The World of Achaemenid Persia by John E. Curtis

I am a regular reviewer for The Times and Times Higher Education.ĭocumentary on Persepolis (including interviews with myself) I have worked with the BBC, Channel 4 and the History Channel and even with Hollywood production companies as historical advisor. I travel frequently to Iran and the Middle East, often leading cultural and historical tours. I'm thrilled to be bringing the study and teaching of Iranian history to Cardiff and to add this important discipline to SHARE's impressive research portfolio. Recent publications have included Ctesias' History of Persia: Tales of the Orient and King and Court in Ancient Persia. For the last decade, however, I have expanded my research into the study of ancient Persia, especially the history and culture of the Achaemenid period (559-331 BCE) and I am fortunate to be one of only a few scholars world-wide to work on pre-Islamic Iran. My book Aphrodite's Tortoise: the veiled woman of ancient Greece has won much critical acclaim. My research interests include ancient Greek socio-cultural history, especially women's history and gender-issues, dress, and visual culture.

I took up the Chair of Ancient History at Cardiff University in February 2016.

Following a Research Fellowship at the Open University and a lectureship at Exeter, I joined the Classics department at the University of Edinburgh in 2004 and in 2015 I became Professor of Ancient Greek and Iranian Studies. I read Drama at the University of Hull (1985-1988), followed by a Masters (1996-1997) and a PhD (1997-2000) in Ancient History at Cardiff University. I was born in Bridgend, raised in Cefn Cribwr, and attended Cynffig Comprehensive School. I am available for Phd supervision for all of these subjects. Reception of history in the arts and popular culture, especially Hollywood cinema.Cross cultural and cross temporal comparatives.Shahnameh and strytelling traditions in Iran.Persian and Greek encounters in the Archaic and Classical Periods.

Ancient Iran, especially the Achaemenid period (559-331 BCE).

I'm best known for my work in the fields of Ancient History and Persian Studies and I've spent extensive time in Iran, where my books have received Farsi translations.įuture publications include Persians: the Age of the Great Kings, for Wildfire Books. Media appearences: BBC, Channel 4, Radio 4 Regular contrinutor to: BBC History Magazine, History Today and World History Series Editor - Edinburgh Studies in Ancient Persia. Chair in Ancient History at Cardiff Universityĭirector of the Ancient Iran Program for the British Institute of Persian Studies.

The World of Achaemenid Persia by John E. Curtis