Simon Hornblower
Encyclopedia
Simon Hornblower is Professor of Classics and Ancient History in the University of Oxford
and Senior Research Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
.
, where he was a scholar, at Jesus College, Cambridge
, where he took first-class honours in 1969, and at Balliol College, Oxford
, where he took first-class honours in Literae Humaniores
in 1971 (BA
and hence subsequently MA
) and a DPhil
in 1978 with a thesis entitled Maussollos of Karia
.
In 1971 he was elected to a Prize Fellowship of All Souls College
, which he held until 1977. Then from 1978 until 1997, he was University Lecturer in Ancient History in the University of Oxford
and Fellow and Tutor in Classics
at Oriel College, Oxford, including one year, 1994/95, in which he was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study
in Princeton, New Jersey
. He moved to University College London, where in 1998 he was appointed Professor of Classics and Ancient History. In 2006 he was promoted with the title Grote
Professor of Ancient History, retaining the title Professor of Classics.
He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
in 2004.
Hornblower was elected Senior Research Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
, taking up his appointment in Michaelmas Term 2010. At the same time, the Recognition of Distinction Committee
conferred upon him the title Professor of Classics and Ancient History.
and Thucydides
) and the relation between historical texts as literature and as history. He has published an historical and literary commentary on Thucydides
in three volumes (Oxford University Press
, 1991, 1996, 2008). His latest sole-authored book is Thucydides and Pindar
: Historical Narrative and the World of Epinikian Poetry
(Oxford University Press, 2004). He is also co-editor, with Professor Catherine Morgan of King's College London
, of Pindar's
Poetry, Patrons, and Festivals: From Archaic Greece to the Roman Empire (OUP, 2007), a collection of papers by experts on historical, literary, archaeological and anthropological aspects of Pindar and his world.
Since 1979 he has been involved with the Lexicon of Greek Personal Names and co-edited Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence (Oxford University Press, 2000).
In 1996 he co-edited the third and most recent edition of the Oxford Classical Dictionary
.
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and Senior Research Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
.
Biography
Born in 1949, he was educated at Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, where he was a scholar, at Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, where he took first-class honours in 1969, and at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, where he took first-class honours in Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
in 1971 (BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and hence subsequently MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
) and a DPhil
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1978 with a thesis entitled Maussollos of Karia
Mausolus
Mausolus was ruler of Caria . He took part in the revolt against Artaxerxes Mnemon , conquered a great part of Lycia, Ionia and several Greek islands and cooperated with the Rhodians in the Social War against Athens...
.
In 1971 he was elected to a Prize Fellowship of All Souls College
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
, which he held until 1977. Then from 1978 until 1997, he was University Lecturer in Ancient History in the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and Fellow and Tutor in Classics
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
at Oriel College, Oxford, including one year, 1994/95, in which he was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
. He moved to University College London, where in 1998 he was appointed Professor of Classics and Ancient History. In 2006 he was promoted with the title Grote
George Grote
George Grote was an English classical historian, best known in the field for a major work, the voluminous History of Greece, still read.-Early life:He was born at Clay Hill near Beckenham in Kent...
Professor of Ancient History, retaining the title Professor of Classics.
He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
in 2004.
Hornblower was elected Senior Research Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
, taking up his appointment in Michaelmas Term 2010. At the same time, the Recognition of Distinction Committee
Title of Distinction
The University of Oxford introduced Titles of Distinction for senior academics in the 1990s. These are not chairs, which are posts funded by endowment for academics with a distinguished career in British and European universities...
conferred upon him the title Professor of Classics and Ancient History.
Scholarship
His current interest is classical Greek historiography (especially HerodotusHerodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
and Thucydides
Thucydides
Thucydides was a Greek historian and author from Alimos. His History of the Peloponnesian War recounts the 5th century BC war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 BC...
) and the relation between historical texts as literature and as history. He has published an historical and literary commentary on Thucydides
Thucydides
Thucydides was a Greek historian and author from Alimos. His History of the Peloponnesian War recounts the 5th century BC war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 BC...
in three volumes (Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 1991, 1996, 2008). His latest sole-authored book is Thucydides and Pindar
Pindar
Pindar , was an Ancient Greek lyric poet. Of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved. Quintilian described him as "by far the greatest of the nine lyric poets, in virtue of his inspired magnificence, the beauty of his thoughts and figures, the rich...
: Historical Narrative and the World of Epinikian Poetry
Epinikion
The epinikion or epinicion is a genre of occasional poetry also known in English as a victory ode...
(Oxford University Press, 2004). He is also co-editor, with Professor Catherine Morgan of King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, of Pindar's
Pindar
Pindar , was an Ancient Greek lyric poet. Of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved. Quintilian described him as "by far the greatest of the nine lyric poets, in virtue of his inspired magnificence, the beauty of his thoughts and figures, the rich...
Poetry, Patrons, and Festivals: From Archaic Greece to the Roman Empire (OUP, 2007), a collection of papers by experts on historical, literary, archaeological and anthropological aspects of Pindar and his world.
Since 1979 he has been involved with the Lexicon of Greek Personal Names and co-edited Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence (Oxford University Press, 2000).
In 1996 he co-edited the third and most recent edition of the Oxford Classical Dictionary
Oxford Classical Dictionary
-Overview:The Oxford Classical Dictionary is considered to be the standard one-volume encyclopaedia in English of topics relating to the Ancient World and its civilizations. It was first published in 1949, edited by Max Cary with the assistance of H. J. Rose, H. P. Harvey, and A. Souter. A...
.