Roger Bagnall
Professor Emeritus
Classics (Emeritus)
E-mail: rsb1@columbia.edu
Roger Bagnall is a papyrologist and a historian of the Hellenistic, Roman, and late antique eastern Mediterranean, specializing in Graeco-Roman Egypt. He was educated at Yale and the University of Toronto and came to Columbia in 1974 as an assistant professor. His appointment is shared equally between the Classics and History departments, and his course offerings span the two departments. He served as Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences from 1989 to 1993 and from 1994 to 2000 as chair of the Department of Classics. He is also curator of the papyrus collection in the Columbia University Libraries.
Bagnall's publications include both historical studies and many editions of Greek papyri and ostraka. The most consistent area of principal interest has been the social, economic, and administrative history of Egypt in late antiquity. Current projects include Columbia's excavation and archaeological field school at Amheida in the Dakheleh Oasis of Egypt, a book on everyday writing in the Graeco-Roman East (arising from his Sather Lectures at Berkeley in fall 2005), and an archive of papyri from the funeral workers of the Kharga Oasis.
Curriculum vitae and list of publications
Regarding Letters of Recommendation
Every year I write a considerable number of letters of recommendation for graduate school, fellowships, and professional positions. Because the work of preparing and sending these letters tends to be highly seasonal, I have established the following policies for those requesting such letters.
1. For a new letter, that is, any letter that is not simply a matter of minor revisions or customization to an existing letter, three weeks’ advance notice before the postmark deadline is required. For sending a copy of an existing letter with minor changes, two weeks’ notice is required. It is a good idea to check with me earlier, however, because travel can affect these periods.
2. Requests should include all relevant materials that I will need to write the letter, as well as any forms provided by the institution or organization to which the letter is to be sent. The nature of these materials will vary case by case, but a current curriculum vitae should always be included. Letters to be submitted by post rather than electronically should have a stamped, addressed envelope included. Deadlines should be stated clearly.
3. Except in case of impossibility, please provide copies of project descriptions, curricula vitae, cover letters, writing samples, and other materials in printed form, not electronically.
4. I do not write new letters of recommendation during January-March, when I am in Egypt. Existing letters can be sent only electronically during this period. I cannot send letters when I am traveling at other times.