Joshua Thomas

Joshua Thomas is a Lecturer in the Archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean at the Department of Classics, Royal Holloway, University of London. Previously, he held positions at the University of Oxford and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, where he was an Alexander-von-Humboldt Research Fellow. His research focuses on ancient Mediterranean art and visual cultures, with specialties in animal representations, Hellenistic mosaics, and archaeological site analysis.

Education:

• DPhil in Classical Archaeology, University of Oxford (2013–2016)
• MSt in Classical Archaeology, University of Oxford (2011–2012)
• BA in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Oxford (2008–2011)

Research Interests: Thomas explores how artworks and monuments functioned in their original contexts. Key areas include:

• Animals in Art: Intersections of art and natural science in the Hellenistic world, with a focus on animal statues and their cultural significance.
• Aphrodisias: Sculptural analysis of the Roman-era city in Türkiye, including the Place of Palms and Tetrapylon Street excavations.
• Hellenistic Mosaics: Pioneering studies on mosaics like the Wrestlers Mosaic from Ptolemaic Alexandria.
• Metropolis Tomb Complex: Collaborative archival work on a Hellenistic tomb in Thessaly using legacy data from early 20th-century excavations.

Publications and Awards:

• Author of Art, Science, and the Natural World in the Ancient Mediterranean (Oxford University Press, 2021).
• Recipient of the Alexander-von-Humboldt Research Fellowship (2020–2022).
• Contributor to major archaeological projects at Aphrodisias and Metropolis.

Advising and Collaborations: Thomas collaborates with Prof. Maria Stamatopoulou on the Metropolis tomb project. While no formal advisees are listed, his fieldwork roles involve mentoring archaeological teams.