The Development of Ancient History Studies at University of Debrecen
Prior to 2012, it was possible to pursue a PhD in Ancient Studies within the Classical Philology Program of the Doctoral School of Linguistics at University of Debrecen. Within this program, the Greek subprogram was led by Professor György Németh of the Department of Ancient History, while the Latin subprogram was directed by Professors László Havas and Tamás Gesztelyi from the Department of Classical Philology. This doctoral program was discontinued in 2012.
Subsequently, the Ancient History Subprogram was established within the History Program of the Doctoral School of History and Ethnology at the University of Debrecen, under the leadership of Associate Professor Péter Forisek. The faculty members include Associate Professor Levente Takács, Associate Professor Zsolt Molnár-Kovács (Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca), and Professor Ádám Szabó (University of Public Service).
The composition of the faculty allows for comprehensive coverage of all periods of ancient history, with the exception of the ancient Near Eastern and Eastern civilizations. The program’s primary focus is the history and culture of Greco-Roman antiquity.
Current members of the subprogram
|
Name |
Academic title |
Title and Institution |
Academic record |
List of publications |
|
Péter Forisek (Head of the Subprogram) |
PhD (2004) |
Associate Professor (UD) |
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|
Levente Takács |
PhD (2008) |
Associate Professor (DE) |
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|
Orsolya Tóth |
PhD (2011) |
Associate Professor (DE) |
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|
Zsolt Molnár-Kovács |
foreign DSc (2005) |
Associate Professor (UBB) |
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|
Prof. Dr Péter Kovács |
DSc (2008) |
Professor (PPKE) |
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|
Prof. Dr. Ádám Sándor Nagyernyei Szabó |
DSc (2019) |
Professor (NUPS) |
Conferences and Publications
The subprogram continues organizing the Epigraphic Roundtables founded by György Németh. Since 2012, several Hungarian and international roundtables have been held on various themes.
- September 28–29, 2023: The Danubian Region and the Balkans during the Roman Empire in Military Inscriptions. International Epigraphic Roundtable – University of Debrecen
- April 20–21, 2023: City and Community Foundations in Antiquity. Epigraphic Roundtable, University of Debrecen
- April 28–29, 2022: Religion and Inscriptions in the Greco-Roman World. Epigraphic Roundtable, University of Debrecen
- October 17–18, 2019: Defending the Polis – Defending the Empire: The Ancient Greek and Roman Military Strategy and Inscriptions. University of Debrecen
- October 27–28, 2017: “On the Roads of Wars.” 27th Conference of Young Scholars on the Migration Period, University of Debrecen – Déri Museum
- March 30, 2017: Cult Practices, Cult Sites, and Religious Tourism in Classical Antiquity, University of Debrecen, Síkfőkút
- May 14–15, 2015: 3rd Conference on Military and Weapon History, University of Debrecen
- April 26–27, 2013: Coinage, Minting and Money Circulation in Antiquity and the Middle Ages. International Conference, Department of History, University of Debrecen
Publications can be found in the MTMT publication lists of the subprogram members.
PhD Students of the Ancient History Subprogram
|
PhD graduates |
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|
Name |
Title of doctoral dissertation |
Thesis supervisor |
Co-thesis supervisor |
Date of doctoral defense |
|
Orsolya Gyurka |
Kulturális kapcsolatok és tájhasználat a Kr.e. 2. évezred végén a Felső-Tisza-vidéken |
Péter Forisek |
Zsolt Molnár-Kovács |
February 21, 2025. |
|
Tamás Szebenyi |
Péter Forisek |
|
October 9, 2024. |
|
|
Norbert Sándor Kapcsos |
Péter Forisek |
|
December 8, 2022. |
|
|
Balázs Kákóczki |
Vegetius: Epitoma rei militaris Az „Epitoma” hatása a középkori (had)tudományos irodalomra |
Péter Forisek |
|
January 23, 2013. |
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Doctoral candidates who have fulfilled all coursework and examination requirements |
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|
Name |
Title of doctoral dissertation |
Thesis supervisor |
Co-thesis supervisor |
Date of completion of doctoral requirements |
|
Balázs Antal Bacsa |
|
Péter Forisek |
|
August 31, 2014. |
|
Aladár Kuun |
|
Péter Forisek |
|
August 31, 2012. |
|
Nándor Lehrer |
|
Levente Takács |
|
August 31, 2015. |
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Anitta Kinga Mizsur |
|
Péter Forisek |
|
August 31, 2018. |
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Current doctoral candidates with their expected year of completion of doctoral requirements |
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|
Name |
Title of doctoral dissertation |
Thesis supervisor |
Co-thesis supervisor |
Date of completion of doctoral requirements |
|
Csaba Gábor Horváth |
|
Levente Takács |
|
August 31, 2028. |
|
Gábor Berecz |
|
Levente Takács |
|
August 31, 2027. |
|
Róbert Gergely Scholtz (Self-preparing doctoral candidate) |
Szkíta kori Alföld és Erdély csoport fegyverzete a Kárpát-medencében (A publikált leletek tükrében) |
Péter Forisek |
|
August 31, 2026. |
|
Mathédesz L'udovít (Self-preparing doctoral candidate) |
Római csapattestek diszlokációja a mai Szlovákia területén a téglabélyegek fényében |
Péter Kovács |
|
August 31, 2025. |
|
Attila Simon |
A legio XIII Gemina vallási hagyatéka az alakulat daciai tartózkodásának időszakában a legio tisztjei és katonái feliratainak tükrében |
Péter Forisek |
|
August 31, 2025. |
Scientific Collaborations in Hungary and Abroad
The following Hungarian research institutions and scholars have participated in our events to date:
- Péter Kovács (Department of Ancient History, Faculty of Humanities, Pázmány Péter Catholic University)
- György Németh, founder of the roundtable series (Department of Ancient History, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University)
- Ádám Szabó (Roman State and Provincial Administration Research Group, National University of Public Service Ludovika Campus)
- Nándor Agócs (ELTE Savaria Campus)
- István Gergő Farkas (CLIR Research Group, University of Pécs)
- Bence Fehér (Hungarian Research Institute)
- Edina Gradvohl (Department of Social Sciences, Medical School, Semmelweis University)
- Tibor Grüll (Department of Ancient History, Faculty of Humanities, University of Pécs)
- Imre Áron Illés (Department of Ancient History, Faculty of Humanities, University of Szeged)
- Péter Kató (Department of Ancient History, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University)
- Gyula Lindner (Department of Ancient History, Faculty of Humanities, University of Pécs)
- Zsolt Mráv (Hungarian National Museum)
- Ádám Novotnik (Pázmány Péter Catholic University)
- András Patay-Horváth (Department of Ancient History, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University)
- Tamás Szabadváry (Hungarian National Museum)
We maintain collaborative relationships with the following foreign universities and research institutes:
- Archeologický Ústav, Slovenská Akadémia Vied v Nitre (Institute of Archaeology SAS in Nitra) (Péter Prohászka)
- Institutul De Arheologie Vasile Parvan, București (Vasile Parvan Institute of Archaeology) (Florian-Matei Popescu)
- Институт за балканистика Център по тракология „Проф. Александър Фол” (Institute of Balkan Studies and Centre of Thracology “Prof. Alexander Fol”) (Ivo Topalilov)
- Muzeul Național de Istorie a României, București (Romanian National History Museum) (Ovidiu Tentea)
- Српска Академија Наука и Уметности, Балканолошки Институт (Institute for Balkan Studies, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts) (Dragana Nikolic)
- Universitatea „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași (University of Alexandru Ioan Cuza) (Lucretiu Birliba)
- Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai, Cluj (Babeș-Bolyai University) (Zsolt Molnár-Kovács, Dávid Petrut, Ioan Piso, Radu Ardevan, Sorin Nemeti, Annamaria Pázsint, Radu Ardevan, Rada Varga)
- Univerzitet Crne Gore (University of Montenegro) (Olga Pelcer)
- Universität Wien (University of Vienna) (Chiara Cenati, Fritz Mitthof)
- Universitatea de Vest Timișoara (University of West Timișoara) (Calin Timoc)
Current Dissertation Topics
Péter Forisek
- The Legacy and Influence of Greco-Roman Civilization on European Culture
- Roman Military History
- The History of Time Reckoning from Antiquity to the Present
Ádám Nagyernyei-Szabó
- The History and Legacy of Ethnic Groups in the Barbaricum
- The History and Legacy of the Roman Provinces
- Roman Administration
- The History of Religions and Cult Practices in the Roman Period
Levente Takács
- Social, Economic, and Legal Aspects of Roman Land Surveying
- Roman Historiography (with a particular focus on Livy)
- Roman Social History (especially slavery)
- The History of Teaching Ancient History
- Agriculture and Land Management in Ancient Rome