Lionel Michael Whitby (born February 1952) is a British ancient historian of Late Antiquity. He specialises in late Roman and early Byzantine history and historiography. He is currently pro-vice-chancellor and head of the College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham.
Whitby was born in February 1952, [1] to Joan and Gordon Whitby, a physician and biochemist. [2] He read Literae Humaniores at Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford. [3] He then spent three years working as a civil servant in the Scottish Office. He returned to Oxford to conduct postgraduate study in Byzantine history. [4] He completed his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree in 1981 with a doctoral thesis titled "The Historiae of Theophylact Simocatta". [5]
Whitby held a junior research fellowship at Merton College, Oxford. [6] In 1987, he joined the Ancient History department at the University of St Andrews. He became head of department in 1993 and received a personal chair in 1995 as Professor of Ancient History. [4]
He was Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick, [7] having joined the Department of Classics and Ancient History in 1996. [8] He also served as pro-vice-chancellor 'Teaching, Learning and Quality' from 2003, [9] and then 'Academic Planning and Resources'. [3]
On 1 September 2010, he became pro-vice-chancellor and head of College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham. [3]
In 2007, Whitby was awarded a Doctor of Letters (DLitt) honorary degree by the University of Warwick. [10] He received one of the 2009 Distinguished Book Awards from the Society for Military History for The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare. [11]
Lionel Michael Whitby (born February 1952) is a British ancient historian of Late Antiquity. He specialises in late Roman and early Byzantine history and historiography. He is currently pro-vice-chancellor and head of the College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham.
Whitby was born in February 1952, [1] to Joan and Gordon Whitby, a physician and biochemist. [2] He read Literae Humaniores at Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford. [3] He then spent three years working as a civil servant in the Scottish Office. He returned to Oxford to conduct postgraduate study in Byzantine history. [4] He completed his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree in 1981 with a doctoral thesis titled "The Historiae of Theophylact Simocatta". [5]
Whitby held a junior research fellowship at Merton College, Oxford. [6] In 1987, he joined the Ancient History department at the University of St Andrews. He became head of department in 1993 and received a personal chair in 1995 as Professor of Ancient History. [4]
He was Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick, [7] having joined the Department of Classics and Ancient History in 1996. [8] He also served as pro-vice-chancellor 'Teaching, Learning and Quality' from 2003, [9] and then 'Academic Planning and Resources'. [3]
On 1 September 2010, he became pro-vice-chancellor and head of College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham. [3]
In 2007, Whitby was awarded a Doctor of Letters (DLitt) honorary degree by the University of Warwick. [10] He received one of the 2009 Distinguished Book Awards from the Society for Military History for The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare. [11]