Cecilia Perinelli

Cecilia Perinelli is a PhD researcher in Classics at the University of St Andrews, funded by the Millar Lyell Scholarship and supervised by Dr Thomas Biggs and Dr Nicolas Wiater.

Her research investigates Aeneas as a political icon in the ancient Mediterranean, challenging Augustan-centred interpretations by foregrounding his role in pre-Augustan Greek and Roman historiographical and scholarly traditions.

The project reconstructs early and fragmentary evidence to show how narratives of origin, migration, and ancestry were already mobilised to articulate cultural identity and political legitimacy across different historical and regional contexts. By situating Aeneas within this broader and earlier framework, the thesis demonstrates that his political significance predates and exceeds its Augustan consolidation, revealing a more complex and contested tradition.

Ancient historiography, with a particular focus on fragmentary Greek and Roman historiography. Cultural memory and memory studies in antiquity. Reception and transformation of mythic narratives within historiographical and scholarly traditions. Context based and historically grounded approaches to myth, political discourse, and cultural identity across the ancient Mediterranean.

Cecilia Perinelli holds a Bachelor’s degree in Classical Studies from the University of Sapienza, awarded with full marks and honours (110/110 cum laude). She subsequently completed a Master’s degree in Philology, Literature, and Classical Tradition at the University of Bologna, also awarded with full marks and honours (110/110 cum laude), with the additional distinction of dignità di stampa. Her academic training provided a strong foundation in Greek and Latin philology, ancient historiography, and the critical study of literary and scholarly traditions, with particular emphasis on methodological rigour and contextual interpretation of ancient sources.

Tutor for GK1002 Support Classes (Ancient Greek), 2025-2026

• I delivered weekly support classes for undergraduate students in Ancient Greek (GK1002) at the University of St Andrews, focusing on language development, textual interpretation, and exam preparation. This role involved facilitating small-group learning and providing targeted academic support. Sessions were held during weeks 6–9, 11, and 12 (second semester)

Classics Outreach and Public Engagement Activity, St David’s RC High School, Dalkeith (28/05/2026)

• Contributed to the delivery of a Classics outreach workshop (“DIY Artefact Detectives”) for secondary school pupils in collaboration with colleagues from the University of St Andrews. The session introduced aspects of Greco Roman material culture through object based learning and the use of replica artefacts from the Bridges Collection, with a focus on public engagement and accessible approaches to Classical Studies.

Research Assistance for Theatre Production (February 2026, St Andrews)

• I provided philological and metrical research support for a theatre production involving Aeschylus’ Agamemnon. Work included scansion and comparative analysis of choral metres, with attention to the relationship between Greek tragic form, performance, and reception.