Lewis Blake Dagnall

School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities

PhD Student (History)

lwdagnall1@sheffield.ac.uk
Profile

Thesis title: The Price of Empire? Justinian I’s use of cash subsidies in foreign policy, 527-565

Supervisors

Period

Pre-1500

Thesis abstract

My research looks at the payments of gold which the Late Roman Empire made to its neighbours. These were regarded by recipients and by critical Romans as 'tribute', whereas Roman sources supportive of the payments called them 'gifts' or 'bribes'.

I will be focusing on the political debates around presenting these payments, but also considering their economic significance.

Qualifications
  • PhD History, University of 91Ö±²¥, 2017 - present
  • MA Historical Research, University of 91Ö±²¥, 2017
  • BA (Hons) History and Politics, University of 91Ö±²¥, 2014
Grants

Awards:

PhD scholarship:

Teaching activities

Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2021)

Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of 91Ö±²¥:

  • HST116 Empire: From the Ancient World to the Middle Ages (2018/19, 2020/21 and 2022/23)
  • AAP240 The Celtic West (2022/23)
Professional activities and memberships
  • Member of the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies
  • Member of the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies
  • Member of the British Institute of Persian Studies
Publications
  • 'The Empress Sophia and East Roman Foreign Policy', in Nadine Viermann and Christian Rollinger (eds), Empresses-in-Waiting: Female Power and Performance at the Late Roman Court (Liverpool, 2024), pp. 115-136.
    Available open access here: