Nicholas Purcell (classicist)
Nicholas Purcell | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Title | Camden Professor of Ancient History (2011–present) |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | Worcester College, Oxford All Souls College, Oxford |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Ancient history |
| Sub-discipline | |
| Institutions | |
| Notable works | The Corrupting Sea: A Study of Mediterranean History (2000) |
Nicholas Purcell FBA is Camden Professor of Ancient History[1] and a fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford. Before holding this post he was University Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Oxford and a Tutorial Fellow at St John's College, Oxford.
Early life and education
From 1974 to 1977, Purcell was an undergraduate at Worcester College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.[2] During his time at Worcester College he was a student of Peter Brunt.[3] He was subsequently a prize-fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, until 1979.[2] He does not have a doctorate.[2]
Academic career
From 1979 until October 2011, he was a
Visiting appointments and lectures
In 1998 Purcell gave the Jerome lectures at the
Research
Purcell has research interests in the social, economic and cultural history of Rome and the City of Rome as well as the Mediterranean Sea and its history.[7]
Purcell is known especially for his 'ecological view' of ancient history as well as his expertise in ancient Mediterranean history.[5] The publication of his book The Corrupting Sea: A Study of Mediterranean History (co-written with Peregrine Horden) was hailed as a 'notable intellectual event'.[8] The book's main thesis is that the Mediterranean is a region made up of micro-regions.[8] The book argues that the Mediterranean ought to be seen in terms of the ecological lines of force linking countless small regions and micro-economies together rather than in terms of a few famous metropoleis.[5] Purcell stresses the longue durée and insists that the different themes of history, i.e. politics, culture, economy, ideas and institutions must be studied in close association. Purcell is currently concerned with expanding this work and with situating the Mediterranean in even larger contexts so as to show how ancient history can be used to answer global historical questions.[7]
Selected bibliography
- Horden, Peregrine; Purcell, Nicholas (2000), The Corrupting Sea: a Study of Mediterranean History, Blackwell
- Purcell, Nicholas (2003). "The way we used to eat: diet, community and history at Rome". S2CID 28712116.
- Purcell, Nicholas (2003). "Becoming historical: the Roman case". In David Braund; Christopher Gill (eds.). Myth, History and Culture in Republican Rome: Studies in Honour of T.P. Wiseman. University of Exeter Press.
- Purcell, Nicholas (2005), "Romans in the Roman world", in K. Galinsky (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Augustus, Cambridge University Press
- Purcell, Nicholas; Horden, Peregrine (2006). "The Mediterranean and "the New Thalassology"". The American Historical Review.
- Purcell, Nicholas (2007), "The horti of Rome and the landscape of property", Res bene gestae: ricerche di storia urbana su Roma antica in onore di Eva Margareta Steinby
- Purcell, Nicholas (2012), "'Romans, Play On!' Rome, city of the Games", The Blackwell Companion to the City of Rome, Blackwell
References
- ^ "Appointment: Camden Professorship of Ancient History". Oxford University Gazette. University of Oxford. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ^ Who's Who 2020. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ "Brasenose welcomes Professor Nicholas Purcell". Brasenose College, Oxford. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ "Past Rostovtzeff Lectures". Yale University. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ a b c "Nicholas Purcell: Visiting Sather Professor of Classical Literature, Spring 2012". University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ "Charles Alexander Robinson Jr. Memorial Lecture Series". Brown University. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ a b c "Prof. Nicholas Purcell MA Oxf, FBA". University of Oxford. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ a b The English Historical Review Vol. 116, No. 468 (Sep. 2001), p. 900
External links
- Mr Nicholas Purcell MA FBA Faculty homepage
- Professor Nicholas Purcell College homepage
- Nicholas Purcell – Quondam Fellow – All Souls College
