The Roman Empire has left a wide and fascinating legacy from Britain, across Europe and the Mediterranean and into the Near East and Egypt.  The sites, structures, art, landscapes and materials of Rome have long been core archaeological themes and at Leicester staff and postgraduates are pursuing critical new research on a variety of aspects of Roman control, living and identity, whether in urban, rural, household, military or religious contexts, across many geographical zones.  Major field and research projects are exploring in particular the diversity of Rome, her impacts and legacies, both within the Empire and beyond.

Core Staff

Penelope Allison; Neil Christie; Colin Haselgrove; Simon James; Constantina Katsari; David Mattingly; Sarah Scott; Jeremy Taylor; Marijke van der Veen.

Staff interests and research projects span from Roman Britain to late antique Italy, to coinage and economics, urban and rural landscape evolution, and art and imperialism. Transitions and interactions are particular themes, such as the passage from Iron Age into Roman rule, and the movements of ideas and goods into and out of the Empire. 

Key Research Projects

• Desert Migrations Project
• City and military at Dura Europos (Syria)
• Identity and culture in the Roman military
• Roman to medieval foodways
• From Hallaton to Ratae: Rome in the East Midlands

Publication Highlights

Allison P. (2006) The Insula of the Menander in Pompeii III: The finds, a contextual study. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Christie N. (2006) From Constantine to Charlemagne: An Archaeology of Italy, AD 300-800. Aldershot: Ashgate.

Haselgrove C. (ed) (2009) The Traprain Law Environs Project: Excavations and Fieldwork 2000–2004. Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Monograph.

James S. (2004) Excavations at Dura-Europos, Final Report VII, the Arms and Armour, and other Military Equipment. British Museum Press: London.

Katsari C. (2010) The Roman Monetary System. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Mattingly D. (2006) An Imperial Possession. Britain in the Roman Empire. Penguin History of Britain: London.

Scott S and Webster J. eds. (2003) Roman Imperialism and Provincial Art. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Taylor J. (2007) An Atlas of Roman Rural Settlement in England. London: CBA Research Report 151.

Van der Veen M. (2010) Consumption, Trade and Innovation: Exploring the Botanical Remains from the Roman and Islamic Ports at Quseir al-Qadim, Egypt. Frankfurt: Africa Magna Verlag.

Van der Veen, M., Livarda, A. and Hill, A. (2007) The archaeobotany of Roman Britain – current state and identification of research priorities. Britannia 38: 181-210.

Exploring Roman Archaeology at Postgraduate level

Roman archaeology and history are central to our postgraduate teaching and there are two dedicated Masters programmes: MA Rome and Its Neighbours and MA in The Classical Mediterranean; their wide-ranging content reflect the full spectrum of staff expertise and draw on current research, theory and new material finds; both MA programmes attract students from far afield, including Canada and the US. Our expertise enable us to supervise an array of Roman-related topics. PhDs on Roman themes can be undertaken campus-based and by distance learning.  Former Roman PhD students of the School include Drs Jen Baird (now lecturer at Birkbeck), Rob Witcher (Durham) and Paul Newson (Beirut). Recently completed PhD theses include studies on Vici and Forts along Hadrian’s Wall (Robin Birley); Late Roman to Byzantine Sicily: Settlement, Church and Economy (Denis Sami). Current students are exploring topics such as Roman-German Interactions on the Lower Rhine (Sergio Gonzalez Sanchez), and The Decline of Towns in Late Roman Britain (Gavin Speed).         

Our Phd students come from across the UK and Europe, and include also students from Libya as well as the US and Canada. 

Postgraduate Study

Postgraduate Research Pages