David Friedman is a Researcher affiliated with the Faculty of Classics at the University of Cambridge and serves as Director of Studies in Classics at St Edmund's College. His research focuses on Judaism in the Greco-Roman world, particularly through the lens of ancient historians like Josephus. Fields of Interest: Judaism in the Greco-Roman world, Ancient History, Josephus Studies, Roman Imperialism, Religious Studies, Historiography, Classical Literature, and Cultural Exchange. Email: daf39@cam.ac.uk His recent work includes the 2024 edited volume Looking in, looking out: Jews and non-Jews in mutual contemplation , studies on Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Augustan Rome (2020), and analyses of Josephus's accounts of Jewish origins in Egypt (2017, 2014). No scientific awards or students are mentioned in the provided texts.
Gervase Phillips is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of History at Manchester Metropolitan University. He serves as Head of the History Section and is a Faculty Timetable Champion. His research focuses on human conflict, including struggles between nations, religions, ideologies, and persecution. Key interests include technology in warfare, the military use of animals, and the causes/resolution of conflicts. Phillips also explores historical themes such as the Civil War, colonialism, and genocide. Teaching emphasizes fostering analytical thinking through engaging methods, including role-play and document analysis. He advocates for the importance of history in cultivating critical thinking, empathy, and adaptability. Phillips has authored books like Persecution and Genocide: A History (2024) and contributed to scholarly discussions on topics ranging from medieval warfare to modern military ethics. Administratively, he balances academic leadership with pedagogical innovation. His work bridges historical analysis and contemporary relevance, often highlighting the moral complexities of past conflicts and their legacies today.
Rosa Andujar is a Senior Lecturer in Liberal Arts at King's College London, where she is affiliated with both the Department of Liberal Arts and the Department of Classics within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. She serves as Editor of the American Journal of Philology and holds positions on the editorial boards of Brazilian journals Nuntius Antiquus and PhaoS - Revista de Estudos Clássicos. Dr. Andujar was elected to the Program Committee of the Society for Classical Studies for a three-year term (2022-2025), serving as Vice President for Program and Chair from 2023-2025. Her research focuses on two complementary areas: Ancient Greek tragedy, particularly the tragic chorus and its performance capabilities Global receptions of Greek drama, with special emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean Dr. Andujar's work examines how engagements with Graeco-Roman antiquity intersect with questions of gender, race, class, and national identity. She has particular expertise in Cuban adaptations of Greek tragedy and Latinx receptions of classical drama, exploring how these cultural encounters create new narratives that challenge traditional understandings of classical reception. Her research has been recognized with prestigious awards including the 2020 London Hellenic Prize for 'The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro' and the 2022 AJP Best Article Prize. She has secured significant research funding from the Loeb Classical Library Foundation, British Academy, A. G. Leventis Foundation, Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Fundación BBVA. Dr. Andujar's current research projects include 'The Cambridge Companion to Classics and Race' (edited volume), 'La Puerta Electra/The Electra Door' (critical bilingual anthology of Cuban rewritings), and 'Tragedy and Revolución' (monograph on Greek drama in Caribbean cultural history), supported by recent fellowships from the Loeb Classical Library Foundation and British Academy. She is actively involved in academic service as Editor of the American Journal of Philology, co-editor of the 'Classics and the Postcolonial' book series for Routledge, and Advisory Board member of 'Hesperides: Classics in the Luso-Hispanic World.' Her external examining work for the University of Birmingham (2018-2023) demonstrates her commitment to academic standards across institutions.
Professor Bert Smith is a distinguished academic at the University of Oxford, serving as a Fellow of Lincoln College. He holds the position of Professor in the Faculty of Classics, with a specialization in Greek Archaeology and Roman Art/Archaeology. His academic journey includes MA, MPhil, and DPhil degrees from Oxford University. Prior to his current role, he was a Harkness Fellow at Princeton University (1983-85) and taught Hellenistic and Roman art at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts (1986-1995). His research focuses on the art and visual cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, particularly the relationship between visual representation and social/political contexts. As director of the Aphrodisias excavation project since 1991, he has contributed significantly to understanding the archaeology of Greek cities in the Eastern Roman Empire. Key achievements include a British Academy/Philip Leverhulme Fellowship (2007-2008) and leadership in the AHRC-funded 'Last Statues of Antiquity' project (2009-2012), resulting in a collaborative book (2016). Teaching responsibilities include lectures and seminars on Greek and Roman art and archaeology. His publications span over four decades, with notable works on sarcophagi iconography, Aphrodisias excavations, and Hellenistic art. He actively collaborates with institutions like the Oxford Centre for Greek and Roman Antiquity (OCGRA). Current research continues to explore late antiquity art and archaeology through fieldwork and interdisciplinary projects.
Andrew Fear is a Lecturer in Classics at the University of Manchester's Dept of Classics and Ancient History. His research focuses on Roman and Visigothic Spain, Early Christianity, the Roman Army, Roman Britain, and Alexander the Great's legacy. He has published extensively on ancient military history, religious practices, and socio-cultural dynamics in the Roman world. His notable works include analyses of Macedonian Empire strategies, medieval Spanish religious texts, and the psychological impacts of Roman military service. Fear's 2022 book on Mithras explores rituals and deity worship in the classical world, while his 2021 chapter examines the symbolic use of animals in Roman arenas. He has supervised 8 academic projects, though specific student names are not listed. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided materials. His expertise also extends to topics like 'Romanisation' processes and Tacitus' works, reflecting a deep engagement with both primary sources and interdisciplinary methodologies.
Professor Rosalind Thomas is Professor of Ancient Greek History at the University of Oxford and Fellow and Tutor in Classics at Balliol College. Her research centers on Greek historiography, particularly local histories and collective memory in the Greek world. Recent scholarship includes a comprehensive study of polis and island histories during the late Classical and early Hellenistic periods, analyzing these writings as cultural and political artifacts. Current work examines Greek interactions with the Persian Empire and Archaic Greek state formation processes. As Fellow of the British Academy, she maintains active research programs exploring how historical narratives shaped Greek identity and political organization across Mediterranean contexts.
Professor Nigel Pollard is a historian and archaeologist at Swansea University's School of Culture and Communication, specializing in the protection of cultural heritage in conflict zones with particular focus on lessons from World War II. His current research applies historical experiences, including the activities of the Allied Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives organization (the 'Monuments Men'), to contemporary cultural property protection policy and practice. His academic journey began with extensive work on Roman history and archaeology, conducting fieldwork in Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Italy and the UK. His monograph Bombing Pompeii: World Heritage and Military Necessity (2020) examines the 1943 bombing damage to Pompeii and its implications for current heritage protection practices. He previously published Soldiers, Cities and Civilians in Roman Syria (2000) and co-authored The Complete Roman Legions (2012) with Joanne Berry. Pollard's research output shows a clear transition from Roman military and archaeological studies to contemporary heritage protection, with his most recent publications focusing on cultural property destruction in conflicts, WWII heritage protection lessons, and the evolution of international legal frameworks for cultural property protection from the 1907 Hague Convention to the 1954 Hague Convention. Board member of UK Blue Shield ('Red Cross for monuments') Member of UK military's Cultural Property Protection Working Group Contributor to training of UK armed forces' Cultural Property Protection Unit Contributor to UK government heritage policy development His teaching focuses on Roman history, art and archaeology, and heritage protection, with modules covering heritage in conflict, Roman imperial history, and cultural heritage policy. He actively supervises PhD and MA students on topics ranging from Roman military studies to modern cultural heritage protection challenges, while continuing to publish extensively in both historical and contemporary heritage protection fields.
Simon Swain is Professor of Classics and Greco-Arabic at the University of Warwick, concurrently serving as Vice-President (Engagement) at the university and Vice-President (Research and Higher Education Policy) at the British Academy. His leadership roles include former positions as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), Chair of the Faculty of Arts, and multiple terms as Head of the Department of Classics. His educational background includes: MA, Oxford (Pembroke College), 1980-1984 D.Phil., Oxford (Wolfson College), 1987 Swain's research centers on the reception of Greek thought in the Islamic Middle Ages and the social-cultural history of the Greek East during the Roman period. He investigates the transmission of ancient Greek science, medicine, and political thought into Islamic scholarship, employing interdisciplinary approaches that bridge Classics, History, and Islamic Studies. His work emphasizes textual transmission, cultural adaptation, and the socio-political contexts of knowledge transfer. Analysis of his publications reveals consistent engagement with Greco-Roman intellectual history and its Islamicate legacy. Key thematic trajectories include the evolution of medical knowledge from Galen to medieval Arabic texts, political theory in imperial contexts, and sociolinguistic dynamics of bilingualism. His editorial projects demonstrate increasing focus on cross-cultural transmission, particularly through critical editions of foundational texts like Ibn Abī Uṣaybiʿah's medical biographies. His honors include: Fellow of the British Academy (2015) Wellcome Trust Collaborative Investigator Award Swain supervises postgraduate research in Greek world studies, late antiquity, and Greco-Arabic scholarship. He has secured major funding from AHRC, Leverhulme, Wellcome, and EU bodies for collaborative projects examining ancient knowledge systems. Current initiatives like the "Streamlining Galen" project support early-career researchers while investigating how canonical medical texts were adapted for medieval Islamic pedagogy. He actively leads research collectives including the "Streamlining Galen" project team, which analyzes condensed medical texts that facilitated the teaching of Galenic medicine in medieval Islamic institutions. His collaborative approach extends to mentoring networks that connect Warwick with international scholars across Classics and Islamic Studies disciplines.
Professor Alison Gascoigne serves as Head of Department in the Department of Archaeology within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Southampton. A specialist in Egyptian archaeology with particular expertise in the Islamic world, she directs significant fieldwork projects and supervises multiple PhD students while maintaining an active research profile. Her research interests focus on the archaeology of the Islamic world, archaeological ceramics, and Medieval Egyptian urbanism. Gascoigne examines urban development patterns from late antiquity through the medieval period, with particular attention to ceramic production systems and environmental interactions. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges archaeology, environmental science, and historical studies to understand societal transformations. Recent publications reveal strong trends in urban archaeology (particularly Fustat and Tinnis), climate-archaeology intersections, and ceramic analysis. Her work increasingly integrates paleoclimatic data with archaeological evidence to explore societal resilience during environmental change, while maintaining deep engagement with Islamic-era material culture across Egypt and the Near East. Her scientific recognition includes prestigious British Academy fellowships: British Academy Reckitt Travelling Fellowship in Archaeology British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Gascoigne actively supervises doctoral research and has secured significant funding from the British Academy, Fondation Max Van Berchem, and The Barakat Trust for projects including the Tell Tinnis survey and educational material development. Her external engagements include editorial review for Iran and Journal of Islamic Archaeology, chairing Arts & Humanities Research Council panels, and presenting invited lectures internationally on topics ranging from pottery production to urban water systems in medieval Egypt. She leads research groups including the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture, Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, and Coastal Communities Ocean Justice initiatives, directing collaborative interdisciplinary work that bridges archaeological practice with contemporary environmental concerns.
Dr. Anna Stevens is a Senior Lecturer in Archaeology and Ancient History at Monash University and an Honorary Research Associate at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge. She serves as Assistant Director of the Amarna Project, leading fieldwork at Akhetaten (modern Amarna), the Bronze Age city built by Pharaoh Akhenaten. Her work is conducted with permission from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Stevens specializes in ancient Egyptian archaeology with a focus on urbanism, lived religion, and cultural interaction in the ancient world. Her research particularly examines how material culture and urban space illuminate the lives of non-elite populations in ancient Egypt. She has conducted fieldwork in Egypt, Sudan, the UK, and Australia, with Amarna serving as her primary research site. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on cemetery studies at Amarna, examining burial practices, health patterns, and urban context. The research reveals significant insights about non-elite populations during Akhenaten's reign, including dietary deficiencies, heavy labor burdens, and pathogen loads that indicate challenging living conditions. Her work bridges Egyptology with broader social sciences through her editorial role for the book series 'Ancient Egypt in Context' published by Cambridge University Press. Stevens co-directs the Amarna Cemetery Project with Dr. Gretchen Dabbs, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, British Academy, and Egypt Exploration Society. She also leads 'Akhenaten's City: Protecting Amarna's Urban Heritage' (2023-2026), supported by the American Research Center in Egypt's Antiquities Endowment Fund. She serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology and accepts PhD students at Monash University. Her fieldwork program at Amarna integrates archaeology and bioarchaeology to investigate health in ancient urban centers, non-elite funerary practices, and life under Akhenaten. This multidisciplinary approach has produced significant findings, including the discovery of a mature ovarian teratoma from New Kingdom Amarna, published in the International Journal of Paleopathology.
Professor Leif Isaksen is a leading scholar in Digital Humanities and Ancient History at the University of Exeter, holding a chair in the Department of Classics, Ancient History, Religion and Theology. He also serves as Theme Lead for Humanities, Heritage and the Creative Industries at the Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (IDSAI). With a background in archaeology and a focus on Spatial-temporal representation in humanities Intelligent systems for historical data Digital skills development in arts and humanities , his work bridges classical scholarship and computational innovation. His research includes Pelagios Network projects like Recogito and Peripleo , which revolutionized semantic annotation and geospatial analysis of ancient texts. He directed the Cluny Hill Dig and co-founded initiatives like Hot Source! and DISKAH to democratize digital humanities skills. Key professional roles include: Executive Board Chair of ADHO (2019-2021) Co-Director of Web Science CDT at Southampton Active leadership in CAA, EADH, and ISHMap Scientific honors include fellowships at the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and former affiliations with the Alan Turing Institute and Society of Antiquaries of London . His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and 4: Quality Education .
Richard Flower is Professor of Classics and Late Antiquity at the University of Exeter, specializing in political discourse and knowledge formation during the Roman, late Roman and early medieval periods. He earned his BA, MPhil and PhD from Clare College, Cambridge. His research examines the role of invective and abuse in political culture, and the formation of authoritative knowledge in late antiquity, including early Christian writings. Current work focuses on the development of heresiology within classical traditions of knowledge organization, culminating in the forthcoming monograph The Authorised Version of Heresy . Flower leads the international project 'Connecting Late Antiquities' (2023-2025), funded by AHRC-DFG, which digitizes and links prosopographical materials for late antiquity. He edited the Cambridge Companion to Christian Heresy (2025) and co-edited Rhetoric and Religious Identity in Late Antiquity (2020). He mentors undergraduate and graduate students in late antique topics and hosts the podcast series The Distant Pasts featuring scholarly discussions on the ancient world.
Professor Irene Lemos is a Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Merton College, affiliated with the Ioannou Centre for Classical and Byzantine Studies. She holds an MA and DPhil from Oxford. Her research focuses on the archaeology of Early Greece, particularly the transition from the Mycenaean period to the Persian Wars, with a strong emphasis on the site of Lefkandi in Euboea. She explores material culture, Mediterranean exchange networks, alphabetic writing, and iron technology. Lemos has directed excavations at Lefkandi since 2003 and collaborates on projects like the Wiener-Anspach Foundation grant on collective rituals. She teaches courses on Greek and Mediterranean archaeology at Oxford and supervises graduate students. Her publications span excavations, methodologies, and interdisciplinary studies in Aegean archaeology. Her research highlights include the role of Lefkandi as a hub for Bronze Age to Early Iron Age interactions, geoarchaeological studies of coastal landscapes, and the analysis of ritual practices. Recent work examines early Greek social identities and the material culture of the Archaic period. Lemos has contributed to major excavations such as Oropos and has been involved in radiocarbon dating projects to establish chronologies for the Aegean Iron Age. Teaching: Undergraduate courses on the Greeks and Mediterranean World, Archaic and Classical periods, and core classes in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History. Grants/Projects: Collaborative work on collective rituals with Brussels scholars, excavations at Lefkandi and Oropos, and radiocarbon dating initiatives. Labs/Teams: Directs the Lefkandi-Xeropolis excavation project and coordinates fieldwork at Oropos, involving interdisciplinary teams in archaeology and geoarchaeology.
Professor Paul Foster holds the Personal Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of Edinburgh's School of Divinity. His academic career is rooted in theological studies, driven by a desire to engage with biblical texts in their original languages. He specializes in New Testament language, literature, and theology, with a focus on pre-gospel sources (e.g., Q), non-canonical gospels (e.g., the Gospel of Peter), and the writings of the Apostolic Fathers like Ignatius and Polycarp. His work provides a holistic view of early Christian development across the first two centuries. Qualifications include BSc, DipEd, BEd, BD, MSt, and DPhil degrees. He supervises PhD students in areas such as Synoptic Gospels, Koine Greek, and Pauline letters. Active in research funding, he has led projects including the AHRC-funded 'Commentary on the So-Called Gospel of Peter' (2007) and initiatives like 'Reinventing the Reformation for the Modern World' (2015–2018). His research also extends to textual criticism and early Christian sermon culture. Professor Foster’s research interests span the Gospel of Matthew, Pauline epistles (e.g., Colossians, Thessalonian letters), and the socio-religious context of early Christian communities. He collaborates on interdisciplinary projects, such as studies on unbelief in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and has published extensively on early Christian literature and its historical frameworks.
Nathan MacDonald is a Lecturer in Hebrew Bible at the University of Cambridge , with prior academic roles at the University of St Andrews and University of Göttingen . He is a Co-Investigator for the The Book and the Sword project, focusing on the Bible's role during the Great War, and serves as Managing Editor of the Journal of the Bible and Its Reception . University Lecturer in Hebrew Bible, University of Cambridge (2013–present) Lecturer/Reader in Old Testament, University of St Andrews (2001–2009) Research Team Leader, University of Göttingen (2009–2013) Research Interests include the Pentateuch , Biblical Warfare Texts , and History of Israelite Religion . His work explores how ancient texts were interpreted and applied to theological and social contexts, particularly through dietary laws, priestly authority, and ritual innovation. Recent Publications address Pentateuchal models, scribal practices, and the intersection of biblical scholarship with historical events like World War I. Key themes include ritual criticism , prophetic literature , and Levitical/Deuteronomic traditions . Academic Leadership : As Managing Editor of the Journal of the Bible and Its Reception , he bridges modern and ancient biblical studies, contributing to projects like The Book and the Sword and collaborating on workshops addressing biblical memory and warfare.
