معرفی
Dr. Michael Decker is the Maroulis Professor of Byzantine History and Orthodox Religion at the University of South Florida, serving in the Department of History within the College of Arts and Sciences. He holds an Associate Professor rank and has been affiliated with USF since August 2004. His academic career includes a postdoctoral fellowship at Rice University (2002-2004) and a Mellon Fellowship. Educated at the University of Oxford, he earned a Ph.D. (2001) and M.St. (1995) in Modern History, focusing on late antiquity and the Byzantine era.
His research interests span Byzantine history, Mediterranean archaeology, agricultural technology in antiquity, and trade networks. Notable projects include the Cambridge Handbook to Byzantine Archaeology (under contract) and studies on Sicily’s history (535-1061 AD) and Sasanian warfare. Dr. Decker also explores overland trade in the Levant and the Oxford Archaeological Survey in Syria.
- Education:
- Ph.D., Modern History, Oxford University, 2001
- M.St., Oxford University, 1995
Dr. Decker’s publications reflect his interdisciplinary approach, blending history, archaeology, and digital humanities. Recent works include The Byzantine Art of War (2012) and Tilling the Hateful Earth (2010). He actively contributes to academic journals like Ancient West & East and serves as a referee for Cambridge University Press and other publishers.
- Awards and Fellowships:
- Fulbright Scholarship (2007)
- Center for the Defense of Democracies Fellow (2008)
- Craven Committee Award (1998-2000)
He has held leadership roles in university committees, including the USF Department of History Executive Council and the Center for 21st Century Teaching Excellence. His teaching innovations include integrating digital archives of Middle Eastern travel narratives into curricula.
