Michael is Pro-Vice-Chancellor for International affairs and a Professor in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick; He is also a National Teaching Fellow and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy; Fellow of the Royal Historical Society; Honorary Citizen of Delphi, Greece; President of the Lytham Saint Annes Classical Association; Trustee and Director of Classics for All; and member of the Latin Excellence Project Expert Group, appointed by the Minister at the Department for Education, UK.

He was formally the inaugural Director of the Warwick Institute of Engagement and Director of Warwick Classics Network at the University of Warwick; as well as a member of The Royal Society Public Engagement Committee.

He is also the author of several books on the ancient Mediterranean world as well as ancient Global History; and has written and presented a range of TV and Radio documentaries for National Geographic, History Channel, ITV and the BBC.

Working with...

University of Warwick

University of Warwick: I work at the university as a Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History.

Lytham Saint Annes Classical Association

I act as President for the Lytham Saint Annes Classical Association, which has become the largest branch of the Classical Association in the country.

 

International Strategy and Relations Team

I will be working as part of the International Strategy and Relations Team in my role as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International)

British School at Athens

The British School at Athens (BSA) is my home away from home when in Greece: a research institute for all those in UK universities interested in Greece from ancient to modern times.

Higher Education Academy

I have been accredited as a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in recognition of teaching excellence.

As an NTF, I work with the Association of National Teaching Fellows in order to enhance and embed the impact of National Teaching Fellows in promoting excellence in teaching and learning.

Royal Historical Society

In 2019 I was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in recognition of my academic work and championing of the ancient world.

Classics for All

In May 2019 I was named a Trustee and Director of Classics for All, the charity dedicated to the support of classics teaching in state primary and secondary schools

NCCPE

Michael is working with the National Co-ordinating Centre of Public Engagement

Latin Excellence Programme

I am a member of the Latin Excellence Project Expert Group, appointed by the Minister at the Department for Education, UK

Overview


Michael is Pro-Vice-Chancellor for International Affairs and Professor in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick.

His research and teaching focuses on aspects of ancient Greek and Roman society, as well as ancient Global History. In 2017-8 Michael held a Leverhulme Research Fellowship to work on an ancient global history research project looking at the movement of luxury goods between the Mediterranean and China in antiquity. He is a National Teaching Fellow (the UK’s most prestigious award for teaching in Higher Education); Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy; winner of the Warwick Award for Teaching Excellence and Foundation Fellow of the Warwick Higher Education Academy. In 2015, Michael was also made an honorary Citizenship of Delphi, Greece – Επίτιμος Δημότης Δελφών – in recognition of his work related to the sanctuary of Delphi; and in 2019 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Michael is also well known for his public engagement and outreach work as a speaker and broadcaster and was awarded the 2021 Classical Association Prize, given each year to the individual who has done the most to raise the profile of Classics in the public eye. He is President of the Lytham Saint Annes Classical Association, the largest branch in the UK, and is a Trustee and Director of the charity Classics for All (click here to read Michael's blog about how Classics has something for everyone). He has written and presented a range of TV and Radio programmes for National Geographic, History Channel, Nova, BBC & ITV including Delphi: bellybutton of the ancient world (BBC4); Guilty Pleasures: luxury in the ancient and medieval worlds (BBC4); Jesus: rise to power (Nat Geo); Ancient Discoveries (History Channel); Who were the Greeks? (BBC2); The Mystery of the X Tombs (BBC2/Nova); The Greatest Show on Earth (BBC4, in conjunction with the Open University); Roman Britain from the Air (ITV); Rome’s Invisible City (BBC1), Invisible Cities (BBC1); Sicily: Wonder of the Mediterranean (BBC2) and Ancient Invisible Cities (BBC2). He has also presented a radio series for BBC Radio 4, ‘Spin the Globe’, written for national and international newspapers and magazines, lectured to schools and groups in the UK and Europe, and has taught in the UK, Europe, US and Brazil. In 2019, he was re-created as a Lego figure in honour of his contribution to Classics (click here to read about this in Michael's blog), and in 2022, was named International Lego Classicist of the Year (click here to find out more).

Michael's full CV is available to download here. A brief overview of some of his more recent activities is listed below.

Employment


2023- present - Pro-Vice Chancellor (International), University of Warwick
2020- 2023 - Director of the Warwick Institute of Engagement [WIE], University of Warwick.
2018-present – Professor of Classics and Ancient History, University of Warwick.
2014-2018 – Associate Professor in Classics and Ancient History, University of Warwick.
2012-2014 – Assistant Professor in Classics and Ancient History, University of Warwick.
2011-14 – Stipendiary Research Associate, Darwin College, University of Cambridge.
2010-13 – Affiliated Lecturer, Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge.
2007-11 – Moses and Mary Finley Research Fellow in Ancient History, Darwin College, Cambridge.

Academic Papers


2022 - Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge: Research Seminar
2022 - International Conference on The Experience of Ancient Festivals, University of Warwick: ''Group Think' and the Panathenaic Festival'
2020 - British School at Athens Virtual Lecture “The View from the Aegean: Greek perspectives on a global ancient world”
2019 - New York New School Unknowability Conference 'Unknowability in History' You can read the article here.
2019- Professorial inaugural Lecture 'This is Sparta: the ancient world then and now'
2018- Faculty of Classics, University of Oxford: Research Seminar
2018- Institute for the History of Ancient Civilisations, Northeastern Normal University, Changchun, China: Visiting Lecturer
2018 – Stanford University, USA. Guest Lecturer
2018 – Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Guest Lecturer
2017 – Aarhus University, Denmark. Research Seminar Series. Invited Speaker

Teaching


2019 - Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
2017 - National Teaching Fellow (HEA accreditation)
2016 - Winner of Warwick Award in Teaching Excellence (WATE)
2016 - Accredited as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in respect of Teaching Excellence

Research Grants


2017-2018 - Leverhulme Research Fellowship:"The meaning and impact of luxuries across the ancient world 100 BCE-300CE." For more information on the project and its aims, please click here.

Skills and Experience


2023 - Member of the Latin Excellence Programme Expert Group, Department of Education, UK (Ministerial Appointment)
2022 - The Royal Society Public Engagement committee
2021 - Classical Association Prize
2020 - Director of Warwick Institute of Engagement
2019-22 - Global Research Priorities Connecting Cultures Co-Lead, University of Warwick
2019 - Trustee and Director of Classics for All
2019 - Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
2018 - Director of Undergraduate Studies, Senior Tutor and Impact Officer, Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Warwick
2017-present - Warwick Classics Network Widening Participation project lead
2014 - present - President of Lytham St Annes Classical Association


Download the complete version of my CV: Download full CV