Edward Arthur Thompson
Encyclopedia
Edward Arthur Thompson (22 May 1914, Waterford
, Ireland
– 1 January 1994, Nottingham
, England
) was a British
classicist, medievalist and professor
at the University of Nottingham
from 1948 to 1979. He wrote from a Marxist perspective, and argued that the Visigoths were settled in Aquitaine
to counter the internal threat of the peasant bagaudae
. Thompson's work remains the most substantial study of the Goths in Spain
.
, southern Ireland
to an Presbyterian
family of both Irish and Scottish
descent. Although taught to read only at the age of eight, Thompson proceeded to attend and finish high school in Dublin, with which he maintained sufficient links to be requested by its then-headmaster, Dr. John Bennet, to send a copy of A History of Attila and the Huns when Thompson published the book in 1948.
Although his father worked for the administration of the National Health Insurance
, Edward Thompson would be the first of his family to enter university: he graduated with First Class Honours in Classics from Trinity College, Dublin
in 1936, later attributing his selection of the classics as a discipline to the arbitrary choice of his high school headmaster.
Thompson's first appointment in academe, as Lecturer in Classics, was a two-year stint at Trinity College, Dublinalthough initially appointed for one year, Thompson's contract was renewed, and he stayed on (though at a reduced salary) until 1941. Already prepared to enter the Second World War
with an enlistment in the British Army
, Thompson finally secured an appointment at the University of Swansea, having learned of an opening for somebody who could teach Greek
from a friend, Swansea classicist Ben Farrington.
From Swansea, Thompson transferred to King's College, London, teaching as a classics lecturer from 1945 to 1948. It was during this time that Thompson's first book, Ammianus Marcellinus
, was published in Britain. He subsequently moved once morethis time to direct the classics department at the University of Nottingham
, where Thompson worked from 1948 to 1979. Until his retirement in 1979, Thompson served as the first Chairman of the Editorial Board of the scholarly journal Nottingham Medieval Studies, founded by Lewis Thorpe
in 1957.
He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
in 1964the first University of Nottingham academic to be so honoured.
Although Thompson left the staunchly pro-Soviet Communist Party of Great Britain
in 1956, the year of the Soviet Union's intervention in Hungary, Thompson's academic work continued to demonstrate a Marxist-oriented outlook on history. No longer active in political life, he continued his enthusiastic interest for politics. Thompson's interest in the class structure of societies, and in their material basis, continued to direct the structure of his studies.
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
– 1 January 1994, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
classicist, medievalist and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
from 1948 to 1979. He wrote from a Marxist perspective, and argued that the Visigoths were settled in Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
to counter the internal threat of the peasant bagaudae
Bagaudae
In the time of the later Roman Empire bagaudae were groups of peasant insurgents who emerged during the "Crisis of the Third Century", and persisted particularly in the less-Romanised areas of Gallia and Hispania, where they were "exposed to the depredations of the late Roman state, and the great...
. Thompson's work remains the most substantial study of the Goths in Spain
Visigothic Kingdom
The Visigothic Kingdom was a kingdom which occupied southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to 8th century AD. One of the Germanic successor states to the Western Roman Empire, it was originally created by the settlement of the Visigoths under King Wallia in the province of...
.
Biography
Thompson was born on 22 May 1914 in the town of WaterfordWaterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
, southern Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to an Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
family of both Irish and Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
descent. Although taught to read only at the age of eight, Thompson proceeded to attend and finish high school in Dublin, with which he maintained sufficient links to be requested by its then-headmaster, Dr. John Bennet, to send a copy of A History of Attila and the Huns when Thompson published the book in 1948.
Although his father worked for the administration of the National Health Insurance
National health insurance
National health insurance is health insurance that insures a national population for the costs of health care and usually is instituted as a program of healthcare reform. It is enforced by law. It may be administered by the public sector, the private sector, or a combination of both...
, Edward Thompson would be the first of his family to enter university: he graduated with First Class Honours in Classics from Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in 1936, later attributing his selection of the classics as a discipline to the arbitrary choice of his high school headmaster.
Thompson's first appointment in academe, as Lecturer in Classics, was a two-year stint at Trinity College, Dublinalthough initially appointed for one year, Thompson's contract was renewed, and he stayed on (though at a reduced salary) until 1941. Already prepared to enter the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with an enlistment in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, Thompson finally secured an appointment at the University of Swansea, having learned of an opening for somebody who could teach Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
from a friend, Swansea classicist Ben Farrington.
From Swansea, Thompson transferred to King's College, London, teaching as a classics lecturer from 1945 to 1948. It was during this time that Thompson's first book, Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus was a fourth-century Roman historian. He wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from Antiquity...
, was published in Britain. He subsequently moved once morethis time to direct the classics department at the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
, where Thompson worked from 1948 to 1979. Until his retirement in 1979, Thompson served as the first Chairman of the Editorial Board of the scholarly journal Nottingham Medieval Studies, founded by Lewis Thorpe
Lewis Thorpe
Lewis Thorpe B.A. L.-ès-L. Ph.D D. de l'U FIAL FRSA FRHistS was a British philologist, translator, and husband of the Italian scholar and lexicographer Barbara Reynolds. He died on 10 October 1977....
in 1957.
He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
in 1964the first University of Nottingham academic to be so honoured.
Although Thompson left the staunchly pro-Soviet Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
in 1956, the year of the Soviet Union's intervention in Hungary, Thompson's academic work continued to demonstrate a Marxist-oriented outlook on history. No longer active in political life, he continued his enthusiastic interest for politics. Thompson's interest in the class structure of societies, and in their material basis, continued to direct the structure of his studies.
Works
In reverse chronological order:- 1985: Who was Saint Patrick?
- 1982: Romans and Barbarians
- 1975: The Conversion of the Spanish Suevi to Catholicism
- 1969: The Goths in Spain (Oxford: Clarendon Press)
- 1966: The Visigoths in the Time of Ulfila
- 1965: The Early Germans
- 1952: Roman Reformer and Inventor: New Text of De Rebus Bellicis
- 1948: A History of Attila and the Huns
- 1947: Ammianus Marcellinus