The Accademia Nazionale Virgiliana has bestowed the first Lifetime Achievement Medal (Medaglia alla Carriera) upon Michael C. J. Putnam (1964 Fellow, 1970 Resident, Life Trustee), an esteemed classicist and emeritus professor of classics at Brown University, whose scholarship on Latin literature, particularly the Aeneid, has influenced generations of students and academics. During the same ceremony, the Accademia awarded the prestigious Premio Vergilius to Joseph Farrell (2014 Resident), a professor of classical studies and the Mark K. and Esther W. Watkins Professor in the Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania.
Michael C. J. Putnam’s significant contribution to scholarship reveals the nuances and depth of Virgil’s characters and themes. His publications, including The Poetry of the Aeneid and Virgil’s Pastoral Art: Studies in the Eclogues, have provided profound insights into Latin literature. Early in his career Putnam held a Rome Prize Fellowship in 1963–64, allowing him to immerse himself in the city’s rich classical heritage. He later served as a Resident in 1970 and as the Andrew W. Mellon Professor-in-Charge of the School of Classical Studies from 1989 to 1991. In 1991, Putnam became a Trustee of the Academy and was honored as a Life Trustee in 2010. Putnam’s leadership and dedication have been instrumental in shaping the Academy’s programs in classical studies. In recognition of his service, he received the Academy’s Centennial Medal in 2009 and the Trustees’ Medal in 2010.
“Michael Putnam’s leadership at the Academy has profoundly enriched our engagement with Latin literature and classical studies,” said Caroline Goodson, the Academy’s Andrew W. Mellon Humanities Professor. “His enthusiasm for Virgil is infectious and has animated conversations with fellows here for many years. We are all delighted that his contributions to the field are acknowledged with this prestigious international award.”
Recognized globally for his expertise on Virgil and Latin literature, Joseph Farrell has shaped contemporary interpretations of the Aeneid, as well as considering subjects ranging from Homer to Ridley Scott to Silvio Berlusconi. The Premio Vergilius celebrates his recent book Juno’s Aeneid: A Battle for Heroic Identity (2021), which has already received the McKay Award of the Vergilian Society. Farrell’s scholarship, deeply rooted in his broad and deep understanding of ancient epic poetry, connects him directly to AAR, where he was a Resident in 2014. Until recently, he served on the Advisory Council on Classical Studies to the Committee on the Humanities, representing the University of Pennsylvania. In this capacity, he contributed to the governance and strategic direction of the Academy’s classical studies programs, ensuring their continued excellence and relevance.
Goodson continued, “Joe Farrell’s richly deserved award celebrates the outstanding achievement of Juno’s Aeneid, a deeply learned work which offers new ways of understanding how people read epic poetry in antiquity. He has been a vigorous supporter of classical studies at the Academy for many years, sharing his wisdom and scholarly acumen with fellows as well as the advisory board.”
The Accademia Nazionale Virgiliana’s award ceremony, held in Mantua on October 15, 2024, was the thirtieth edition of the Premio Vergilius; attendees celebrated Virgil’s birthday with scholarly gatherings and public events. The Accademia Nazionale Virgiliana’s vice president, Carlo Marco Belfanti, introduced the ceremony, which also featured remarks from Mattia Palazzi, mayor of Mantua, who underscored the city’s dedication to preserving Virgil’s legacy. Prefect of Mantua Roberto Bolognesi and Bishop Marco Busca also spoke.
Alongside Farrell’s Vergilius Prize, the Mantua Prize went to Viola Starnone, a scholar and translator in Virgilian studies based at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa. Her work examines the Aeneid through fresh critical lenses, and her achievements reflect the vitality and ongoing relevance of scholarship in this area.
Palazzi announced plans to extend his city’s Virgilian celebrations, with a biennial gathering of high school students from across Italy to discuss Virgil’s relevance in the modern world. The opening of the Virgil Museum at Palazzo del Podestà in December 2024 will solidify Mantua as a hub of classical scholarship.
Earlier this year Farrell and his wife, Ann de Forest, a frequent Visiting Artist, revealed a few favorite locations in Rome in our long-running series When in Rome.