Dr Jonathan C N Coulston
Lecturer in Ancient History and Archaeology
Ancient History Programme Convener
Phone: 01334 462612
Room: S14
Research Interests
- Roman Army studies
- Roman military equipment
- Ancient warfare
- Roman provincial archaeology
- Trajan's Column
- Roman art (especially stone sculpture)
- Roman architecture
- The City of Rome.
- Asiatic steppe nomads
- Conflict landscape archaeology
Current research projects
My principal publication project is a monograph dealing with the architecture, sculpting and relief content of Trajan’s Column in Rome (All the Emperor’s Men. Roman Soldiers and Barbarians on Trajan’s Column). With Lindsey Allason-Jones (Newcastle) I am compiling the Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani fascicule for Northern England. With Hazel Dodge and Christopher Smith I am writing a source-book for Routledge concerned with the ancient city of Rome. The updated and considerably expanded second edition of Roman Military Equipment from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome appeared in 2006. I have also been publishing papers in two specific and expanding academic areas: gladiatorial studies, and conflict landscape (‘battlefield’) archaeology.
Editorial committees: Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies; Gladius. Estudios sobre armas antiguas, armamento, arte military y vida cultural en oriente y occidente (Madrid).
I am also a member of the administrative committee for the Roman Military Equipment Conferences (RoMEC).
Invited papers read at universities and to conferences at Amsterdam, Budapest, Capri, Dublin, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Honolulu, København, Leiden, Leuven, Louisville, Mainz, Marburg, Montpellier, München, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Ontario, Osnabrück, Oxford, Philadelphia, Roma, Ruse, Schleswig, St Andrews, Segovia, Sheffield, Warsaw, Wien, Windisch and Zagreb.
I have contributed as an advisor and ‘talking head’ to numerous radio and television programmes (Time Watch, Terry Jones’ Barbarians etc.), and have consulted on archaeological reconstructions for National Geographic Magazine.
Elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (1995) and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (2003).
Publications
The First and Second Sikh Wars: An Official British Army History
Burton, R. G. &
Coulston, J. C. N.
2007
Westholme
.
208 p.
Research output
:
Book/Report
›
Book
Cavalry. Its History and Tactics
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Nolan, L. E.
2006
Yardley:
Westholme
.
256 p.
Research output
:
Book/Report
›
Book
Roman Military Equipment: From the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Bishop, M. C.
2006
Oxbow
.
321 p.
Research output
:
Book/Report
›
Book
Belisarius
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Mahon, L.
2005
Westholme
.
256 p.
Research output
:
Book/Report
›
Book
Ancient Rome: the Archaeology of the Eternal City
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Dodge, H.
2000
Oxford University School of Archaeology
.
408 p.
Research output
:
Book/Report
›
Book
Roman Military Equipment from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Bishop, M. C.
1993
Batsford
.
Research output
:
Book/Report
›
Book
Roman Military Equipment
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Bishop, M. C.
1989
Shire
.
Research output
:
Book/Report
›
Book
Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani, Great Britain I,6, Hadrian's Wall West of the River North Tyne, and Carlisle
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Phillips, E. J.
1988
British Academy
.
Research output
:
Book/Report
›
Book
Military Equipment and the Identity of Roman Soldiers. Proceedings of the Fourth Roman Military Equipment Conference
Coulston, J. C. N.
1988
British Archaeological Reports
.
Research output
:
Book/Report
›
Book
‘Courage and cowardice in the Roman imperial army’
Coulston, J. C. N.
2013
In:
War in History.
Madigan, E. (ed.).
Vol. 20.1
,
p. 7-31.
25 p.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Weaponry, Rome'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2012
In:
Encyclopedia of Ancient History.
Bagnall, R. S., Brodersen, K., Champion, C. B., Erskine, A. & Huebner, S. R. (eds.). Maiden MA:
Wiley-Blackwell
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary
'Military equipment of the ‘long’ 4th century on Hadrian’s Wall'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2010
In:
Finds from the Frontier: Material Culture in the 4th-5th Centuries.
Collins, R. & Allason-Jones, L. (eds.). York:
Council for British Archaeology
,
p. 50-63.
(CBA Research Report).
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Victory and defeat in the Roman arena: the evidence of gladiatorial iconography'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2009
In:
Roman Amphitheatres and Spectacula: a 21st Century Perspective.
Wilmott, T. (ed.).
p. 195-210.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Decorated iron sword guard'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2008
In:
Petra - The Mountain of Aaron 1.
Fiema, Z. T. & Froesen, J. (eds.).
Societas Scientiarum Fennica
,
p. 401-3.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Immortalising victory: votive weapons depositions in northern Europe and the Roman empire'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2008
In:
Aktuelle Forschungen zu Kriegsbeuteopfern und Furstengrabern im Barbarikum.
A. Abegg-Wegg and A. Rau, . M. D. (ed.).
Archaeologisches Landesmuseum Schleswig
,
p. 307-30.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Central Asia from the Scythians to the Huns'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2008
In:
Warfare in the Ancient World.
De Souza, P. (ed.).
Thames and Hudson Ltd
,
p. 216-27.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'The Roman Empire, 31 BC - AD 284'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2008
In:
Warfare in the Ancient World.
De Souza, P. (ed.).
Thames and Hudson Ltd
,
p. 182-201.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Art, culture and service: the depiction of soldiers on 3rd century AD military gravestones'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2007
In:
The Impact of the Roman Army.
De Blois, L. (ed.).
J.C. Gieben
,
p. 529-61.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'By the sword united: Roman fighting styles on the battlefield and in the arena'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2007
In:
The Cutting Edge: Studies in Ancient and Medieval Combat.
Molloy, B. (ed.).
Tempus
,
p. 34-51.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Arms and Armour'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2006
In:
The Edinburgh Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome.
Bispam, E. (ed.).
Edinburgh University Press
,
p. 231-37.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Arms and armour (Greek and Roman)', 'Artillery', 'Archery', 'Legions', 'Mutiny', 'Dacian Wars', 'Teutoburgian forest (clades Varianae)', 'Trajan's Column'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2006
In:
The Cambridge Dictionary of Classical Civilisation.
Shipley, G. (ed.).
Cambridge University Press
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Military identity and personal self-identity in the Roman army'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2004
In:
Roman Rule and Civic Life: Local and Regional Perspectives.
De Ligt, L. (ed.).
J.C.Gieben
,
p. 135-52.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Overcoming the Barbarian. Depictions of Rome's Enemies in Trajanic Monumental Art'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2003
In:
The Representation and Perception of Roman Imperial Power.
De Blois, L. (ed.).
J.C. Gieben
,
p. 389-424.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'An Imperial Metropolis'
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Dodge, H.
2003
In:
Cambridge Illustrated History of the Roman World.
Woolf, G. (ed.).
p. 138-169.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
Tacitus, Historiae I.79 and the impact of Sarmatian warfare on the Roman empire
Coulston, J. C. N.
2003
In:
Kontakt - Kooperation - Konflikt: Germanen und Sarmaten zwischen dem 1. und dem 4. Jahrhundert nach Christus.
von Carnap-Bornheim, C. (ed.).
Wachholtz Verlag
,
p. 415-433.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Arms and Armour of the Late Roman Army'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2002
In:
A Companion to Medieval Arms and Armour.
Nicolle, D. (ed.).
Boydell & Brewer
,
p. 3-24.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Other contribution
'The archaeology of Roman conflict'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2001
In:
Fields of Conflict: Progress and Prospect in Battlefield Archaeology.
Freeman, P. W. M. & Pollard, A. (eds.).
Archaeopress
,
Vol. 958
,
p. 23-49.
(British Archaeological Reports (BAR) International Series).
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Other contribution
'Transport and travel on the Column of Trajan'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2001
In:
Travel and geography in the Roman Empire.
Adams, C. & Laurence, R. (eds.).
Routledge
,
p. 106-137.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Other contribution
'Arrow-heads'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2001
In:
The Petra Church.
Fiema, Z. T. (ed.).
American Centre for Oriental Research
,
p. 395-97.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
Appendix: Sources for the study of ancient Rome
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Dodge, H.
2000
In:
Ancient Rome: the Archaeology of the Eternal City.
Coulston, J. & Dodge, H. (eds.).
Oxford University School of Archaeology
,
p. 354-58.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Introduction: the archaeology and topography of Rome'
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Dodge, H.
2000
In:
Ancient Rome: the Archaeology of the Eternal City.
Coulston, J. & Dodge, H. (eds.).
p. 1-15.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Armed and belted men: the soldiery in imperial Rome'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2000
In:
Ancient Rome: the Archaeology of the Eternal City; Oxford University School of Archaeology Monograph 54.
Coulston, J. & Dodge, H. (eds.).
Oxford University Press
,
p. 76-118.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Scale armour'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1999
In:
Excavations directed by J.D Leach and J.J Wilkes on the site of a Roman fortress at Carpow, Perthshire, 1964-79 , Proceedings of the Society of Antiquities of Scotland, vol 129.
Dore, J. N. & Wilkes, J. J. (eds.).
p. 561-566.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'How to arm a Roman Soldier'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1998
In:
Modus Operandi. How the Ancient World Worked. Papers Presented to Geoffrey Rickman; BICS supplementary, London, vol 71.
Austin, M. N., Harries, J. D. & Smith, C. J. (eds.).
p. 167-90.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Architectural stonework', 'Milling stones', 'Stone sculpture'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1997
In:
Birdoswald. Excavations of a Roman fort on Hadrian's Wall and its successor settlements: 1987-92.
Wilmott, T. (ed.).
English Heritage
,
p. 128-31, 290-95, 313-19.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'The Stone Sculptures'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1997
In:
Roman Maryport and Its Setting. Essays in Memory of Michael G. Jarrett.
Wilson, R. J. A. (ed.).
Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society
,
p. 112-31.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Artillery'; 'Cohors'; 'Mercenaries, Roman; 'Military Equipment, Roman'; 'Siegework, Roman'; 'Trajan's Column'; 'War, Art of, Roman'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1996
In:
Oxford Classical Dictionary.
Hornblower, S. & Spawforth, A. (eds.).
Oxford University Press
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Worked stone'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1993
In:
Excavations at Segontium (Caernarfon) Roman Fort, 1975-1979.
Casey, J. & Davies, J. L. (eds.).
Council for British Archaeology
,
p. 214-18.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'The architecture and construction scenes on Trajan's Column'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1990
In:
Architecture and Architectural Sculpture in the Roman Empire.
Henig, M. (ed.).
Oxford University Committee for Archaeology
,
p. 39-50.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Sculptures'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1989
In:
The Bridges of Hadrian's Wall.
Bidwell, P. & Holbrook, N. (eds.).
Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England
,
p. 142.
142 p.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'The value of Trajan's Column as a source for military equipment'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1989
In:
Roman Military Equipment: the Sources of Evidence. Proceedings of the Fifth Roman Military Equipment Conference.
van Dreiel-Murray, C. (ed.).
British Archaeological Reports
,
p. 31-44.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Three legionaries at Croy Hill, Strathclyde'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1988
In:
Military Equipment and the Identity of Roman Soldiers. Proceedings of the Fourth Roman Military Equipment Conference.
Coulston, J. C. (ed.).
British Archeological Reports
,
p. 1-29.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Roman military equipment on third century AD tombstones'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1987
In:
The Accoutrements of War. Proceedings of the Third Roman Military Equipment Seminar.
Dawson, M. (ed.).
British Archaeological Reports
,
p. 141-56.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Roman, Parthian and Sassanid tactical developments'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1986
In:
The Defence of the Roman and Byzantine East.
Freeman, P. & Kennedy, D. (eds.).
British Archaeological Reports
,
p. 59-75.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'The Coins'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1985
In:
Alahan: An Early Christian Monastery in Southern Turkey.
Gough, M. (ed.).
Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies
,
p. 62-8.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Roman Archery Equipment'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1985
In:
The Production and Distribution of Roman Military Equipment. Proceedings of the Second Roman Military Equipment Seminar.
Bishop, M. C. (ed.).
British Archaeological Reports
,
p. 220-366.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Arms and armour in sculpture'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1983
In:
Roman Military Equipment. Proceedings of a seminar held in the Department of Classical Archaeology at the University of Sheffield, 21st March 1983.
Bishop, M. C. (ed.).
p. 24-6.
Research output
:
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
›
Chapter
'Greece and Rome (and their enemies) at war'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2012
In :
Journal of Roman Archaeology
.
25
,
p. 728-47.
19 p.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'Worked stone' in M.C. Bishop (ed.), 'A new Flavian military site at Roecliffe, North Yorkshire'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2005
In :
Britannia
.
36
,
p. 199-201.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'Roman military equipment and the archaeology of conflict'
Coulston, J. C. N.
2005
In :
Carnuntum Jahrbuch
.
p. 19-32.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'Gladiators and soldiers: personnel and equipment in ludus and castra'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1998
In :
Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies
.
9
,
p. 1-17.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'A preliminary note on scale armour from Carpow, Perthshire'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1994
In :
Arma
.
4
,
2
,
p. 21-3.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'Two representations of 3rd century AD equipment from Cumbria'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1993
In :
Arma
.
3
,
1
,
p. 2-4.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'Sculpted stones' and 'Milling-stones' in M.C. Bishop (ed.), 'Excavations in the Roman fort at Chester-le-Street (Concangis), Church Chare 1990-91'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1992
In :
Archaeologia Aeliana
.
ser. 5, 20
,
p. 68-71.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'An altar from Chipchase, Northumberland'
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Hart, C. R.
1992
In :
Archaeologia Aeliana
.
ser. 5, 20
,
p. 267-69.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'The 'draco' standard'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1991
In :
Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies
.
2
,
p. 101-14.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'Three new books on Trajan's Column'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1990
In :
Journal of Roman Archaeology
.
3
,
p. 290-309.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'Later Roman armour, 3rd-6th centuries AD'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1990
In :
Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies
.
1
,
p. 139-60.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'A bridge stone from the River Eden at Carlisle'
Coulston, J. C. N.
& Caruana, I. D.
1987
In :
Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society
.
87
,
p. 43-51.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'Arms and armour in sculpture'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1984
In :
Levant
.
16
,
p. vi.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'A fragmentary altar to Jupiter from Wallsend'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1983
In :
Archaeologia Aeliana
.
ser. 5, 11
,
p. 309-13.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
'A sculpted Dacian falx from Birdoswald (RIB 1914)'
Coulston, J. C. N.
1981
In :
Archaeologia Aeliana
.
ser. 5, 9
,
p. 348-51.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Article
‘Romans at War’, review of C.M. Gilliver, The Roman Art of War, Stroud, 1999
Coulston, J. C. N.
2000
In :
British Archaeology
.
54
,
p. 28-30.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Book/Film/Article review
Z. Farkas & D. Gabler, Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani, Ungarn, II, Die Skulpturen des Stadtgebietes von Scarbantia und der Limesstrecke ad Flexum-Arrabona, Budapest, 1994
Coulston, J. C. N.
1997
In :
Britannia
.
28
,
p. 498-99.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Book/Film/Article review
'No decline and fall in the Roman army', review of P. Southern & K.R. Dixon, The Late Roman Army, London, 1996
Coulston, J. C. N.
1996
In :
British Archaeology
.
18
,
p. 12.
12 p.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Book/Film/Article review
M. Junckelmann, Die Reiter Roms, I-III, Mainz, 1991-93
Coulston, J. C. N.
1995
In :
Britannia
.
26
,
p. 407-9.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Book/Film/Article review
C. Bossert-Radtker, CSIR Schweiz III, Die Figurlichen Rundskulpturen und Reliefs aus Augst und Kaiseraugst (Forschungen in Augst 16), Augst, 1992
Coulston, J. C. N.
1994
In :
Britannia
.
25
,
p. 321-22.
Research output
:
Contribution to journal
›
Book/Film/Article review
'Roman Army Gallery', BBC website
Coulston, J. C. N.
17-Feb-2011
Research output
:
Non-textual form
›
Web publication/site
Roman Army Gallery
Coulston, J. C. N.
2006
Research output
:
Non-textual form
›
Web publication/site
For further information on publications, please view my profile on the university's research portal.
Research students
I would be happy to supervise suitable students in the areas implied by my research interests, especially in Roman military matters.
Teaching
In addition to team-teaching Sub-Honours courses in Greek and Roman history, I offer the following one-semester Honours modules: The Ancient City of Rome (AN4121), The Roman Army (AN4130), Roman Imperial Art (AN4117), The Archaeology of Roman Britain (AN4145) and Principles and Techniques of Archaeology (AN3020). The latter is the core module for the joint degrees in Ancient History and Archaeology, and Mediaeval History and Archaeology. I also administer fourth year dissertations across the School of Classics, contribute to graduate core teaching, and offer a series of themed graduate modules.
Academic Career
I graduated in 1978 from the University of Leicester with a BA in History, then went on to study for an MPhil (Archaeology of the Roman Empire,1980) and a PhD (1988) at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. My research concerned Trajan's Column in Rome, under the supervision of Charles Daniels. Thereafter I was a tutor in the Centre for Continuing Education and a Guest Lecturer in the Dept of Archaeology at Newcastle. In 1995 I was appointed to my present post as Lecturer in Ancient History in the University of St Andrews. In 2005-6 I was a Visiting Scholar at Trinity College, Dublin.
