Joslyn Felicijan is a historian of war and memory in Eastern Europe, holding MA degrees from the University of Cambridge and the University of Bologna. Her research bridges memory, popular culture, gender, and diaspora across twentieth-century conflict zones. She has collaborated with museums and historical projects on the Second World War in the UK, France, Italy, and Lithuania. Drawn to the intersections of myth and history, her interests span the Ottoman Empire, Scottish rebellions, and Europe’s pagan past. In her spare time, she studies Lithuanian and travels across Eastern Europe and the UK, immersing herself in the cultures she researches.
Education
MPhil Modern European History — University of Cambridge, 2023
MA Global Cultures (hons) — University of Bologna, 2025
BA History (hons), 2016, with minor in Anthropology — Catholic University of America, 2016
Areas of Expertise
The Mysterious Angels of the Hagia Sophia and Their Rediscovery
Under the highest dome of the Hagia Sophia are the seraphim mosaics. Rediscovered within the last 20 years, these 700-year-old mosaics depict the highest-ranking angels.
How Did Ancient Romans Celebrate the Winter Solstice?
Why did Romans forgo social norms each December to partake in eccentric games, drinking, gambling, and costume parties? Welcome to the celebration of Saturnalia.
Who Was England’s Infamous Witchfinder General?
How was a self-proclaimed witch hunter able to torture and execute hundreds of accused witches without any official permission during the English Civil War?
What Tests were Used to Convict Someone of Witchcraft?
Drowning, poking, and consuming cakes made from urine were some of the bizarre and torturous ways accused witches were convicted throughout the early-modern period.
How Were Witch Marks Used to Ward Off Evil?
Which ritual marks were the best protection symbols to keep families, homes, and property safe from witches, curses, and evil spirits in early-modern England?
Where Did Ancient Greeks Honor Female Deities?
Look beyond the famous ruins in Athens and Olympia to discover five lesser-known temples and sanctuaries where ancient Greek goddesses were honored, worshiped, and feared.
Behind the Mask! The Little-Known Origins of the Carnival of Venice
For almost a millennium, the Carnival of Venice has dazzled millions with its opulence, mystery, and hedonism. What sparked this masked tradition of gilded indulgence?
How Did WWII Soldiers Celebrate Christmas?
World War II drew 70 million Allied soldiers into unprecedented violence that displaced millions and shattered nations. Amid this chaos, how did they celebrate Christmas?