Christopher A. Faraone

Christopher A. Faraone (born 1955) is an American classicist. He is the Edward Olson Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Classics and the College at the University of Chicago. His work largely covers the study of Ancient Greek poetry, religion and magic, from sources such as text, myths, rituals, and hymns, and from objects such as pottery, papyrus, inscriptions on gems, curse tablets, and figurines or effigies. Faraone is considered to be a foremost scholar on ancient Mediterranean magic.

Early life Christopher A. Faraone received his Ph.D. at Stanford University in 1988, and wrote his dissertation, "Talismans, voodoo dolls and other apotropaic images in ancient Greek myth and ritual", on apotropaic images in Greek myth and ritual under the direction of John J. Winkler.

Professor Since the 2021-2022 school year, Faraone has been the Edward Olson Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Classics and the College at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on Ancient Greek poetry, religion and magic. as well as the effects of different cultures and of gender on the use and applications of Ancient Greek magic. Additionally, Faraone founded the University of Chicago's Center for the Study of Ancient Religions, which he directed for 10 years from 2008-2018. He has lectured at other universities as well, including the University of Toronto, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Tulane University.

Major awards 1995 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation 2013 Fellow at Institut d'Etudes Avancées in Paris 2013 National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship 2021 Fellowship at School of Historical Studies in Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey 2024 Charles J. Goodwin Award of Merit by the Society for Classical Studies

Publications Books

Articles