About

I studied ancient history at Cardiff University (BA) and classical archaeology at the University of Oxford (Mst), before coming to the University of Warwick to complete my PhD in the Department of Classics and Ancient History. I specialise in the history and archaeology of the Aegean during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, and I have participated in archaeological projects in Greece and Italy over the past five years. I am a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Classics and Ancient History for the Autumn term 2023/2024. In January 2024, I will undertake the Richard Bradford McConnell Studentship at the British School at Athens.

Research interests

My research interests broadly concern the social and cultural history of the Hellenistic and Roman Aegean. My doctoral thesis analysed the space and social life of gymnasia (institutions of athletic education among other things), using them as a lens through which to explore the interplay between identity and the built environment in postclassical Greece. In particular, I sought to shed light on how society and culture in mainland and insular Greece was impacted by macro-regional political shifts such as conflict between Hellenistic Kingdoms and the coming of Rome. I now intend to study regional and local patterns of change and continuity in epigraphic and archaeological sources beyond gymnasia, contextualising the results of my thesis. Other research interests include sensory studies, athletics, landscape archaeology, and island studies.

Teaching and supervision

I teach the following modules:

- Athletics and Games in the Ancient Greek World (CX290-15/CX390-15)

- Greek Religion (CX262-30/CX362-30)

Selected publications

Published

• 2020. ‘Architectural and Spatial Features in Plato’s Gymnasia and Palaistrai’, in Athletics, Gymnastics, and Agōn in Plato, eds H. L. Reid, M. Ralkowski, & C. Zoller (Sioux City, Iowa: Parnassos Press) 31-49

Forthcoming/accepted

• Evans, M.P. (ed.) The Sense(s) of Athletics in Ancient Greece. Bloomsbury (Expected manuscript submission: 01/09/2024)
• Evans, M.P. ‘Gymnasion Users and Group Identities: Exploring the Social Dynamics of Institutions on Late Hellenistic Delos’, Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (Accepted Sept 2023).
• Evans, M.P. & M. Loy. ‘The Samians on Ikaria: Communities, Power and Island Networks in the Hellenistic and Roman Aegean’, Mediterranean Historical Review (Accepted Sept 2023).
• Evans, M.P. & G. Mouratidis. ‘Archaeology in Greece 2022–2023. Newsround’, Archaeological Reports (Expected publication Dec 2023).

Participation in archaeological projects

• West Area of Samos Archaeological Project (University of Vienna, University of Cambridge and the British School at Athens), 2022-present. Team leader.
• Emporio Hinterland Project on Chios (University College London and the Antiquities Ephorate of Chios), 2021-present. Team leader.
• Halaesa Archaeological Project in Sicily (University of Oxford and Università degli Studi di Messina), 2019-2022.
• Kastro Velika (Βελίκα) project in Thessaly (University of Oxford and the Antiquities Ephorate of Larissa), 2019.

Qualifications

• PhD (Warwick)
• Mst (Oxford)
• BA (Cardiff)