In his dissertation project Michael will work on Tracing Captive Experiences in Late Antique Eastern Mediterranean and West Asia through Syriac sources (4th c. – early 7th c.) under the joint supervision of Ekaterina Nechaeva, Stéphane Benoist and Muriel Debié.
This dissertation project will take into consideration a wide selection of sources from both the East and West Syriac milieus. A study on Syriac sources on the subject of captivity has never been done before, as previous focus on the matter has been placed mainly on Greek texts, and on single, specific cases in the case of Syriac works. A thorough, critical study of captive experiences in Syriac sources can provide novel insights into the wider historical setting between the 4th and early 7th centuries, while also driving towards a deeper understanding of the networks and movements of individuals within and across the Roman and Sasanian empires.