking Ancient Pharmacology' (British Academy - Leverhulme 2017-2019).

In 2019 she was awarded the prestigious Médaille de Chénier by the French Académie des Inscriptions et des Belles Lettres for her recent book on the Greek physician and philosopher Galen of Pergamum (Galien de Pergame ou la rhétorique de la Providence. Médecine, littérature et pouvoir à Rome, Brill 2018). This medal is a distinction awarded only to one scholar every five years in recognition of outstanding scholarship in ancient Greek.

Find out more about Dr Petit’s research.