Margaret Alexiou, influential Harvard scholar of Modern Greek, dies aged 87

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Margaret Alexiou, the distinguished Harvard scholar whose work transformed the study of Byzantine and Modern Greek literature and culture, has died at the age of 87.

Alexiou, who served as the George Seferis Professor of Modern Greek Studies and Professor of Comparative Literature, Emerita, died peacefully earlier this week at her home in Walmer, England, Harvard University’s Department of the Classics announced.

Described by Harvard as one of the most influential and generous Neohellenists of the past 50 years, Alexiou educated three generations of scholars in Modern Greek Studies and related disciplines.

Her academic work explored the connections between Greek literature, language, mythology and cultural traditions across the centuries.

Among her most influential works was The Ritual Lament in Greek Tradition, a landmark study of mourning and lament in Greek culture. Her later book, After Antiquity: Greek Language, Myth, and Metaphor, further examined the ways ancient Greek traditions continued to shape Byzantine and Modern Greek culture.

Harvard said Alexiou’s research opened new areas of scholarship while introducing innovative approaches to interpreting Greek literature and culture.

Her work helped establish important connections between Byzantine studies, Modern Greek literature and the wider study of Greek cultural continuity.

Alexiou’s influence extended well beyond her own publications. Through her teaching and mentorship at Harvard, she helped shape generations of scholars working in Modern Greek Studies and related fields.

The Harvard Department of the Classics shared the news of her death on September 22, describing her passing as a profound loss to the academic community.

Alexiou leaves behind a major scholarly legacy in the study of Greek literature and culture, with her work continuing to influence research into the relationship between Greece’s ancient, Byzantine and modern traditions.

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