Dr. Supratik Baralay

Biography

Supratik Baralay is a historian interested in destabilizing the divide between ancient Mediterranean and Asian histories. He uncovers evidence of imperial subjection among communities and reconstructs the ways in which migrant societies resisted the demands of empire. His book project, provisionally titled 'Parthian Eurasia,' examines the context of Parthian imperial formation that emerged in the southern Turkmen steppe in the mid-3rd century BCE. Baralay argues that the Arsacid dynasty imposed coercive ideologies and institutions that developed from Hellenistic models on populations in western and central Asia for five centuries. He explores the recurrent violence and intimidation directed at indigenous communities, which led to the infiltration and elimination of local institutions. Furthermore, Baralay discusses the establishment of diplomatic connections between the Han and Roman empires, which underpinned Parthian imperial coercion and resulted in the formation of trade routes traditionally known as the 'Silk Roads.' His academic book project also aims to explore how Parthian imperialism impacted the development of Mazdism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, culminating in the development of Manicheism. Raised in Bombay and London, Baralay obtained a B.A. in Literae Humaniores (Classics) in 2014 and an M.Phil. in Ancient Greek and Roman History in 2016 from the University of Oxford, completing his Ph.D. in Ancient History in 2023 at Harvard University. In Fall 2023, he will co-teach Princeton's interdisciplinary Humanities Sequence and in Spring 2024, he plans to teach a freshman seminar titled 'The Camera in Classical Art.'

Research Interests