Professor Kate Gilliver

Publication

• Date
• Type

Teaching

Undergraduate

At present my teaching is limited to my Year 3 option module on the Roman Army as I am on secondment from Ancient History, but I have taught on the following modules in the past, contributing to themes on Roman political and social history, and Roman archaeology.

• Investigating the Ancient World, Skills & Evidence
• The Ancient World in 20 Objects
• Introduction to Ancient History 2: Empires East & West
• The Roman Revolution
• Roman Imperial History
• Life in Ancient Rome
• The Roman Army
• Independent 2nd Year Study
• Final Year Dissertation

Biography

I grew up in Dorchester, the Roman town of Durnovaria, and with regular visits to museums, archaeological sites and studying local history in school, perhaps not surprisingly fell in love with everything Roman at an early age. I spent a year working as a volunteer at Dorset County Museum before studying Classics & Classical Archaeology at King’s College London (1984-88), then progressing to my PhD at the Institute of Archaeology, UCL (1988-92). After a year as a Rome Scholar at the British School at Rome I arrived in Cardiff as a lecturer in Ancient History in 1993.

My research interests focus on the Roman army and Roman warfare. My PhD thesis on The Roman Art of War: theory and practice led to further work on war crimes, brutality and massacres in Roman warfare, and on Roman campaign camps, the latter leading to a collaboration with the Brecon Beacons National Park to enhance visitor experience at Roman military sites near Sennybridge. I have also published articles and an accessible account of Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul.

In teaching, I am a strong advocate of alternative approaches to learning. I employ role-play seminars to encourage students to study events such as the Neronian fire of AD64 or themes such as interactions between soldiers and civilians from different perspectives, and have introduced flipped learning and active small group work in my modules.

I was Academic Partner for Assessment and Feedback for the University and Academic Lead for the Digital Learning Environment Review, including the introduction of Blackboard Ultra Courses as the new Virtual Learning Environnment. I have moved on to be University Dean for Portfolio, Curriculum and Learning Innovation which includes providing academic leadership in the University's Curriculum 2035 project.

I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Outside of the University, I am a keen hill and mountain walker, and since 2011 have been an operational hill member of Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team.

Education and qualifications

1993 PhD, Institute of Archaeology, University College London

1988 BA (Classics and Classical Archaeology), King's College London

Career overview

1993– Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and Professor in Ancient History, Cardiff University

1992–93 Rome Scholar, British School at Rome

Supervisions

I am available to supervise research students in the following areas:

• Roman Warfare
• The Roman Army