Robert Parker (historian)

Robert Christopher Towneley Parker ( born 1950 ) is a British historian and scholar of religion.

Robert Parker studied at the University of Oxford Ancient History and Classical Philology. He completed his studies with a master and was subsequently awarded a PhD for DPhil. From 1976 he worked as a tutor in Greek and Latin Languages ​​and Literature at Oriel College, Oxford. He was appointed as Wykeham Professor of Ancient History at New College (Oxford) 1996. Since 1998 he is a member of the British Academy. In 2012/2013 he was Sather Professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

Parker explores the ancient Greek society especially from an anthropological perspective. His special research focus is the Greek religion, its influence on the thinking and actions of the Greeks and their relation to other polytheistic religions.

Writings (selection )

• Miasma: Pollution and Purification in Early Greek Religion. Oxford 1983
• Athenian religion. A History. Oxford 1996
• On Greek Religion. Ithaca ( NY ) 2011