SRA Neo-Latin in the Modern World

Opening Ceremony

Mag. Tobias Heiss, BEd MEd

Researcher in Sub-Project 2

Contact

University of Innsbruck

Department for Classical Philology and Neo-Latin Studies

room 06N030 (6th floor)
Innrain 52a (Ágnes-Heller-Haus)
A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
email: tobias.heiss@uibk.ac.at

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2028-0288

Biography
CV

Tobias Heiss studied Theology and Classical Philology at the University of Innsbruck and is currently a PhD candidate. His dissertation is dealing with a series of New Ancient Greek orations that were held at the University of Altdorf in the 17th century and have, until now, gone entirely unnoticed by modern scholarship. Herein he deals with the specific place of spoken Ancient Greek, interconfessional encounters between Protestantism and Orthodoxy, political Hellenism, and relationships between Greek orators and their audiences.

Fellowships
  • Neo-Latin Fellowship, Department for Classical Philology and Neo-Latin Studies, University of Innsbruck, January–April 2025.
Research Interests
  • New Ancient Greek (especially epigrams, orations, plays, and prayers)
  • Confessional History
  • Cultural and Political Hellenism
Publications
Talks
  • „‚In Greek, you’ll take it with more ease‘. Pointed Epigrams and Pious Prayers in 19th Century Philhellenic Culture“, Final Talk of the Neo-Latin Fellowship, Innsbruck, 28.05.2025.
  • „Der Lehrer Bernard Niedermühlbichler (1798–1850): Erbauliche Sprachübungen und didaktische Ansätze für den altsprachlichen Unterricht im 19. Jahrhundert“, AKMe Doctoral Program, Innsbruck, 28.06.2025.
  • „Metrophanes Kritopoulos’ griechische Rede zum Weihnachtsfest 1625 an der Universität Altdorf“, Metageitnia XLV, Innsbruck, 17.01.2026.
  • „Griechische Schülergespräche: Praxis und Nutzen“, Österreichische Tagung zur Didaktik der alten Sprachen. Forschung und Praxis im Dialog, Innsbruck, 28.02.2026.

Tobias Heiss’ Contributions and Activities

  • Colloquial Ancient Greek in the Modern Classroom
    Colloquial Ancient Greek in the Modern Classroom

    In the Early Modern period, the need for spoken Latin in academic circles spawned books with Latin dialogues as schoolboy exercises known as colloquia. To a much smaller extent, but with some popularity, Ancient Greek colloquia promoted the ideal of speaking in Greek elegantly. As a contribution to a conference on didactics, Tobias Heiss drew…

  • Interconfessional Exchange in Ancient Greek
    Interconfessional Exchange in Ancient Greek

    During the turmoil of the Thirty Years’ War, Greek Orthodox officials sought closer ties with important Protestant institutions in Germany and beyond. At the 45th Metageitnia, an annual conference that brings together classical philologists from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France, Tobias Heiss presented findings from his doctoral research. He linked an oration delivered in Ancient…

  • 45th Metageitnia in Innsbruck
    45th Metageitnia in Innsbruck

    During the 45th Metageitnia which took place in Innsbruck from 16-17 January 2026, some of our younger team members gave talks about their research. Delila Jordan: Allegoria und imitatio in Servius’ Eklogenkommentar: Tobias Heiss: Metrophanes Kritopoulos’ griechische Rede zum Weihnachtsfest 1625 an der Universität Altdorf: Maximilian Pierl: Lehrgedicht, gelehrte Dichtung, gedichtete Lehre? Zur Definition und…

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