Research Project
Based on the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, my project aims to contribute to the current debate on open border policies by investigating the common philosophical and religious roots of a global society and by focusing on cosmopolitanism, migration, diaspora and citizenship. My research proposal draws scholars’ attention to the portrayal of Moses painted at the beginning of the Imperial Age by the Jewish author Philo of Alexandria, who describes him as a world citizen with philanthropic gifts and proposes a form of Mosaic cosmopolitanism that will be embraced by later Judaism and the Christian and Islamic traditions. With Philo, for the first time cosmopolitanism takes on a new form: it becomes the expression and dissemination of a monotheistic Weltanschauung within which to confer a new, metaphorical and philosophical contextualisation on the concepts of migration, diaspora and citizenship. The figure of Moses, at the crossroads of the three monotheistic traditions, appears as a timeless symbol of unity for traditions, societies and religions, capable of reversing the current trend and opening up cultural borders. My research project aims to contribute to this debate by highlighting a perspective on Moses that remains relevant today for the ability to inspire intercultural and interreligious dialogue. In particular, my project proposes a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary study of Philo’s work The Life of Moses and its specific objectives include a monograph and the creation of the philosophical lexicon CosMo.
Research Interests
- History of Ancient Philosophy
- Hellenistic Judaism
- Late Antique Philosophy
- Early Christianity
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Academic Background
2024 – 2025. Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Milan as part of the National Research Project PRIN 2022 “Kanon. Epicurus’ Epistemology and its Roots” (PI of Milan Unit: Prof. Dr. F. Forcignanò; General PI: Prof. Dr. F. Verde).
2022 – 2023. Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as part of the International Research Project, funded by Einstein Center Chronoi of Freie Universität Berlin, on “Creationism and the Calculation of Time in Late Antiquity: Between Alexandria and the Land of Israel” (Prof. Dr. M. R. Niehoff).
2021 – 2022. Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of L’Aquila on De opificio mundi by John Philoponus, as part of the National Research Project PRIN 2017 “Racconti di creazione come luoghi di interculturalità dinamica” (Prof. Dr. A. Longo).
2020 – 2021. Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of L’Aquila on De opificio mundi by John Philoponus, as part of the National Research Project PRIN 2017 “Racconti di creazione come luoghi di interculturalità dinamica” (Prof. Dr. A. Longo).
Education
2024 – 2035. National scientific qualification for associate professorship (ASN) in 11/C5 (History of Philosophy).
2014 – 2017. Ph.D. with European Doctorate Label in History of Ancient Philosophy, Roma Tre University and Tor Vergata University of Rome (Rome, Italy).
Dissertation: God as Architect and the Great City: the World as a Divine Project in De opificio mundi by Philo of Alexandria (Opif. 17-20). Supervisor: Prof. Dr. A. Longo (University of L’Aquila).
2010 – 2013. Master’s Degree in Philosophy, Sapienza University of Rome (Rome, Italy).
Dissertation: The Bronze Serpent: the Evil that Cures. An Analysis of Num 21,4-9 in the Context of the Jewish World, Greek-Latin Culture and Early Christianity. Supervisors: Prof. Dr. M. Silvera (Sapienza University of Rome), Prof. Dr. G. Busi (Freie Universität Berlin).
2005 – 2009. Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, Sapienza University of Rome (Rome, Italy).
Dissertation: Some Aspects of Jewish Mystique in the Music of Arnold Schönberg. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. L. V. Distaso (Sapienza University of Rome).
Publications
Books
Monograph
Il Dio architetto di Filone di Alessandria (De opificio mundi 17-20), preface by D. T. Runia, Vita e Pensiero, Milan 2021.
Reviewed by: F. Calabi, «Elenchos» 43.1 (2022): 185-191
H. Keizer, «The Studia Philonica Annual» 34 (2022): 276-278
(reprinted in « Review of Biblical Literature»)
Edited Volumes
L. De Luca, S. Mecci (eds.), The World as a City. History of a Philosophical Image between the Ancient World and the Three Monotheisms, Brill, Leiden 2025.
L. De Luca (ed.), Similitudini, metafore e allegoria nel De opificio mundi di Filone di Alessandria, preface by A. Longo, Storia e Letteratura, Rome 2021.
F. Alesse-L. De Luca (eds.), Philo of Alexandria and Greek Myth, preface by F. Alesse, Brill, Leiden 2019.
Translation
F. Calabi – L. De Luca (eds.), Vita di Mosè e Decalogo di Filone di Alessandria, introduction by F. Calabi, Fondazione Valla, Mondadori, Milan 2027 (forthcoming).
Articles and Book chapters
2025. “God’s Clock and the First Hours of the World. Philo of Alexandria and John Philoponus on ‘Day One’ as a Measure of Creation”. In Aspects of Time in Jewish and Christian Exegesis. Edited by C. Markschies and M. R. Niehoff, 19-52. De Gruyter: Berlin.
2025. (with S. Mecci). “Introduction”. In The World as a City. History of a Philosophical Image between the Ancient World and the Three Monotheisms, edited by L. De Luca and S. Mecci, 1-6. Brill, Leiden-Boston.
2025. “The Urban Imagery in the Cosmologies of Philo of Alexandria and John Philoponus”. In The World as a City. History of a Philosophical Image between the Ancient World and the Three Monotheisms, edited by L. De Luca and S. Mecci, 308-333. Brill: Leiden-Boston.
2025. “Tempo e creazione in Filone di Alessandria: una sintesi “barbara”.” In La saggezza dei barbari. Grecia, tradizione ebraica e Persia, edited by F. Casella, 205-249. Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Filosofici Press: Naples.
2025. “Philo, Cicero and Vitruvius: God as Architect in Rome”. In The Art of Contextualizing Philo of Alexandria, edited by M. R. Niehoff, 13-51. Mohr Siebeck: Tübingen.
2024. “The Epistemological Impact of the Argument from Design in Philo of Alexandria.” In Design Discourse in Abrahamic Traditions, edited by E. V. R. Kojonen and S. A. Malik, 17-31. Routledge: London.
2024. “Echi filoniani nel De opificio mundi di Giovanni Filopono.” Materia Giudaica 29: 11-23.
2023. “«Come un buon demiurgo» (οἷα δημιουργὸς ἀγαθός): un’esegesi ebraica di Tim. 29a3.” In Paradigmi della demiurgia. Studi sul lessico demiurgico nel pensiero antico e tardoantico, edited by E. Maffi, preface by A. Longo, 149-173. Naples: Bibliopolis.
2023. “Il linguaggio creazionistico dell’aristotelismo cristiano: la demiurgia divina nel De opificio mundi di Giovanni Filopono a confronto con i suoi Commentari ad Aristotele”. In L’esegesi aristotelica alla prova dell’esegesi biblica. Il De opificio mundi di Giovanni Filopono, edited by A. Longo and T. F. Ottobrini, 67-95. Storia e Letteratura: Roma.
2023. “La diaspora e il cosmopolitismo secondo Filone di Alessandria”. Ricerche Storico Bibliche 35.1: 73-90.
2022. “Esegesi e astronomia ad Alessandria: un confronto tra Filone e Giovanni Filopono”. Adamantius 28: 111-126.
2022. “La materia e la creazione del mondo nel De opificio mundi di Filone di Alessandria”. Elenchos 43.1: 105-137.
2021. “Il De Josepho di Filone nell’ambito del pensiero giudaico-ellenistico.” Online publication: https://www.issrmarvelli.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Filone-III-De-Luca.pdf
2021. “Introduzione”. In Similitudini, metafore e allegoria nel De opificio mundi di Filone di Alessandria, edited by L. De Luca, preface by A. Longo, XI-XXIV. Storia e Letteratura: Roma.
2021. “Appendice. Mappatura delle metafore, similitudini, allegorie ed esempi nel De opificio mundi di Filone di Alessandria.” In Similitudini, metafore e allegoria nel De opificio mundi di Filone di Alessandria, edited by L. De Luca, preface by A. Longo, 169-200. Storia e Letteratura: Roma.
2020. “Città allegoriche e città reali in Filone di Alessandria”. Materia giudaica 25: 17-26.
2020. “Prefazione”. In Filone di Alessandria. De Iosepho, translation and introduction by C. Kraus Reggiani (reprinted: first edition Rome 1979), 7-13. Guaraldi POD/Montetauro: Rimini.
2020. “Providence and Cosmology in Philo of Alexandria.” In Fate, Providence, and Free Will. Philosophy and Religion in Dialogue in the Early Imperial Age, edited by R. Brouwer and E. Vimercati, 64-79. Brill: Leiden-Boston.
2020. “Il λόγος divino in De opificio mundi 20 di Filone di Alessandria.” in Il logos nella storia della filosofia antica, edited by R. Medda, F. Pelosi and D. Quarantotto, 89-105. Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura: Roma.
2019. Report of the International Conference Similitudini, metafore e allegorie nel De opificio mundi di Filone di Alessandria (Aquila, 24-25 ottobre 2019). Adamantius 25: 635-638.
2019. “Tracce politeistiche nel De opificio mundi di Filone di Alessandria: presenza di Dio nella natura e forme divine secondarie.” Materia giudaica 24: 15-24.
2017. “Il lessico cosmo-poietico nel De opificio mundi: Filone Alessandrino e i “Presocratici”.” Syzetesis – Rivista online 4: 233-253.
2016. “Nuove prospettive su Filone Alessandrino.” Rivista di Filosofia Neo-scolastica 4: 997-1004.
2015. “Il serpente di bronzo secondo Filone Alessandrino in Leg. 2,79-81.” Adamantius 21: 173-184.
2012. (with A. Sellitri), “Temi di etica medica ebraica oggi in discussione: interruzione di gravidanza e procreazione assistita. Intervista a Rav Riccardo Shmuel Di Segni.” In Medici rabbini. Momenti di storia della medicina ebraica, edited by M. Silvera, 151-162. Carocci: Rome.
Enclyclopaedia entries
2025. “Philo of Alexandria”. Encyclopedia of Scepticism and Jewish tradition (eds. R. Bett, E. Spinelli, G. Veltri). De Gruyter/Brill: Leiden-Boston (forthcoming).
2025. “Providence”. Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception (ed. B. Wright et al.). De Gruyter/Brill: Leiden-Boston (in press).
Reviews
2025. Review of E. Vimercati (ed.), The Reception of John Philoponus’ Natural Philosophy. Aristotelian Science from Late Antiquity to the Renaissance, Bloomsbury, New York 2024, “Aquinas. Rivista Internazionale di Filosofia” (forthcoming).
2025. Review of R. Fialová, J. Hoblík, and P. Kitzler (eds.), Hellenism, Early Judaism, and Early Christianity: Transmission and Transformation of Ideas, De Gruyter, Berlin 2023, “Journal of Theological Studies” 20, pp. 1-3.
2024. Review of A. Adams, Greek Genres and Jewish Authors: Negotiating Literary Culture in the Greco-Roman Era. Baylor University Press, Waco, TX 2020, “Journal for the Study of Judaism” 55.2, pp. 286-290.
2021. Review of F. Simeoni, Trascendenza e cambiamento in Filone di Alessandria. La chiave del paradosso, Brepols, Turnhout 2019, “Adamantius” 27, pp. 516-517.
2021. Review of R. Radice, I nomi che parlano. L’allegoria filosofica dalle origini al II sec. d.C., Morcelliana, Brescia 2020, “Syzetesis – Rivista di filosofia” VIII (2021), pp. 477-481.
2020. Review of R. Katzoff, On Jews in the Roman World Collected Studies, Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck 2019, in “Materia Giudaica” 25, pp. 613-614.
2020. Review of E. Bons-P. Pouchelle-D- Scialabba, The Vocabulary of the Septuagint and its Hellenistic Background, Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck 2019, in “Materia Giudaica” 25, pp. 611-613.
2020. Review of O. Kaiser, Felicità dell’uomo e giustizia di Dio, Paideia, Torino 2018, in “Syzetesis – Rivista online” 7 (2020), pp. 499-503.
2019. Review of E. Koskenniemi, Greek Writers and Philosophers in Philo and Josephus. A Study of Their Secular Education and Educational Ideals, Brill, Leiden-Boston 2019, in “Materia giudaica” 24 (2019), pp 648-650.
2019. Review of M. R. Niehoff, Philo of Alexandria. An intellectual biography, Yale University Press, New Haven-London 2018, in “Materia giudaica” 24 (2019), pp. 646-648.
2018. Review of E. Tedeschi e F. Alaimo (eds.), Ricordi futuri 3.0. Diaspore in terra di Sicilia, Catalogo della Mostra tenutasi a Palazzo Sant’Elia, Palermo, 25 Gennaio-24 Marzo 2018, Silvio Zamorani Editore, Torino 2018, in “La Rassegna Mensile di Israel” 84.3 (2018), pp. 132-134.
2013. Review of P. Capelli, Il male. Storia di un’idea nell’ebraismo dalla Bibbia alla Qabbalah, Florence 2012, in “Materia giudaica” 17-18 (2012/2013), pp. 292-294.
2013. Review of A. Cohen, Il tremendum. Un’interpretazione teologica dell’Olocausto, traduzione e cura di M. Giuliani, Brescia 2013, in “Materia giudaica” 17-18 (2012/2013), pp. 284-285.