Classics
Staff

I took up my position as a lecturer in Ancient History here at Edinburgh in August 2004, with a PhD from Cardiff University. I was appointed Senior Lecturer in 2010.

As a socio-cultural historian I have several key interests: ancient conceptions of gender, women in antiquity, ancient dress, Persia and the ancient Near East, and the reception of antiquity in popular culture. My work on gender in the ancient world includes investigations of clothing, social space, artistic fantasy and social reality, and theatrical performance. I have published a monograph on veils and veiling in the ancient Greek world and I have written several studies on the role of dress in ancient societies. I have recently co-authored a dictionary of Greco-Roman clothing.

I am also interested in the reception of antiquity in popular culture, especially epic films. I have published articles on the Queen of Sheba in cinema, the Cleopatra movies, on the biblical epics of Cecil B. DeMille, and on costume design in historical films. I was the consultant for set and costumes on Oliver Stone’s 2004 movie Alexander. I am currently editing a volume on Ancient History in Popular culture for Blackwells.

Achaemenid Persia

My main research interest, however, lies in the history, culture, and society of Achaemenid Iran and of ancient Greek perceptions of Persia. I have recently co-authored a volume entitled Ctesias' History of Persia: Tales of the Orient for Rutledge - this is a full translation of the 'Persica', with an introduction. Future plans include a monograph on King and Court in Ancient Persia (Edinburgh University Press) and a major study of women and the inner court (the ‘harem’) in Achaemenid Persia and the ancient Near East.

I am the series editor of Edinburgh: Studies in Ancient Persia, for Edinburgh University Press.

In 2011 I am organising an international conference:

Persepolis: 40 Years On - to commemorate the 1971 Persepolis celebrations, and to explore current knowledge and perceptions of Persepolis today.

At Edinburgh I offer courses which encapsulate all of my research interests; I have also organised many student tours to Greece, Egypt and Iran – and future excursions to Iran and the Middle East are planned. For details of our past tours of Iran, click here.

I am pleased to invite postgraduates students to contact me if they are keen to work with me at MSc or PhD levels. I am particular happy to supervise work on Persia, Egypt, ancient dress, Greek & Near Eastern socio-cultural history, Reception Studies.

Reading the poetry of Hafiz at his tomb in Shiraz, April 2010.

Outside interests

In my spare time I enjoy live theatre and live music (especially baroque opera), cinema (classic Hollywood in particular), walking, museums and art galleries, rugby, comedy, and eating out: all pursuits which Edinburgh can supply in abundance. For many years I worked as a theatre director. I am a founding member of Mappa Mundi Theatre Company, and since relocating to Edinburgh I have directed productions of Handel's "Xerxes" and "Semele" as part of the Edinburgh Fringe, and "Acis and Galatea" and "La Clemenza di Tito" for Edinburgh Studio Opera. I enjoy travelling (especially to the Middle East) and I’m currently learning Farsi.

Wy’n dod o Gymru (Penybont ar Ogwr) yn wreiddiol - ac wy’n siarad Cymraeg. In other words, I speak Welsh.

Meeting local schoolboys at Bisitun, April 2010

In full flow: guiding on a tour to Iran, April 2010