H.B. (Hylke) de Boer, MA

In my PhD research I examine how the impact of iron on the moral and technological development of humanity is represented in Roman literature. I analyse Roman texts, both in Latin and Greek, on the moral aspects of the use of iron, on the invention of ironworking and on the forging of iron by the blacksmith. My research is part of a broader research project at the University of Groningen (FACERE, subsidized by an ERC starting grant). In this project, led by Prof. Dr. Bettina Reitz-Joosse, me and a fellow PhD student look at ideas about makers and making in Roman antiquity. One of the aims of this project is to answer the question how Romans experienced the material world around them and how the origin and processing of materials influenced that experience.

I also have an interest in classical reception and I am involved in the Anchoring the Fascist Revolution project.