J. P. V. D. Balsdon

John Percy Vyvian Dacre Balsdon, FBA (4 November 1901 – 18 September 1977), known as J. P. V. D. Balsdon in his academic work and otherwise as Dacre Balsdon, was an English ancient historian and writer. He was a Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, from 1927 to 1969, and president of the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies from 1968 to 1971.

Early life

Balsdon was born on 4 November 1901 in Bideford, Devon.^[1] He was educated at Exeter School, Exeter. He studied classics at Exeter College, Oxford. In 1922, he was awarded first class honours in Mods,^[2] and in 1924 he was also awarded first class honours in Greats.^[3]

Academic career

Balsdon began his academic career as a teacher at Sedbergh School, then an all boys public boarding school. His first university post was as a Fellow of Keble College, Oxford.^[1] From 1927, he was a Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, where he taught Ancient History.^[4] His research was primarily in Roman History.^[5] In 1940, he was elected Junior Proctor of Oxford University; serving from March 1940 to March 1941.^[6] In 1956, he was a candidate for the Rectorship of Exeter College, but lost out to Kenneth Wheare.^[1] He served as president of the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies from 1968 to 1971.^[1] He retired from full-time academia in 1969.^[4] The same year he was elected an emeritus Fellow of Exeter College.^[7]

He also wrote novels using the name Dacre Balsdon; his academic works gave his name as J. P. V. D. Balsdon.

He was elected Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 1967.^[4]

Bibliography

As J. P. V. D. Balsdon:

• The Emperor Gaius (Caligula) (1934)
• Roman Women: Their History and Habits (1962)
• Julius Caesar and Rome^[8] (1967)
• The Romans (editor) (1965)
• Life and Leisure in Ancient Rome (1969)
• Rome: the Story of an Empire (1970)
• The Historical Background (1974)
• Social Life in the Early Empire (1974)
• Romans and Aliens^[9][10] (1980)

As Dacre Balsdon:

• Freshman's Folly: An Oxford Comedy (1952)
• Oxford Life (1957)
• The Day They Burned Miss Termag (1961)
• Oxford Now and Then (1970)