Dennis Trout is a Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Chair of Classics, Archaeology, and Religion at the University of Missouri, with an adjunct appointment in History. His research focuses on late antique and early medieval cultures of the western Mediterranean, particularly the interplay between classical traditions and emerging Christian practices. Major themes include epigraphic poetry, the cult of saints, and the transformation of Roman religious and political frameworks. Education includes undergraduate studies in history, anthropology, and art history, an MA in Ancient History, and a PhD with coursework in Classics and Religious Studies. His work bridges literary analysis, material culture, and cognitive science of religion to explore how cultural memory shapes religious identity. Recent scholarship emphasizes figures like Augustine of Hippo, Paulinus of Nola, Damasus of Rome, and Isidore of Seville. His articles analyze epigraphic poetry’s role in legitimizing Christian authority, the materiality of ritual objects, and the reinterpretation of Roman history through Christian lenses. Themes include urban transformation in late antique Rome, Visigothic Iberian Christianity, and the intersection of classical aesthetics with theological discourse. No formal scientific awards are listed, though his prolific publication record reflects academic recognition. Advising includes graduate students in late antique studies, though specific advisee names are not provided. His work engages with archaeological sites like Nola’s basilicas and Roman martyria, contributing to projects on liturgical spaces and epigraphic preservation.
