Myles Lavan

Myles Lavan is a Professor at the School of Classics, University of St Andrews, with a focus on the political, social, and cultural history of the Roman Empire. He has held editorial roles with the Journal of Roman Studies since 2014 and has supervised numerous PhD dissertations in areas such as Roman slavery, citizenship, and historiography.

• Education: BA in Classics (Trinity College Dublin), MPhil and PhD in Classics (University of Cambridge).

His research integrates quantitative methods with comparative analysis, particularly in studying manumission in the Roman world and the Americas. He challenges narratives framing manumission as a gift, advocating for a demographic framework to understand its societal impact.

Key publications include studies on Roman citizenship expansion, manumission statistics, and the role of the Roman army in enfranchisement. His Philip Leverhulme Prize (2018) recognizes his contributions to ancient history.

• Projects: Probabilistic approaches to uncertainty in pre-modern history (2017–19), Roman citizenship under Hadrian (2016–18), and quantification of citizenship spread (2014–15).