Staff in Classics
Dr Sandra Bingham
PhD, FSA Scot
Senior Teaching Fellow; Classics
- Tel: +44 (0)131 650 6689
- Email: S.Bingham@ed.ac.uk
- Room 1.17, William Robertson Wing, Old Medical School, Teviot Place
Roles
- Classics Curriculum Officer
- Undergraduate Senior Tutor
Biography
My seduction into Classics came in the first year of university in Canada when I took a Classical Literature course as an option. I was instantly hooked! Although both my undergraduate and masters degrees are in Greek, and specifically in tragedy, I was enticed into Roman History in the first year of my PhD by Professor A.A. Barrett when he came into our Suetonius class one day and threw down a stack of photos; we then spent an hour trying to decide which were of Caligula, given our knowledge of the sources (for the answers, see his book on Caligula). I never looked back, though I do get wistful whenever I read Agamemnon.
Working at Kenchreai (Greece)
My research interests are varied, but remain rooted in Roman imperial history. My interest in the praetorian guard has led me along many different paths and continues to be my main focus. My other love is the Severans, especially the maligned Caracalla. I also dabble in archaeology, having worked in both Carthage and Greece; a book on the rediscovery of Carthage is in preparation. Recently I have become fascinated with espionage in antiquity, though I also am working on Roman imperial women – not that the two are unconnected! – and I hope to pursue these in future publications. The only problem, of course, is finding time to fit all this in, and still enjoy life in Edinburgh – a fabulous city to explore!
Summary of research interests
Places:- Europe
- Mediterranean
- Ancient Civilisations
- Imperialism
- Language & Literature
- Material Culture
- Antiquity
Research interests
My research currently focuses on several aspects of Roman imperial history, in particular the praetorian guard, Roman imperial women, ancient Carthage and the Severans.
The Roman Forum
Undergraduate teaching
Detail of Arch at Orange
- Latin 1A
- Latin 1B
- Roman World 1B
- Ancient History 2A
- Honours option: Archaic Athens
- Honours option: Custodians of Empire: the Praetorian Guard
- Honours option: Empresses and Others: the Women of Imperial Rome
- Honours option: Monsters, Murder and Mayhem: Biography in the Ancient World
- Honours option: The City of Carthage: from Dido to the Arab Conquest
- Honours option: The Severans
Current Students:
| Name | Degree | Thesis topic | Supervision type | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imrie, Alex | PhD | Roman Numismatics | Primary | |
| Oliver, Devin | PhD | Generalship Plutarch's lives | Secondary |
Past Students:
| Name | Degree | Thesis topic | Supervision type | Completion year | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imrie, Alex | MScR | Roman Numismatics | Primary | 2011 |
Books - Authored
Bingham, S. (2013) The Praetorian Guard A History of Rome's Elite Special Forces. Baylor University Press: Waco
Bingham, S. (2012) The Praetorian Guard: A History of Rome’s Special Elite Forces. London: I.B. Tauris
Articles
Bingham, S. (2006) A brave new world? The ship-in-circus coins of Septimius Severus revisited. Ancient History Bulletin, 20, pp. 51-60
Bingham, S. (2003) Life on an island. A brief study of places of exile in the first century AD. Studies in Latin Literature and Roman History, XII, pp. 376-400
Bingham, S. (1999) Security at the games in the early imperial period. EMC/CV, 43, pp. 369-380