Ralph W. Mathisen

Ralph Whitney Mathisen (born February 17, 1947 ) is an American ancient historian, specializing in the history of Late antiquity. Currently he is the Professor of History, Classics, and Medieval Studies in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. From 1996 to 2004 he was the Louise Fry Scudder Professor of Humanities in the University of South Carolina. He also has served the founding editor of the Journal of Late Antiquity and one of the editors of Late Antiquity Newsletter, Medieval Prosopography and De Imperatoribus Romanis.

Biography
Mathisen graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in astronomy-physics and later graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute-Hartford with a Master of Science in mechanical engineering. In 1973 he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in classics. From 1979 he is a PhD in ancient history with the thesis "The Ecclesiastical Aristocracy of Fifth-Century Gaul: A Regional Analysis of Family Structure".

In 1980 Mathisen was a visiting professor in Roman history in the University of Illinois - Chicago Circle, but in 2013 — visiting fellow of the University of Leuven. From 1991 to 2004 — a professor (later — the Louise Fry Scudder Professor of Humanities and the Director of Biographical Database for Late Antiquity) in the University of South Carolina. Currently he is the Professor of History, Classics, and Medieval Studies in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Member of editorial boards

 * De Imperatoribus Romanis (from 1996).
 * Founding editor of the Journal of Late Antiquity (2007—2013).
 * Dialogues d'histoire ancienne (from 2003).
 * Oxford Studies in Late Antiquity (from 2007).
 * Late Antiquity Newsletter (1996—2004).
 * Medieval Prosopography (from 1993).
 * Polis. Rivista de ideas y formes politicas de la Antigüedad Classica (from 1993).

Awards and honours

 * Fellowship of the American Numismatic Society (1997).
 * Guggenheim Fellowship (2016).
 * Codex Award from the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (like a Journal of Late Antiquity editor) (2013).
 * Bronze Medal from the American Numismatic Association Convention.