Douglas Boin, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of History
Courses Taught
Prof. Boin teaches undergraduate courses in all areas of the ancient Mediterranean world, from introductory classes on the Rise of Christianity in the Ancient Mediterranean to upper-division courses and seminars on the Roman Empire, Late Antiquity, The World of St. Augustine, and Mystery Religions in Antiquity. At the graduate level, he teaches courses on Greek and Roman history and the history of cities in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages.
Education
B.A., Georgetown University
M.A., University of Texas at Austin
Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
Research Interests
Author, translator and essayist, Douglas Boin is a professor of history at Saint Louis
University. An internationally recognized authority on the history of the Mediterranean
world, he is the author, most recently, of Alaric the Goth: An Outsider鈥檚 History of the Fall of Rome (Norton), which was translated into multiple languages and named a "Best Book of 2020"
by The Economist. His research is concerned with recovering history鈥檚 silences, correcting its distortions,
and addressing its omissions. He teaches courses about how to find evidence to document
overlooked experiences, how to use story-driven research to present encounters with
difference, and about unusual or misunderstood aspects of culture and society in Ancient
Rome, like the rise of Christianity and the history of the Goths.
Italy, the subject of his articles and four books, continues to be the site of his
ongoing work, where he directs the Spello Project, an archaeological investigation
to document missing chapters in the history of the Umbrian town. His essays and media
appearances at Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post and NPR reflect on why
the ancient world鈥檚 peoples, languages, politics, religions, and beliefs still matter.
Publications and Media Placements
2020. Alaric the Goth: An Outsider's History of the Fall of Rome. New York: W.W. Norton
Articles and Translations
2023. 鈥淭wo Approaches to Equality, Inequality, and Justice in the Ancient World.鈥� In Divided Worlds: Challenges in Classics and New Testament Studies. Edited by C. Hodge, T. Joseph, and B. Liew (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature Press), 329鈥�36.
2020a. 鈥淓mperor Julian, An Appropriated Word, and a Different View of Fourth-Century 鈥楲ived Religion.鈥欌�� In Lived Religion in the Ancient World: Approaching Religious Transformations from Archaeology, History, and Classics, edited by Edited by V. Gasparini, M. Patzelt, R. Raja, A-K. Rieger, J. R眉pke, and E. Urciuoli (Berlin: De Gruyter), 517鈥�30.
Edited Volumes
2022. The Social Worlds of Ancient Jews and Christians: Essays in Honor of L. Michael White. Edited by J. Gunderson, T. Keddie, and D. Boin. Boston: Brill.
2023. Review of Urban Developments in Late Antique and Medieval Rome: Revisiting the Narrative of Renewal. Edited by Gregor Kalas and Ann van Dijk for the Catholic Historical Review.
2022a. 鈥淐lassical Dinosaur.鈥� Review of Crassus: The First Tycoon (Yale University Press) by P. Stothard. For History Today, December edition.
2022b. 鈥淩ome, Zombie City.鈥� Review of The Eternal Decline and Fall of Rome (Oxford University Press) by E. Watts. For History Today, March edition.
2020a. 鈥淎round the Other Pond.鈥� Review of Empire of the Black Sea: The Rise and Fall of the Mithridatic Kingdom (Oxford University Press) by D. Roller. For History Today, August edition.
2020b. Four New Books on Early Christianity and the Greco-Roman World: A Review of J. Harrison and L. Welborn, eds., The First Urban Churches: Vol. 1, Methodological Foundations (2015); Vol. 2, Roman Corinth (2016); Vol. 3., Ephesos (2018a); and Vol. 4, Roman Philippi.鈥� Journal of Roman Studies 110: 367鈥�70. 2023. Review of Urban Developments in Late Antique and Medieval Rome: Revisiting the Narrative of Renewal. Edited by Gregor Kalas and Ann van Dijk for the Catholic Historical Review.
2019. Review of A Century of Miracles: Christians, Pagans, Jews, and the Supernatural, 312-410 by H. Drake. For The American Historical Review.
2018a. Review of Destroyer of the Gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World by L. Hurtado. For the Catholic Historical Review.
2018b. Review of Late Ancient Knowing: Explorations in Intellectual History, edited by C. Chin and M. Vidas. For the Journal of Roman Studies.
2018c. 鈥淪aints, Emperors, and the Triumph of Christianity.鈥� A Review of The Triumph of Christianity by B. Ehrman. For The Wall Street Journal, February 14, 2018.
Honors and Awards
2020-21. Beaumont Research Award, 鈥淣ew Research on the Urban and Religious Transformation of Ancient Roman Hispellum (Spello, Italy),鈥� 天美传媒制片厂
2017 Summer Humanities Research Award, 天美传媒制片厂