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Associate Professor Tom Stevenson

Associate Professor

School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
t.stevenson@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 53143

Overview

Dr Tom Stevenson’s research interests include Roman politics and political ideology of the late Republic and early Empire, the careers of Cicero and Caesar, and representations of the ancient world in historical novels and films.

His current research projects include a book on the history and significance of the idea of the Roman emperor as Pater Patriae (Father of the Fatherland), and a biographical dictionary on Julius Caesar.

He is a Past President of the Australasian Society for Classical Studies (ASCS).

Research Interests

  • Social and Political Relationships, Late Republican and Early Imperial Rome
    In general Dr Stevenson is interested in social and political relationships, especially in the world of late republican and early imperial Rome. He is attracted to art as something that is generated by, and generative of, human relationships, and tries to teach it as a social phenomenon rather than a matter of aesthetics or of developments in style. He has a particular interest in the presentation of individual power, and reactions to it, in the Roman world from c. 264 BC - AD 14, viz. the Middle and Late Republics and the Age of Augustus. In particular, he is investigating the application of the father analogy to political and military figures at Rome and wants to argue that this was in part a product of the way in which the relationship between the ideal benefactor and ideal beneficiaries was used to modify a variety of political, religious and other relationships during his chosen period.

Research Impacts

Dr. Stevenson is concerned to highlight ideas and models from ancient history which continue to influence life today, both for good and for ill. He emphasizes the ongoing influence of Roman political ideas and statesmen, and the extraordinary impact of the ancient Olympic Games. These aspects of ancient life need to be understood in their original contexts, so that we can judge their applicability to modern times and use them to best advantage today.

The close analysis of modern novels and films set in the ancient world is another way in which he demonstrates how the ancient past is used for present purposes, both positive and negative (even propagandist). The ancient world needs to be thoroughly understood, in order to prevent unfair or even dangerous manipulation of past conditions in the service of questionable agendas of various types (e.g. political, religious, social) today.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sydney
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Education, University of New England Australia
  • Bachelor of Arts, University of Sydney
  • Bachelor of Economics, University of Sydney

Publications

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Grants

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Supervision

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Publications

Book

Book Chapter

  • Greek and Roman writers on the virtues of good rulers: praise, instruction, and constraint

    Stevenson, Tom (2022). Greek and Roman writers on the virtues of good rulers: praise, instruction, and constraint. A critical companion to the 'Mirrors for Princes' literature. (pp. 44-73) edited by Noëlle-Laetitia Perret and Stéphane Péquignot. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. doi: 10.1163/9789004523067_004

  • The Forum of Augustus: reshaping collective memory about war and the state

    Stevenson, Tom (2022). The Forum of Augustus: reshaping collective memory about war and the state. Making and unmaking ancient memory. (pp. 73-94) edited by Martine De Marre and Rajiv K. Bhola. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429352843-6

  • Venus Genetrix and Caesar’s theory of Rome’

    Stevenson, Tom (2021). Venus Genetrix and Caesar’s theory of Rome’. Theorising Rome. (pp. 33-48) edited by Rhiannon Evans and Sonya Wurster. Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom: Cambridge Scholars Press.

  • Patria Potestas

    Stevenson, Tom (2018). Patria Potestas. The encyclopedia of ancient history. (pp. *-*) London, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah20097.pub2

  • Scipio Aemilianus (Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Numantinus)

    Stevenson, Tom (2018). Scipio Aemilianus (Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Numantinus). The encyclopedia of ancient history. (pp. *-*) London, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah20043.pub2

  • Reception in historical novels

    Stevenson, Tom (2018). Reception in historical novels. Oxford classical dictionary. (pp. 00-00) Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.8050

  • Julius Caesar in Xena: Warrior Princess

    Stevenson, Tom (2017). Julius Caesar in Xena: Warrior Princess. Athens to Aotearoa: Greece and Rome in New Zealand Literature and Society. (pp. 154-169) edited by Diana Burton, Simon Perris and Jeff Tatum. Wellington, New Zealand: Victoria University of Wellington Press.

  • Andreas Alföldi on the Roman Emperor as Pater Patriae

    Stevenson, Tom (2015). Andreas Alföldi on the Roman Emperor as Pater Patriae. Andreas Alföldi in the Twenty-First Century. (pp. 187-200) edited by James H. Richardson and Federico Santangelo. Stuttgart, Germany: Franz Steiner.

  • Appian on the Pharsalus campaign: civil wars 2.48-91

    Stevenson, Tom (2015). Appian on the Pharsalus campaign: civil wars 2.48-91. Appian’s Roman History: Empire and Civil War. (pp. 257-275) edited by Kathryn Welch. Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom: Classical Press of Wales.

  • Patria potestas

    Stevenson, Tom (2013). Patria potestas. Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Ancient History. (pp. 5085-5086) edited by Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion, Andrew Erskine and Sabine R. Huebner. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah2009

  • Reverberations of empire: Cicero, Caesar and the post-Sulan empire

    Stevenson, Tom (2013). Reverberations of empire: Cicero, Caesar and the post-Sulan empire. A Companion to Roman Imperialism. (pp. 181-193) edited by Dexter Hoyos. Netherlands: Brill. doi: 10.1163/9789004236462

  • Scipio Aemilianus (Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Numantinus)

    Stevenson, Tom (2013). Scipio Aemilianus (Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Numantinus). Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Ancient History. (pp. 6076-6078) edited by Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion, Andrew Erskine and Sabine R. Huebner. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah20043

  • Introduction

    McWilliam, Janette, Puttock, Sonia, Stevenson, Tom and Taraporewalla, Rashna (2011). Introduction. The statue of Zeus at Olympia: New approaches. (pp. 1-8) Newcastle upon Tyne, England: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

  • The fate of the statue of Zeus at Olympia

    Stevenson, Tom (2011). The fate of the statue of Zeus at Olympia. The statue of Zeus at Olympia: New approaches. (pp. 155-171) edited by Janette McWilliam, Sonia Puttock, Tom Stevenson and Rashna Taraporewalla. Newcastle upon Tyne, England: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

  • 'Visual Images of Augustus'

    Stevenson, T. (2009). 'Visual Images of Augustus'. Res romanae : Essays on Roman history. (pp. 153-180) Sydney: Macquarie Ancient History Association.

  • Julius Caesar

    Stevenson, Thomas Reginald (2009). Julius Caesar. The literary encyclopedia. edited by Robert Clark. [United Kingdom]: The Literary Dictionary Company.

  • Julius Caesar: Commentarii de Bello Civili [Commentaries on the Civil War]

    Stevenson, Thomas Reginald (2009). Julius Caesar: Commentarii de Bello Civili [Commentaries on the Civil War]. The literary encyclopedia. (pp. 1) edited by Robert Clark. [London], U.K.: Literary Dictionary.

  • Julius Caesar: Commentarii de Bello Gallico [Commentaries on the Gallic War]

    Stevenson, Thomas Reginald (2009). Julius Caesar: Commentarii de Bello Gallico [Commentaries on the Gallic War]. The literary encyclopedia. (pp. 1) edited by Robert Clark. [London], U.K.: Literary Dictionary.

  • Cicero’s Philippics: History, rhetoric and ideology

    Stevenson, Thomas R. and Wilson, Marcus (2008). Cicero’s Philippics: History, rhetoric and ideology. Cicero's Philippics: History, rhetoric and ideology. (pp. 1-21) edited by Thomas R. Stevenson and Marcus Wilson. Auckland, New Zealand: Polygraphia Ltd.

  • Tyrants, kings and fathers in the Philippics

    Stevenson, Thomas R. (2008). Tyrants, kings and fathers in the Philippics. Cicero's Philippics: History, rhetoric and ideology. (pp. 95-113) edited by Thomas R. Stevenson and Marcus Wilson. Auckland, New Zealand: Polygraphia.

  • The Parthenon Frieze as an Idealised, Contemporary Panathenaic Festival

    Stevenson, Tom (2003). The Parthenon Frieze as an Idealised, Contemporary Panathenaic Festival. Sport and Festival in the Ancient Greek World. (pp. 233-280) edited by Phillips, David and Pritchard, David. Swansea: The Classical Press of Wales.

Journal Article

Conference Publication

  • Milo of Croton: heptaki[s]?

    Stevenson, Tom (2012). Milo of Croton: heptaki[s]?. The 33rd Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Classical Studies, Melbourne, Australia, 5-9 February 2012. Australia: The Australasian Society for Classical Studies.

  • Vespasian: Power and presentation

    Stevenson, T. (2010). Vespasian: Power and presentation. Pretoria, South Africa: Classical Association of South Africa.

Edited Outputs

Other Outputs

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Modes of Kingship: Pyrrhus of Epirus and his Contemporary World

    Master Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Casting Rome: The Portrayal of Character Types in film versions of ancient Rome

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision

This staff member is a UQ Expert for media in the following fields:

Latin language, History - Greek and Roman, Greek art, Roman art, Art - Greek and Roman

They are happy to lend their expertise to your articles or broadcasts and share their research discoveries and insights with the community via media channels.

For additional assistance with story ideas, general advice and information or help with seeking further experts, please email the UQ Media Team or telephone (07) 3365 1120.

Links

ORCID: 0000-0001-6333-8912

Personal Profile: Link

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