Frances Pownall

Frances Pownall is a Professor in the Department of History, Classics, & Religion at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Arts. She specializes in Greek historiography, particularly the fourth century BCE and Hellenistic periods, with a focus on Macedonian history and the reigns of Philip II and Alexander the Great. She currently serves as Honors Adviser for Classics and has held roles like Associate Chair (Undergraduate Studies) and Director of Classics. Her research explores power dynamics in ancient monarchies, historiographical traditions, and the fragmentary sources of Macedonian history. Notable works include Lexicon of Argead Macedonia (2020) and The Courts of Philip II and Alexander the Great (2022). She teaches courses on ancient Greek history, Hellenistic civilization, and classical Greek language.

• Education: PhD (Toronto, 1993), MA (UBC, 1987), BA (Honors, McGill, 1985)
• Research Interests: Macedonian historiography, Hellenistic political culture, Alexander’s legacy, and fragmentary historians like Philistus and Diodorus Siculus.

Her work on Brill’s New Jacoby project involves editing and contextualizing fragmentary Greek historians. She is actively involved in editorial projects and academic committees, contributing to Classics curriculum development at the university level.