About
Lea Beness is an Honorary Associate Professor in the Department of History and Archaeology at Macquarie University, affiliated with the School of Humanities. She holds a doctorate from the University of New England and has held roles including Lecturer at the University of New England and Research Affiliate at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on Roman Republican History, gender in Graeco-Roman contexts, and landscape archaeology, particularly ancient harbors. She leads projects on Torone's harbor and contributes to the Macquarie Roman Biographical Dictionary Project.
Education: Doctorate from University of New England (Armidale). External roles include Visiting Research Fellow at Norwich University (2005) and multiple terms as Research Affiliate at University of Sydney (2012–2022).
Research interests emphasize Roman political processes, gender dynamics, and archaeological site analysis. Key projects include mapping Torone's harbor and studying Republican political decline.
Recent Articles: Focus on late Roman Republic politics, ancient harbors, and gendered social structures. Highlights include analyses of disillusionment in the Late Republic and domestic violence in antiquity.
Awards: Buddee Memorial Award (1986), Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (2006), and multiple citations for student learning contributions.
Teaching: Taught flagship Roman History courses for two decades, specializing in Roman Republican History and Gender Studies.
Labs/Teams: Active in the Macquarie University Archaeological Fieldwork Laboratory (MQAFL) and the Centre for Ancient Cultural Heritage and Environment (CACHE).
