Darel Engen

Darel Engen is an Associate Professor of History at California State University, San Marcos (Cal State San Marcos). His research focuses on the Ancient World, particularly Ancient Greece and Rome, with interdisciplinary interests in Film and Social and Economic History. Engen holds degrees from UCLA: a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in History.

His work examines Athenian trade policy, the economy of Greece, and the intersection of history with modern media. Key publications include *Honor and Profit: Athenian Trade Policy and the Economy and Society of Greece, 415-307 B.C.E.* (forthcoming from the University of Michigan Press) and articles such as *"Ancient Greenbacks: Athenians Owls, the Law of Nikophon, and the Greek Economy" (Historia, 2005). Recent scholarship engages with popular culture, like analyzing Frank Miller’s *300* (2007) and Oliver Stone’s *Alexander* (2007), to explore how ancient narratives are mythologized in modern media.

Engen contributes to the Digital History Lab at CSUSM, integrating traditional historical research with innovative digital methodologies. His research highlights the economic and social structures of classical antiquity, emphasizing how trade policies, legal frameworks, and cultural perceptions shaped ancient societies.