John Ma

John Ma is a Professor of Classics at Columbia University's School of Arts and Sciences. He joined the department in 2015 after 15 years at Oxford University's Faculty of Classics (Corpus Christi College) and a prior stint at Princeton's Classics Department (New York-based). His research focuses on the ancient Greek world and its broader Near Eastern context, emphasizing epigraphical, archaeological, and geographical evidence.

• Education: B.A. and D.Phil. in Ancient History from Oxford University

His work integrates philological precision, interpretive analysis of literary and documentary sources, material culture studies, and spatial reasoning. Key areas include Hellenistic political dynamics, civic identity formation, and the legal/social/economic realities of antiquity.

Publications highlight his expertise in Greek epigraphy, Hellenistic urbanism, and cross-cultural interactions. Notable works include studies on Antiochos III's governance, the Battle of Chaironeia's commemoration, and honorific portraiture in Hellenistic cities.