In 2024, the fifth year of the SCS Erich S. Gruen Prize, the selection committee received submissions from graduate students across North America who present exciting new approaches to race, ethnicity, and cultural exchange as they pertain to the ancient Mediterranean. The committee was impressed by the papers’ quality and wide range of disciplinary perspectives, methodologies, types of evidence, and time periods.
Of these submissions, all anonymized before review, the committee commends two with honorable mentions. Jeremy Steinberg’s “Rethinking Nerva’s Fiscus Iudaicus Coin” (Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania) explores the coin’s proclamation of the equal treatment of Judaeans in the Roman Empire under Nerva. Ayelet Wenger’s “Echoes of a Popular Greek Science: Tales of Biological Experimentation in Rabbinic Literature” (Classical Studies, Columbia University) investigates how rabbinic anecdotes about the natural world demonstrate engagement with Greek literary-scientific traditions.
The committee unanimously awards the 2024 Erich S. Gruen Prize to Ryan Masato Baldwin (Classics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). His paper “Nomoi and Cannibalism in Herodotus’s Histories” is a careful analysis of the ways in which Herodotus depicts distant peoples in accordance with their own nomoi, or customs, even in the extreme case of cannibalism. More broadly, it suggests that Herodotus encourages his audience to consider their own culturally conditioned customs. The paper will receive a cash prize of $1000.
The committee thanks and commends all applicants, above all Ryan Masato Baldwin, for work that enhances our understanding of multiculturalism in and around the ancient Mediterranean, in honor of Erich Gruen’s continuing contributions to the field.
Support the Gruen Fund
SCS has established the Gruen Fund to support this important new prize. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the prize is now $1,000. You can donate to the endowment for long-term support of the prize. Donations can be made via this online form on the SCS website. SCS is a 501(c)3 public charity and donations may be tax deductible.
Volunteer to Serve on the Gruen Prize Committee
Please visit the Volunteering for SCS page and fill out its volunteer survey form if you would like to serve on the committee and reach out to info@classicalstudies.org with questions.
