Deutsch Intern
  • Extracts from magical texts in antiquity (Greek, Hieratic, Demotic, Akkadian): British Library P 122; British Museum P Chester Beatty 7 and P Leiden/London, British Museum BM 34065
DFG Centre for Advanced Studies MagEIA

Frank Simons

Research Interests

Magic, Akkadian, Sumerian, Šurpu, curses, omens

Curriculum Vitae

Education

2012-2017        University of Birmingham                    PhD Assyriology

Thesis title: Burn Your Way to Success – Studies in the Mesopotamian Ritual and Incantation Series Šurpu. 
Supervisor: Dr Alasdair Livingstone. 
Examiners: Prof. Andrew George (SOAS) and Dr Ken Wardle (Birmingham)

2010-2012        University of Birmingham                   MPhil Egyptology

2007-2010        University of Birmingham                    BA Ancient History (Hons.) 1st Class

 

Appointments

2022-present   Trinity College Dublin           
PI of the Irish Research Council funded project ‘Mesopotamian Psychiatry’

2019-2022        Universität Wien
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter fort wo projects: ERC-funded REPAC and FWF-funded Bestiarium Mesopotamicum (PI for both: Nicla De Zorzi).

2018-2019        Universität Leipzig
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter on DFG-funded project Akkadian Nominal Forms (PI: Michael Streck).

 

Grants and Fellowships:

2022       Science Foundation Ireland-Irish Research Council Pathways grant

€550,000. Awarded by the SFI-IRC to fund a 4-year postdoctoral project on Mesopotamian Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. 

2019       British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship (Declined)

€340,000. Awarded by the British Academy to fund a postdoctoral project on Kultmittelbeschwörungen at Cambridge University.  Declined in favour of a postdoctoral position at Vienna University.

2012       Doctoral Scholarship

€62,000.  Awarded by the College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham to fund my PhD research.

Publications

  • Šurpu: The Missing Tablet. In: Journal of Near Eastern Studies 83/2: 277-294.
    DOI: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/732100 
  • Bang a Gong (Demons Gone): The Mighty Copper and Magic with Automatic Consent. In: Heeßel, N. & Zomer, E. (eds.) Legitimising Magic (AMD 21): 77-90. Brill.
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004687417_007 
  • A new manuscript of Namerimburruda Recitation IV.  In: Die Welt des Orients 53/1, (2023), 95-102.
  • kurāru ‘lumpy lesions’.  In: Le Journal des Médecines Cunéiformes 40, (2022), 46-53.
    DOI: https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1787060 
  • Unity through Poetry. The Development of Šurpu IV.  In: Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes 112, (2022), 433-456.
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.25365/phaidra.374 
  • The Donkey of Anshan: a Rhino in Ancient Mesopotamia? Notes on the Construction of Meaning in a Bilingual Proverb.  In: Journal of Ancient Civilizations 37, (2022), 1-31.
    DOI: https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1542062 
  • Notes on the construction of meaning in an Old Babylonian bilingual proverb about exotic animals,  (2021) REPAC (ERC Grant no. 803060), 2019-2024, at https://doi.org/ 10.25365/phaidra.261.
  • Burn your troubles away: The magical ceremony Šurpu, (2020) REPAC (ERC Grant no. 803060), 2019-2024, at DOI: 10.25365/phaidra.229.
  • Ninurta b­ēl nignakku no more.  In Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires. 2020, 1: 58-59.
    DOI: https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1126764 
  • The Goddess Kusu.  In: Revue d’Assyriologie 112, (2018), 123-148.
  • An Akkadian inscription of Hammurāpi.  In: Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires, 2018, 3: 116-117.
  • A new join to a Hurro-Akkadian version of the Weidner god list from Emar (MSK 74.108a + MSK 74158k). In: Altorientalische Forschungen, 44 (2017), 82-100.
  • Alammuš Redux.  In: Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires, 2017, 1: 8-13.
  • Innovation in Serdab Decoration in the Late Sixth Dynasty.  In: Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 102 (2016), 196-203.
  • The God Alammuš dLÀL / d.mùšLÀL.  In: Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires, 2016, 1: 8-10.