Two Balliol alumni have been shortlisted for the Anglo-Hellenic League Runciman Award, an annual award given for a work wholly or mainly about some aspect of Greece or the world of Hellenism. This year, the judging panel selected seven books for their short list, out of a long list of 24 books.
Professor Peter Sarris (Balliol 1990) was shortlisted for his biography, Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint (John Murray, 2023), offering readers an intimate insight into the life and era of Emperor Justinian.
Professor Emily Wilson (Balliol 1990) was recognised for her translation of The Iliad (WW Norton & Co, 2023 ). This publication follows her translation of The Odessey in 2018, hailed by The Guardian as ‘a cultural landmark’ that reshapes how Homer is read in English.
Judith Mossman, the chair of judges, said of this year’s entries: ‘We had an extremely varied and stimulating long list from which to choose, which enabled us, after much discussion, to select one of our most varied shortlists of the last few years, ranging in subject-matter over many centuries, from the beginnings of Greek literature and philosophy through to the Byzantine era and thence right up to our own day; and in terms of genre from scholarly biography, diachronic history and popular philosophy to poetry and poetic translation. We are very excited about all the shortlisted works.’
The winner of the Runciman Award will be announced at an award ceremony held in the Great Hall of King’s College London on Monday 17 June.