Jonas Tai

I earned my BA from Rutgers University – New Brunswick in 2020, where I majored in Classics, History, and Medieval Studies. I then earned an MSt in Greek and Roman History from Oxford University in 2021 as an Ertegun Scholar. My undergraduate research examined instances of mass enslavement, population displacement, and ethnic cleansing from ancient Greece to the Byzantine Empire. My master’s work analyzed church historiographies and ecclesiastical documents to help illuminate the conciliar practices surrounding the First Council of Nicaea.  

My current doctoral project is focused on the textual interface between myth and ritual performance in ancient incubatory practices, especially within the cult of Asclepius. I aim to situate my work between disciplines by integrating historical and philological approaches with methodologies from cultural anthropology, religious studies, and comparative mythology and ritual.