About Us

Faculty and Staff | Special Collections

The Center for Epigraphical and Palaeographical Studies at The Ohio State University was created in September 1986 by an act of the Board of Trustees of the University. It is the only comprehensive research facility for the study of Greek and Latin inscriptions and manuscripts in the United States. Its purpose is to foster the study of inscriptions and manuscripts and promote research opportunities for those interested in these primary sources of information for the ancient and mediaeval world.

The Center maintains an excellent library of books on epigraphy and palaeography as well as an extensive collection of photographs and squeezes (accurate paper impressions of inscriptions) of Greek and Latin incriptions and microfilms of Latin manuscripts. The Center also houses a number of special collections including Arthur and Joyce Gordon's photographs and squeezes of Latin inscriptions, J.K. Evans's photo archive of Latin inscriptions from northern Italy, J.M.R. Cormack's papers, photographs and squeezes of inscriptions from Macedonia, and Sterling Dow's, A.G. Woodhead's, and Benjamin Meritt's collections of offprints.

The Center is a long-time participant in a project to create a comprehensive database of Greek epigraphical texts, in cooperation with colleagues at Cornell University and with funding and technical support from the Packard Humanities Institute. The Center has contributed material to a searchable web-based database. The project at the Center is directed by Philip Forsythe.

The Center offers several short-term fellowships for those pursuing post-doctoral research in Greek and Latin epigraphy and Latin palaeography.