Eleni Glykatzi-Ahrweiler, the late scholar of the Byzantine Empire and the first woman to serve as rector of Paris’s Sorbonne University, was honored Saturday in a tribute organized by Promitheas, a Washington-based social and cultural organization promoting Greek heritage.
The event featured a live virtual speech by Sophia Mergiali-Sahas, associate professor of Byzantine history at the University of Athens. Mergiali-Sahas, who completed her graduate and doctoral studies at the Sorbonne under Ahrweiler’s mentorship, reflected on her personal experiences with the late professor. She described Ahrweiler as an inspiring teacher whose words “serve as a bridge of knowledge, culture, and inspiration.”
Following the address, attendees took part in an extended discussion, asking questions about Ahrweiler’s influence on both academia and politics.
Ahrweiler died February 16 at the age of 99.
