James Frank Gilliam

James Frank Gilliam (born March 14, 1915 in Seattle , † March 16, 1990 in Princeton , New Jersey ) was an American ancient historian and classical philologist .

Life

James Frank Gilliam studied at San Jose State College ( BA 1935) and at Stanford University ( MA 1936). He then went to Yale University , where he worked closely with the ancient historian Michael Rostovtzeff . After completing his doctorate in 1940, he worked there as an instructor in Classics , interrupted by his assignment in World War II from 1941 to 1945.

In 1947 Gilliam went to Wells College in Aurora (New York) as an assistant professor . In 1949 he moved to the University of Iowa , where he was promoted to Professor of History and Classics . After a year as Professor of History at the University of Oregon (1961-1962) he became a professor of Greek and Latin at the Columbia University . He finally found his place of work in Princeton in 1965 , where he was appointed Professor of Classics and History at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) . He had already been a member of the IAS in 1958/1959 and 1963/1964 .

From 1970 on, Gilliam worked part-time at Columbia University: until 1981 as curator of the papyrus collection, until 1985 as adjunct professor . From 1972 to 1975 he was visiting professor at Princeton University . In 1978/1979 he taught as a Sather Professor at the University of California, Berkeley .

Services

As a student of Rostovtzeff, Gilliam focused his research on papyrology and Roman military history . Based on the finds from Dura Europos , where Rostovtzeff had led the excavations in the 20s and 30s, Gilliam dealt with inscription and papyrological documents of Roman military history in the eastern provinces. He presented his research results in numerous essays in which he dealt with almost all aspects of the complex Roman military history. His mastery of the subject enabled him to design a comprehensive representation in monographic form. He promised such a work several times, but it never came about.

literature

• Charles Rowan Beye: Gilliam, James Franklin . In: Ward W. Briggs (Ed.): Biographical Dictionary of North American Classicists . Greenwood Press, Westport, CT / London 1994, ISBN 0-313-24560-6 , pp. 219-221.
• James Frank Gilliam: Roman Army Papers . Amsterdam 1986 (Mavors Roman Army Researches). ISBN 9-070-26528-1

Web links

• Entry on James Frank Gilliam in the Database of Classical Scholars (English)