Elizabeth Will

Elizabeth Will was a renowned American archaeologist and professor emerita at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, known for her extensive research on the Roman Empire and its trade networks, particularly in the Mediterranean region. Her work has been influenced by notable archaeologists such as Mortimer Wheeler and Kathleen Kenyon, and she has collaborated with institutions like the Archaeological Institute of America and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. Will's academic background includes studying at Bryn Mawr College and Yale University, where she was mentored by esteemed scholars like Michael Rostovtzeff and A. W. Van Buren.

● Early Life and Education

Elizabeth Will was born in New York City and spent her childhood in New England, developing an interest in Classical antiquity and Ancient history from an early age. She pursued her undergraduate degree at Bryn Mawr College, where she was exposed to the works of prominent classicists like Eleanor Shipley Duckett and Lily Ross Taylor. Will's graduate studies took her to Yale University, where she earned her Ph.D. under the guidance of Michael Rostovtzeff and A. W. Van Buren, and was influenced by the research of Tenney Frank and Alan K. Bowman. Her academic foundation was further enriched by her participation in excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, led by the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei, and her involvement with the American Academy in Rome.

● Career

Will began her academic career as a lecturer at Wellesley College and later joined the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she taught courses on Roman archaeology, Greek archaeology, and Ancient trade. Her research has been supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Philosophical Society, and she has collaborated with colleagues from institutions like the British School at Rome and the German Archaeological Institute. Will has also participated in excavations at Caesarea Maritima and Apollonia, and has worked with the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Her professional affiliations include membership in the Archaeological Institute of America and the Society for Classical Studies.

● Research and Contributions

Elizabeth Will's research has focused on the Roman economy and trade networks, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on topics such as Roman pottery, Ancient coinage, and Maritime trade, and has edited volumes on Roman archaeology and Ancient trade. Will's work has been influenced by scholars like Moses Finley and Keith Hopkins, and she has collaborated with researchers from institutions like the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Her research has also been informed by her participation in conferences organized by the International Congress of Classical Archaeology and the Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference.

● Awards and Honors

Throughout her career, Elizabeth Will has received several awards and honors for her contributions to the field of archaeology. She has been recognized by the Archaeological Institute of America with the Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement, and has received grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Council of Learned Societies. Will has also been elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Society of Antiquaries of London, and has been awarded honorary degrees from Bryn Mawr College and Yale University. Her work has been acknowledged by institutions like the British Museum and the Louvre, and she has been invited to deliver lectures at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Chicago.

● Personal Life

Elizabeth Will has maintained a strong connection to her academic community throughout her career, and has been involved in various professional organizations, including the Society for Classical Studies and the Archaeological Institute of America. She has also been an active participant in the American Philological Association and the Classical Association of the Middle West and South. Will's personal interests include Classical music and Ancient art, and she has been a supporter of institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Getty Museum. Her legacy continues to inspire new generations of archaeologists and classicists, including scholars like Susan Alcock and Greg Woolf, who have followed in her footsteps and expanded on her research. Category:American archaeologists