W. Martin Bloomer

W. Martin Bloomer is Professor of Classics at the University of Notre Dame, where his scholarship centers on Latin literature, ancient rhetoric, and the history of education. Holding degrees from Yale University (B.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.), he is located in 247 O'Shaughnessy Hall and welcomes dissertation supervision in his areas of expertise.

Research Focus

Bloomer’s work interrogates the intersection of language, power, and pedagogy in Roman antiquity. His investigations span the evolution of Latin literary style, the socio-political dimensions of Roman rhetoric, and the institutional structures that shaped classical education from the Republic through Late Antiquity. Manuscript studies complement his textual and cultural analyses, yielding insights into how ancient educational practices were transmitted and transformed across centuries.

Major Publications

• Valerius Maximus and the Rhetoric of the New Nobility (1993)
• Latinity and Literary Society at Rome (1997)
• The Contest of Language (2005)
• The School of Rome (2011)
• A Companion to Ancient Education (2015, as editor)

Teaching & Advising

Professor Bloomer regularly offers the Medieval Latin Survey and advanced seminars on Roman literature and rhetoric. He is formally designated as "available to direct dissertations," underscoring his active engagement with graduate mentoring in Classics.

Contact & Office

• Office: 247 O'Shaughnessy Hall, University of Notre Dame
• Phone: (574) 631-2324
• Email: mbloomer@nd.edu