Classics Ph.D. student, John Izzo, has been awarded one of the highly coveted Heyman Center Fellowships (2020-21) for his dissertation research on the life, literary activities, and reception of Marcus Tullius Tiro, a slave and later freedman of the Roman statesman, Cicero. This is the first time a Classics graduate student has achieved this honor.
He also received honorable mention for the Snyder Prize at this year’s New College Conference on Medieval and Renaissance Studies. While the conference did not take place this year because of COVID-19, the Prize—which is for junior scholars was awarded nevertheless. The citation reads:
As an honorable mention, I would cite John Izzo’s “Indigenous Renaissance Men in Tlatelolco”, which focuses on the Neo-Latin writings of colonial subjects, in particular the Libellus de medicinalibus Indorum herbis, which was produced by two indigenous men in the Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco in 1536 [sic]. Izzo effectively demonstrates how the authors’ use of Latin operates as “an expression of indigenous thought and agency.”
Izzo brings an impressive knowledge of the history of medicine and science, Latin texts and authors, and indigenous Nahua culture to uncover a story of contestation of colonial power structures.
The Department congratulates John on his innovative and important work.
