Peter Thonemann

Professor Peter Thonemann is a faculty member at the University of Oxford, holding the position of Professor of Ancient History and Forrest-Derow Fellow and Tutor in Ancient History at Wadham College. He has been teaching and supervising students in Classics, Ancient and Modern History, and Classical Archaeology and Ancient History since 2007. His academic work emphasizes inclusivity and diversity in education, reflecting Wadham College's reputation as a free-spirited institution.

He earned an MA and DPhil (PhD) from the University of Oxford. His research focuses on marginalized groups in the Greco-Roman world—peasants, slaves, women, children, and the illiterate—as well as Achaemenid Persia, Greek coinage, and the historical geography of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Recent projects include studying a Greek inscription from Teos with Mustafa Adak and working on a new Loeb translation of Lucian of Samosata.

Thonemann’s publications span books, commentaries, and translations, including The Lives of Ancient Villages (2022), Teos and Abdera (2022), and Lucian, Alexander or the False Prophet (2021). His work bridges academic research and public engagement through writings for the Times Literary Supplement and Wall Street Journal on topics like ancient food, childhood, and mathematics. He actively collaborates with international scholars and has contributed significantly to understanding rural societies and material culture in antiquity.