Jonas Tai

PhD Candidate, Ancient History
MA Student, Anthropology
B.A. in Classics, History, and Medieval Studies, Rutgers University, 2020
MSt in Greek and Roman History, University of Oxford, 2021
Cohort
2021

I graduated from Rutgers University – New Brunswick in 2020 with a BA in Classics, History, and Medieval Studies. Afterwards, I 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 and population displacement 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 doctoral dissertation is focused on genre, narrative, and discourse in Greek religious texts, primarily those of the cult of Asclepius. I aim to situate my work between disciplines by integrating historical and literary methods with anthropological approaches to text, discourse, and religion. Besides that, I also enjoy studying Sanskrit and Classical Chinese.

Research Interest(s)
Research Subfields
Ancient Greek History
Greek Language
Greek Literature
Religious Studies