Department of Classics and Archaeology

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Doug Lee

Emeritus Professor of Ancient History,

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Biography

I am originally from Sydney, Australia, where I did my undergraduate studies at the University of Sydney. After a couple of years as a secondary school teacher, I came to the UK to do my doctorate at Cambridge. I subsequently held a Research Fellowship at Trinity College, Cambridge, and have also taught at the University of Auckland and the University of Wales, Lampeter.

After 18 years at Nottingham, I took early retirement in September 2020. I am now an Emeritus Professor, and am continuing to work on a number of writing projects relating to warfare in Late Antiquity.

Expertise Summary

The history of Late Antiquity, especially warfare , diplomacy and religious life.

Warfare throughout Roman history.

Teaching Summary

PhD Supervision

In recent years I have been principal supervisor of a thesis on gifts of clothing in late antique literature, another thesis on memory sanctions in the Constantinian period, a third on late Roman military logistics and most recently theses on the role of oaths in Late Antiquity and on the rhetoric of barbarism in the early Theodosian period. I have also been co-supervisor of a thesis on health and healing in Roman Egypt, and second supervisor of a thesis on female suicide in Roman literature.

Research Summary

My research interests lie primarily in the period of late antiquity - that is, the Roman world from the early third to the early seventh century AD. Within those centuries, I have particular… read more

Recent Publications

  • LEE, D., 2020. 'Roman warfare and military violence in late antiquity'. In: DWYER, P., ed., The Cambridge World History of Violence Vol.1. Cambridge University Press. 257-76
  • LEE, D., 2020. 'A professional Roman army?'. In: HARRIS, E., LEWIS, D., & STEWART, E., ed., Skilled Labour and Professionalism in Ancient Greece and Rome CUP. 362-82
  • LEE, A.D., 2020. Warfare in the Roman World Cambridge University Press.
  • LEE, D., 2019. 'Food supply and military mutiny in the late Roman empire' Journal of Late Antiquity. 12(2), 277-97

Current Research

My research interests lie primarily in the period of late antiquity - that is, the Roman world from the early third to the early seventh century AD. Within those centuries, I have particular interests in diplomacy and international relations, warfare, and religious life. These interests are reflected in my first three books, which dealt respectively with the role of information in late Roman foreign relations, pagan-Christian relations in late antiquity, and the social history of warfare in late antiquity.

My fourth book (which appeared in 2013) was a more general history - the eighth and final volume of the Edinburgh History of Ancient Rome, covering the period from 363 to 565. In 2016 I also published a new edition of my sourcebook Pagans and Christians in Late Antiquity, updated to take account of new publications since 2000, with the addition of some new material on aspects such as pagan monotheism and church controversies. Most recently, I have returned to my interests in the social history of warfare, but this time ranging more widely across Roman history from the Republic to Late Antiquity, in a volume on warfare in the Roman world for Cambridge University Press's Key Themes in Ancient History series. This was published in 2020. My next significant project is to write a substantial chapter on military power and violence as power in Late Antiquity for OUP's multi-volume Oxford History of the Roman World.

  • LEE, D., 2020. 'Roman warfare and military violence in late antiquity'. In: DWYER, P., ed., The Cambridge World History of Violence Vol.1. Cambridge University Press. 257-76
  • LEE, D., 2020. 'A professional Roman army?'. In: HARRIS, E., LEWIS, D., & STEWART, E., ed., Skilled Labour and Professionalism in Ancient Greece and Rome CUP. 362-82
  • LEE, A.D., 2020. Warfare in the Roman World Cambridge University Press.
  • LEE, D., 2019. 'Food supply and military mutiny in the late Roman empire' Journal of Late Antiquity. 12(2), 277-97
  • LEE, A.D., 2016. Pagans and Christians in Late Antiquity: A Sourcebook 2nd edition. Routledge.
  • LEE, D., 2015. Emperors and generals in the Fourth Century. In: WIENAND, J., ed., Contested Monarchy: Integrating the Roman Empire in the Fourth Century AD Oxford UP. 100-18
  • LEE, A.D., 2015. Review of M. McEvoy, Child Emperor Rule in the Late Roman West Journal of Roman Studies. 105, 467-8
  • LEE, A.D., 2013. Theodosius and his generals. In: KELLY, C., ed., Theodosius II: rethinking the Roman Empire in late antiquity Cambridge University Press. 90-108
  • LEE, A.D., 2013. What difference did Christianity make?. In: ERDKAMP, P., ed., The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Rome Cambridge UP. 522-538 (In Press.)
  • LEE, A.D., 2013. Roman warfare with Sasanian Persia. In: CAMPBELL, B. and TRITLE, L.A., eds., The Oxford handbook of warfare in the classical world Oxford University Press. 708-725
  • LEE, A.D., 2011. Military history in late antiquity: Changing perspectives and paradigms. In: BRICE, L.L and & ROBERTS, J.L., eds., Recent Directions in the Military History of the Ancient World Claremont, CA: Regina Books. 145-166
  • LEE, A.D., 2009. Abduction and assassination: the clandestine face of Roman diplomacy in late antiquity International History Review. 31(1), 1-23
  • LEE, A.D., 2008. Diplomacy between Rome and the barbarians. In: AILLAGON, J.-J, ROBERTO, U and & RIVIERE, Y., eds., Rome and the Barbarians: The Birth of a New World Skira. 202-203
  • LEE, A.D., 2008. Treaty-making in late antiquity. In: DE SOUZA, P and & FRANCE, J., eds., War and Peace in Ancient and Medieval History Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 107-119
  • LEE, A.D., 2008. Review of D. Potter (ed.), Companion to the Roman Empire Classical Review. 58, 219-221
  • LEE, A.D., 2007. Warfare and the state. In: SABIN, P., VAN WEES, H. and WHITBY, M., eds., The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare Vol.2: Rome from the Late Republic to the Late Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 379-423
  • LEE, A.D., 2007. War in Late Antiquity: A Social History Oxford: Blackwell.
  • LEE, A.D., 2007. Episcopal power and perils in the late sixth century: the case of Gregory of Antioch. In: DRINKWATER, J. and SALWAY, B., eds., Wolf Liebeschuetz Reflected: Essays by colleagues, friends and pupils London: Institute of Classical Studies. 99-106
  • LEE, A.D., 2007. Review of L. Ellis & F.L. Kidner (eds), Travel, Communication and Geography in Late Antiquity Antiquité Tardive. 15, 372-374
  • LEE, A.D., 2007. Review of R. Ling, Pompeii - History, Life and Afterlife Britannia. 37, 393-394
  • LEE, A.D., 2006. Traditional religions. In: LENSKI, N., ed., The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 159-79
  • LEE, A.D., 2005. The empire at war. In: MAAS, M., ed., The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Justinian Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 113-33
  • LEE, A.D., 2004. John Bagnell Bury. In: TODD, R.B., ed., Dictionary of British Classicists Bristol: Thoemmes. 132-135
  • LEE, A.D., 2004. Arnold Hugh Martin Jones. In: TODD, R.B., ed., Dictionary of British Classicists Bristol: Thoemmes. 522-524
  • LEE, A.D., 2003. Review of P. MacGeorge, Late Roman Warlords Nottingham Medieval Studies. 47, 236-238
  • LEE, A.D., 2002. Naval intelligence in late antiquity. In: ANDREAU, J. and VIRLOUVET, C., eds., L'Information et la mer dans le monde antique Rome: École française de Rome. 93-112
  • LEE, A.D., 2002. Decoding Late Roman Law (Review article of J. Harries, Law and Empire in Late Antiquity; T. Honore, Law in the Crisis of Empire, 379-455 AD: the Theodosian Dynasty and its Quaestors; J. F. Matthews, Laying down the Law: a Study of the Theodosian Code) Journal of Roman Studies. VOL 92, 185-209
  • LEE, A.D., 2002. Review of R. Valantasis (ed.), Religions of Late Antiquity in Practice Classical Review. 52, 384-385
  • LEE, A.D., 2002. Review of F.S. Russell, Information Gathering in Classical Greece American Historical Review. VOL 107(PART 3), 918
  • LEE, A.D., 2001. Review of W. Treadgold, Byzantium and its Army, 284-1081 War in History. VOL 8(PART 3), 348-349
  • LEE, A.D., 2001. Review of D. Frankfurter, Religion in Roman Egypt Classical Review. 51, 74-76
  • LEE, A.D., BARNISH, S. and WHITBY, M., 2000. Government and Administration. In: CAMERON, A., WARD-PERKINS, B. and WHITBY, M., eds., Cambridge Ancient History vol.XIV (AD 425-600) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 164-206
  • LEE, A.D., 2000. Pagans and Christians in Late Antiquity : A Sourcebook London: Routledge.
  • LEE, A.D., 2000. The Eastern Empire: Theodosius II to Anastasius. In: CAMERON, A., WARD-PERKINS, B. and WHITBY, M., eds., The Cambridge Ancient History vol.XIV (AD 425-600) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 33-62
  • LEE, A.D., 1999. Entries on 'Diplomacy' and 'Espionage'. In: BOWERSOCK, G., BROWN, P. and GRABAR, O., eds., Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap. 411-12/430
  • LEE, A.D., 1999. Review of D.L. Kennedy (ed.), The Roman Army in the East Bryn Mawr Classical Review. 10, [electronic]
  • LEE, A.D., 1999. Review of A.B. Bosworth, Alexander and the East Classical Review. 49, 165-166
  • LEE, A.D., 1998. The Army. In: CAMERON, A. and GARNSEY, P., eds., The Cambridge Ancient History vol.XIII (AD 337-425) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 211-237
  • LEE, A.D., 1997. Review of H. Elton, Frontiers of the Roman Empire Classical Review. 47, 361-362
  • LEE, A.D., 1996. Morale and the Roman experience of battle. In: LLOYD, A.B., ed., Battle in Antiquity London: Gerald Duckworth. 199-217
  • LEE, A.D., 1996. Review of C.E.V. Nixon & B.S. Rodgers, In Praise of Later Roman Emperors: The Panegyrici Latini Classicum. 22, 21-23
  • LEE, A.D., 1995. Review of R. Saller, Patriarchy, Property and Death in the Roman Family Bryn Mawr Classical Review. 6, 719-23
  • LEE, A.D., 1994. Review of J.K. Evans, War, Women and Children in Ancient Rome Classical World. 87, 240
  • LEE, A.D., 1993. Information and Frontiers: Roman Foreign Relations in Late Antiquity Cambridge University Press.
  • LEE, A.D., 1993. Evagrius, Paul of Nisibis and the problem of loyalties in the mid-sixth century Journal of Ecclesiastical History. 44, 569-85
  • LEE, A.D. and SHEPARD, J.E.B., 1991. A double life: Placing the 'Peri presbeon' Byzantinoslavica. 52, 15-39
  • LEE, A.D., 1991. The role of hostages in Roman relations with Sasanian Persia Historia. 40, 366-74
  • LEE, A.D., 1989. Syme and late Roman studies Prudentia. 21, 70-72
  • LEE, A.D., 1989. Campaign preparations in late Roman-Persian warfare. In: D.H. FRENCH, C.S. LIGHTFOOT, ed., The Eastern Frontier of the Roman Empire Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. 257-65
  • LEE, A.D., 1989. Procopius, Justinian and the kataskopoi Classical Quarterly. 39, 569-72
  • LEE, A.D., 1988. Close-kin marriage in late antique Mesopotamia Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies. 29, 403-13
  • LEE, A.D., 1987. Dating a fifth-century Persian war in Theodoret Byzantion. 57, 187-90
  • LEE, A.D., 1986. Embassies as evidence for the movement of military intelligence between the Roman and Sasanian empires. In: P. FREEMAN, D. KENNEDY, ed., The Defence of the Roman and Byzantine East Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. 455-61

Department of Classics and Archaeology

University of Nottingham
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Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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