Nigel Pollard

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.