Congratulations to Giulio Celotto for 2026 4-VA Research Collaborative Grant

UVA Department of Classics Professor Giulio Celotto and Chancellor Professor Lily Panoussi (William & Mary) received the 2026 4-VA Research Collaborative Grant to fund their joint project “Sisterhood in Flavian Latin Epic.” The epic poems composed during the reign of the Flavian dynasty (69-96 CE) are deeply engaged in family dynamics. While marital, parental, and brotherly bonds have long attracted scholarly attention, relationships between sisters remain largely unexplored. To address this significant gap, Celotto and Panoussi are looking forward to organizing a conference that investigates representations of sisterhood in the works of Valerius Flaccus, Statius, and Silius Italicus. By bringing together experts in Flavian literature, the event seeks to illuminate some key questions, including the role of gender in shaping depictions of kinship, as well as the impact of the social and cultural changes of the Flavian age on  contemporary literature.