Serafina Cuomo

Dr Serafina Cuomo
Born	(1966-05-21) May 21, 1966 (age 59)
Education	University of Naples (B.A.), University of Cambridge (PhD)

Serafina Cuomo (born May 21, 1966) is an Italian historian who is currently the A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Cambridge. Cuomo specialises in ancient mathematics and the history of technology. ^{[1] [2]}

Education

Cuomo achieved a bachelor's degree in Philosophy at the University of Naples. She received a doctorate in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge in 1995, with a PhD thesis titled "The ghost of mathematicians past: tradition and innovation in Pappus' Collectio Mathematica". ^[3]

Career

Cuomo has published on topics in ancient mathematics, including computing practices in ancient Rome and the mathematician Pappus of Alexandria, and the history of technology. ^[4]

Cuomo formerly worked as a lecturer at Imperial College London, Birkbeck University of London, and Durham University. ^[5] In March 2024, she was elected A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Cambridge, taking up the post from September 2024. ^[6]

In 2019, Cuomo participated in the EHESS (École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales). ^[7]

Books

• Pappus of Alexandria and the Mathematics of Late Antiquity (Cambridge Classical Studies, Cambridge University Press, 2000) ^[8]
• Ancient Mathematics (Sciences of Antiquity, Routledge, 2001) ^[9]
• Technology and Culture in Greek and Roman Antiquity (Key Themes in Ancient History, Cambridge University Press, 2007) ^[10]

Articles and chapters

• “Skills and virtues in Vitruvius’ book 10”, in M. Formisano (ed.), War in Words, Leiden: Brill 2011, 309-32
• “All the proconsul’s men: Cicero, Verres and account-keeping”, Annali dell’Università degli studi di Napoli ‘L’ Orientale’. Sezione filologico-letteraria. Quaderni 15, Naples 2011, 165-85
• “A Roman engineer’s tales”, Journal of Roman Studies 101 (2011), 143-65
• “Measures for an emperor: Volusius Maecianus’ monetary pamphlet for Marcus Aurelius”, in J. König & T. Whitmarsh (eds.), Ordering Knowledge in the Roman Empire, Cambridge University Press 2007, 206-228
• “The machine and the city: Hero of Alexandria's Belopoeica”, in C. J. Tuplin & T. E. Rihll (eds.), Science and Mathematics in Ancient Greek Culture, Oxford: Oxford University Press 2002, 165-77
• “Divide and rule: Frontinus and Roman land-surveying”, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science 31 (2000), 189-202
• “Shooting by the book: Notes on Tartaglia's ‘Scientia Nova’”, History of Science 35 (1997), 155-88

References

1. Dr Serafina Cuomo, Gresham College
2. https://www.classics.cam.ac.uk
3. "The ghost of mathematicians past: tradition and innovation in Pappus' "Collectio Mathematica"". University of Cambridge. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
4. Dr Serafina Cuomo, Gresham College
5. Serafina Cuomo, Centre Alexandre-Koyré.
6. Warren, James (27 March 2024). "Election of two new Professors in the Faculty of Classics". University of Cambridge. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
7. Événements, Groupe de recherches Mathématiques et Histoire, École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales
8. Reviews of Pappus of Alexandria:
   • Bechtle, Gerard (2001), Museum Helveticum, 58 (4): 238, JSTOR   24822187
   • Guicciardini, Niccolò (2001), Early Science and Medicine, 6 (1): 48–50, JSTOR   4130282
   • Federspiel, Michel (2001), "Review", Revue des Études Anciennes, 103 (3–4): 557–559
   • Hogendijk, Jan P. (April 2001), Mnemosyne, Fourth Series, 54 (2): 233–235, JSTOR   4433205
   • Høyrup, Jens (June 2001), The British Journal for the History of Science, 34 (2): 240–242, JSTOR   4028015
   • Deman, Albert (2002), L'Antiquité Classique, 71: 385–386, JSTOR   41667037
   • Asper, Markus (2002), Gnomon, 74 (1): 8–11, JSTOR   40493615
   • Francis, Richard L. (2002), Mathematical Reviews , MR   1829013
   • Behboud, Ali (March 2002), Isis, 93 (1): 102–103, doi:10.1086/343272, JSTOR   10.1086/343272
   • Robertson, Edmund (2003), The Journal of Roman Studies, 93: 420–421, doi:10.2307/3184763, JSTOR   3184763
9. Reviews of Ancient Mathematics:
   • Saito, Ken (June 2002), Isis, 93 (2): 295–296, doi:10.1086/344984, JSTOR   10.1086/344984
   • Muccigrosso, John D. (Fall 2002), The Classical Outlook, 80 (1): 36–37, JSTOR   43939634
   • Tybjerg, Karin (2003), The Journal of Roman Studies, 93: 324–325, doi:10.2307/3184668, JSTOR   3184668
   • Delire, Jean Michel (2003), L'Antiquité Classique, 72: 485–488, JSTOR   41664444
   • Gow, Roderick (2003), Classics Ireland, 10: 88–94, JSTOR   25624500
   • Imhausen, Annette (2005), "Review", Aestimatio, 2: 49–57
10. Reviews of Technology and Culture in Greek and Roman Antiquity:
    • Rihll, T. E. (2008), The Journal of Roman Studies, 98: 201–202, doi:10.1017/S0075435800001878, JSTOR   20430685
    • Federspiel, Michel (2008), L'Antiquité Classique, 77: 563–564, JSTOR   41813135
    • Di Pasquale, Giovanni (2008), Nuncius, 23 (1): 127–128, doi:10.1163/182539108x00067
    • Marchand, Jeannette, "Review", Classical Bulletin, 85 (1): 76–77, ProQuest   1401479944
    • Olshin, Benjamin B. (March 2009), Isis, 100 (1): 149–150, doi:10.1086/599651, JSTOR   10.1086/599651
    • Asper, Markus (April 2009), The Classical Review, New Series, 59 (1): 269–272, doi:10.1017/S0009840X08002849, JSTOR   20482759
    • Koloski-Ostrow, Ann Olga (April 2009), "An overture to The Oxford Handbook", Technology and Culture, 50 (2): 450–452, doi:10.1353/tech.0.0283, JSTOR   40345617, S2CID   110913138
    • Robson, Eleanor (September 2009), The British Journal for the History of Science, 42 (3): 451–453, doi:10.1017/S0007087409990239, JSTOR   25592288
    • Walton, S. A. (February 2012), Annals of Science, 69 (2): 295–297, doi:10.1080/00033790902898359, S2CID   145731774

Academic offices
Preceded by Tim Whitmarsh	A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at Cambridge University 2024–	Succeeded by incumbent