New Perspectives

What could the dusty tomes of history, studied for millennia, still have left to teach us? It turns out, the answer is plenty.

While historical texts have long been read to ascertain ideologies and histories of ancient figures and civilizations, researchers are realizing that Greek and Latin texts previously understudied and underestimated can reveal novel insights into long-settled meanings.

Florida State University alumna Giustina Monti is a specialist in demonstrating the contemporary relevance of ancient texts. In her book, “Alexander the Great: Letters: A Selection,” published in 2023, she collected and translated the conqueror’s private letters to his mother and friends from ancient Greek into English — an innovative addition to the field of classical studies showcasing previously unknown aspects of his life, namely that the King of Macedonia, unlike his predecessors, sought to understand and engage with the cultures of places he conquered.

“I feel lucky to have uncovered details through my edition that were previously neglected,” Monti said. “It presents a completely different image of Alexander, and these additional reflections created by modern commentaries on a timeless text provide fresh literary and historical perspectives.”

Monti, who earned her master’s degree in Greek and Latin from FSU’s Department of Classics in 2015, is presently a senior lecturer and program leader for the bachelor’s program in classical studies at the University of Lincoln in Lincoln, England. In addition to her work on Alexander the Great’s letters, she works on the texts of ancient historians Herodotus and Polybius to gain new insights about their works while making information available to wider audiences.

“Giustina stood out because of her work on the Alexander Letters, a complicated collection of Greek texts that she translated and commented on,” said Andrea De Giorgi, FSU professor of classics and Monti’s graduate mentor. “Her first monograph stemmed from this body of work, and the reception has been nothing short of extraordinary. She’s now an authority in the field, and we couldn’t be prouder.”

“My research makes ancient texts, even those written thousands of years ago, available and accessible ... We can learn, and maybe make fewer mistakes, if we read more of these ancient authors and understand their nuanced lives.”

— Giustina Monti

Before coming to FSU, Monti earned a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in classics and ancient history from the University of Bari Aldo Moro in Italy in 2005. She went on to receive her doctorate in ancient history from the same institution in 2009.

“Growing up in Southern Italy, I wanted to understand how ancient people viewed their circumstances and surroundings — how they conducted research and how they wrote,” Monti said. “I became interested in historiography, or how ancient people approached research to write history. After meeting FSU professor of classics [emeritus] John Marincola at a conference, I realized I wanted to pursue another master’s degree at FSU to enhance my knowledge in ancient historiography.”

Studying at FSU allowed Monti to work with faculty whom she calls monuments in the field, including her adviser Marincola, De Giorgi, and professor of classics and department chair Tim Stover. Becoming proficient in translating ancient languages further improved her ability to uncover new meanings in ancient history.

Monti’s present research explores the work of Polybius, known for his documentation of the rise of Rome in the Mediterranean in the third and second centuries B.C.E. and his perspectives on ethics in history-telling, an unstudied aspect of his work.

“My forthcoming book discusses how Polybius approaches the writing of history and what it means for him to write a true history,” Monti said. “Polybius wrote that if one wants to approach the truth about a figure they’re studying, they must put themselves in the person’s shoes, like method acting.”

In 2024, Monti was named a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and received funding from the British Academy Research Projects, part of the United Kingdom’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences, for her Polybius research. This work, she said, has shaped her ideology surrounding history, emphasizing the importance of suspending preconceptions when researching and documenting a person or event.

Through studying these ancient figures, Monti’s translations help foster cross-cultural understanding and allow readers to engage with the past to better understand the present. She strives to make these pillars of history engaging for new audiences while unveiling untold stories in their entirety.

“For the ancient Greeks, the word ‘truth’ means ‘something that is not hidden,’” Monti said. “My research makes ancient texts, even those written thousands of years ago, available and accessible, and it brings to light previously hidden, unknown or understudied aspects of history. We can learn, and maybe make fewer mistakes, if we read more of these ancient authors and understand their nuanced lives.”

Christine Watson is an FSU alumna who earned a bachelor’s degree in literature, media, and culture with a double major in international affairs in 2019.