Timothy Barnes
Encyclopedia
Timothy David Barnes is a British
classicist
.
Timothy David Barnes was born in Yorkshire
in 1942. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield
until 1960, going up to Balliol College, Oxford
, where he read Literae Humaniores
, taking his BA
in 1964 and MA
in 1967. He was Harmsworth Senior Scholar of Merton College, Oxford
1964–66 and Junior Research Fellow of The Queen's College, Oxford
1966–70. He was awarded his DPhil
in 1970. In 1974 the University of Oxford
conferred upon him the Conington prize
.
On receiving his doctorate he was immediately appointed Assistant Professor of Classics at University College, University of Toronto
and in 1972 he was appointed Associate Professor. In 1976 he became Professor of Classics, a post he held for thirty-one years until his retirement in 2007. He was three times Associate Chairman of Classics (1979–83, 1986–89, 1995–96). In the year 1976/7 he was a visiting member of the Institute for Advanced Study
. 1983/4 he was Visiting Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford
and 1984/5 he was Connaught Senior Fellow in the Humanities. In 1989 he was elected a Fellow of the University of Trinity College
. He delivered the Townsend Lectures at Cornell University
in 1994.
In 1982 he was awarded both the Philip Schaff
Prize by the American Society of Church History for Constantine and Eusebius and the Charles Goodwin
Award of Merit by the American Philological Association
. In 1985 he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
.
In December 2007, he officially retired from the University of Toronto, and returned to the United Kingdom. He is currently an honorary fellow at the University of Edinburgh
's School of Divinity
, working with the Centre for the Study of Christian Origins.
Most of Barnes' work has concerned the position of Christianity in the Later Roman Empire, both before state recognition of the Church and the working in practice of the latter. Many of his articles have challenged traditionally held chronologies and explored the implications of fresh dating.
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
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
.
Timothy David Barnes was born in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in 1942. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School is an independent school in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. QEGS is distinct from most other schools in that it was founded by Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I in 1591 at the request of leading citizens in Wakefield 75 in total and some of whom formed the...
until 1960, going up to Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, where he read Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
, taking his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1964 and MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
in 1967. He was Harmsworth Senior Scholar of Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
1964–66 and Junior Research Fellow of The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
1966–70. He was awarded his DPhil
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1970. In 1974 the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
conferred upon him the Conington prize
Conington Prize
The Conington Prize is awarded annually by the University of Oxford.The cash prize is offered for a dissertation on a subject chosen by the writer and approved by the Board of the Faculty of Classics...
.
On receiving his doctorate he was immediately appointed Assistant Professor of Classics at University College, University of Toronto
University College, University of Toronto
University College is a constituent college of the University of Toronto, created in 1853 specifically as an institution of higher learning free of religious affiliation. It was the founding member of the university's modern collegiate system, and its secularism contrasted with contemporary...
and in 1972 he was appointed Associate Professor. In 1976 he became Professor of Classics, a post he held for thirty-one years until his retirement in 2007. He was three times Associate Chairman of Classics (1979–83, 1986–89, 1995–96). In the year 1976/7 he was a visiting member of the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
. 1983/4 he was Visiting Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford
Wolfson College, Oxford
Wolfson College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Located in north Oxford along the River Cherwell, Wolfson is an all-graduate college with over sixty governing body fellows, in addition to both research and junior research fellows. It caters to a wide range of...
and 1984/5 he was Connaught Senior Fellow in the Humanities. In 1989 he was elected a Fellow of the University of Trinity College
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
. He delivered the Townsend Lectures at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1994.
In 1982 he was awarded both the Philip Schaff
Philip Schaff
Philip Schaff , was a Swiss-born, German-educated Protestant theologian and a historian of the Christian church, who, after his education, lived and taught in the United States.-Biography:...
Prize by the American Society of Church History for Constantine and Eusebius and the Charles Goodwin
Charles Wycliffe Goodwin
Charles Wycliffe Goodwin was a British Egyptologist, lawyer and judge.Goodwin was born in 1817. He studied at St Catherine's and graduated, in 1838, 6th Classic and senior optime in Mathematics. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1843 and in 1865 became assistant judge of the British...
Award of Merit by the American Philological Association
American Philological Association
The American Philological Association , founded in 1869, is a non-profit North American scholarly organization devoted to all aspects of Greek and Roman civilization...
. In 1985 he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
.
In December 2007, he officially retired from the University of Toronto, and returned to the United Kingdom. He is currently an honorary fellow at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
's School of Divinity
New College, Edinburgh
New College was opened in 1846 as a college of the Free Church of Scotland, later of the United Free Church of Scotland, and from the 1930s has been the home of the School of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh...
, working with the Centre for the Study of Christian Origins.
Most of Barnes' work has concerned the position of Christianity in the Later Roman Empire, both before state recognition of the Church and the working in practice of the latter. Many of his articles have challenged traditionally held chronologies and explored the implications of fresh dating.