David Porreca, Associate Professor and Chair of Classical Studies, and Co-Director of Medieval Studies at University of Waterloo, researches Medieval intellectual history, especially the pagan Classical tradition in the Christian Middle Ages. In addition, he has become interested in ancient and Medieval magic, astrology, alchemy, palaeography, manuscript transmission and glosses, and produced a new English translated the Latin astral magic text known as
Picatrix in 2019. In parallel to his interest in intellectual history, he has begun examining the dynamics of the rise, flourishing and downfall of complex societies, such as ancient Roman civilization, especially with regard to the impact of resource depletion on these processes. David joined WICI's Steering Committee in 2022.
Academic disciplines: Classical Studies, Medieval Studies, History of Ideas
Methods: Textual analysis, close reading of primary texts, compilation of data from primary texts
