Adrian Goldsworthy

Following his D.Phil. in ancient military history from the University of Oxford in 1994, Adrian Goldsworthy went on to publish his first book, The Roman Army at War 100 BC – AD 200, in 1996, derived from his doctoral dissertation. He further cultivated his academic expertise as a Junior Research Fellow at Cardiff University for two years, held teaching positions at King’s College London, and served for six years as an assistant professor on the University of Notre Dame’s London program. While specializing in Roman history, he also taught courses on the military history of the Second World War.

A prolific author in ancient Roman history, particularly the Roman army, Goldsworthy has penned numerous acclaimed non-fiction works. These include Roman Warfare (2000), The Punic Wars (2000)—later re-published as The Fall of Carthage (2003)—and In the Name of Rome: The Men Who Won the Roman Empire (2003). His comprehensive biographies detail historical giants, with titles such as Caesar, Life of a Colossus (2006), Antony and Cleopatra (2010), and Augustus: First Emperor of Rome (2014). Beyond his written contributions, Goldsworthy has lent his expertise to historical television, appearing in History Channel documentaries and serving as an expert on the BBC’s Time Commanders.

His continued non-fiction output during this period included Pax Romana: War, Peace and Conquest in the Roman World (2016) and Hadrian’s Wall (2018), further solidifying his position as a leading authority in ancient history. Goldsworthy’s recent non-fiction contributions continue to explore ancient military and political history, notably with Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors (2020) and The Eagle and the Lion: Rome, Persia and an Unwinnable Conflict (2023). His body of work demonstrates a consistent commitment to scholarly rigor, engaging narrative, and bringing ancient history to a wide readership across both non-fiction and acclaimed historical fiction.