LHP Award Ceremony Press Release

The International London Hellenic Prize held its 27th annual Award Ceremony on Friday, 7th February 2025, awarding the prize to Professor Peter Sarris for his authoritative and compelling biography, Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint (published by Basic Books). The Ceremony was a great success, held in Cotsen Hall at the American School of Classical Studies, in Athens, with over 130 guests in attendance, and others joining online via Zoom link.

The Chair Adjudicating Committee of the LHP, Dr Nick Lowe (Reader of Classics at Royal Holloway University of London), provided an informative overview of the 2023 field of submissions. Dumbarton Oaks Professor Ioli Kalavrezou of Harvard University introduced the Haghia Sofia as the first major work of Christian art in Byzantium, and was followed by Professor Teresa Shawcross of Princeton University, who presented Professor Sarris’s brilliant work on Byzantine history, and specifically on Justinian.

Peter Sarris then took the stage with an excellent talk and powerpoint on his winning book, including references to, and comparisons with, modern history.

The award itself was presented by H.E. The Ambassador of the UK Matthew Lodge, and was followed by a reception to celebrate the Prize. The evening was an enlivening and thought-provoking occasion, focused on  Hellenic civilization, while strengthening the Anglo-Hellenic cultural bonds fostered by the London Hellenic Prize since the 1990s.