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Academic Profile

Researcher specialising in Zoroastrian studies, with a focus on Zoroastrian literature and the history of Zoroastrians across time. My work also examines the dialogue between Iran and Europe in the modern era, exploring cross-cultural exchanges.

Sample Publications

Vassalli M., “A Portrait of Sasanian Dusk: A Study in the Language of the Empire Collapse,” in Sēnmurw, forthcoming (Peer-reviewed paper).

Insom C., Vassalli M., “On Roads and Ruins. Across the Zagros and the Shahrazur in the accounts of Western travellers in the early 19th century,” in Atlante del Vicino Oriente Antico, forthcoming (Peer-reviewed paper).

Vassalli M., Zarathustra nella letteratura pahlavi, Rome: Paideia, 2024. (book).

Cereti C.G., Gaspari A., Marchetti C., Vassalli M. (eds.), Scienze dell’antichità. Storia, archeologia, antropologia 29/3, 2023 (editing).

Vassalli M., “European Travellers’ Accounts of the Zoroastrians in Iran,” in Sēnmurw 2, 2023, 191-219 (Peer-reviewed paper).

Vassalli M., “How to Develop a Fabula: The Case of Dēnkard VII,” in Journal of Persianate Studies 14, 2021, 111-139 (Peer-reviewed paper).

Vassalli M., “Difendere la propria identità culturale: l'incesto come atto pio nello zoroastrismo,” in S. Quadrelli & E. Urbani (eds.) I figli di Eolo. Il motivo mitico e letterario dell’incesto tra antico e moderno, 2020, 93-102 (book chapter).

Cereti C.G., Faticoni B., Marchetti C., Terribili G., Vassalli M., “Il Monumento di Narseh da Paikuli a Sulaimaniyah. Nuove attività archeologiche e allestimento espositivo del materiale presso lo Slemani Museum,” in Scienze dell’Antichità, 2020, 3-11 (Peer-reviewed paper).

Cereti C.G., Colliva L., Terribili G., Vassalli M., “The Monument of Paikuli. The activities of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Iraqi Kurdistan, past and present,” in Proceedings of the 3rd International Scientific Conference; Archaeology and Heritage of Kurdistan, 2019 (conference proceedings).

Vassalli M., “Il progetto ASCReS,” in Frate Francesco, 2019, 167-174 (Peer-reviewed paper).

Scholarly Interests

History of Zoroastrianism; Zoroastrian-European cultural exchanges; Zoroastrian Literature; Zoroastrianism in Modern Age; Zoroastrianism in Medieval Age

CV

CV_Massimiliano_Vassalli_f3dbd74b7a1c14169f9570c82b3ef5e6.pdf

Current Position

Dr, Sapienza University of Rome