Willemien Otten

Carolina López-Ruiz studies ancient Mediterranean cultures through textual and archaeological sources. Her research focuses on two areas: first, comparative mythology, especially cosmogonies and narratives about the gods in Northwest Semitic and Greek traditions; and, second, cultural exchange in the ancient Mediterranean, especially the intersections among Greek, Phoenician, and other cultures around the Mediterranean, including ancient Iberia. Central to her work is the idea that mythological narratives and religious practices act as loci for cultural exchange and provide mechanisms for groups in close contact to negotiate tensions, adopt to change, and bolster their resilience.

López-Ruiz’s latest monograph Greek Mythology: From Creation to Early Humans (Oxford University Press, 2025) offers a comparative overview of ancient Mediterranean creation narratives, including Biblical ones. She is also the editor of the forthcoming volume A Cultural History of Western Myth in Antiquity for Bloomsbury’s series A Cultural History of Western Myth.

López-Ruiz teaches lecture courses and primary-text-based courses in topics related to classical mythology, comparative mythology, ancient Mediterranean religions, and Phoenician language, religion, and culture.