Positions

Research Areas research areas

Overview

  • Michael Leese completed his Ph.D. in the University of Michigan’s Interdepartmental Program in Greek and Roman History, where he also received an M.A. in Ancient Greek. Previously, he earned a B.A. in Classics and an M.A. in Latin education at the University of Connecticut as well as an M.A. in Classics at the University of British Columbia. After serving as the first postdoctoral associate with the Responsible Governance and Sustainable Citizenship Project at UNH in the Department of Classics, Humanities, and Italian Studies, he joined the Department of History in 2015 where is is now Associate Professor.

    He has served as Director of the UNH-in-Greece Summer Study Abroad Program since 2022.

    Research interests focus on the economic history of the ancient Greek world, as well as the evolution of capitalism throughout world history.

    His first book, Making Money in Ancient Athens, was published with the University of Michigan Press (Ann Arbor, 2021).

    A second monograph is under contract with Brill, tentatively entitled "Nicias and the Cosmological Significance of Wealth Acquisition in Ancient Greece."

    A co-edited volume (with Charles Bartlett of the University of Miami), Law, Institutions and Economic Performance in Classical Antiquity, is now under advance contract with the University of Michigan Press, and should appear in 2025.

    Another larger, long-term research project, focuses on the effects of ancient Greek institutions on economic growth and development. This last book project has been awarded a Loeb Classical Library Foundation Fellowship from Harvard University, an NEH Summer Stipend, and a Faculty Fellowship from the Center for Humanities at UNH.

    Family law and institutions such as marriage and dowry are the focus of several articles, which explore the role of women in the fabric of the economic system.
  • Selected Publications

    Academic Article

    Year Title
    2018 Lysias and a Forgotten Law on the Administration of Orphans’ Estates in Classical AthensDike: rivista di storia del diritto greco ed ellenistico.  19:107-125. 2018
    2017 Kapêloi and Economic Rationality in Fourth-Century BCE AthensIllinois Classical Studies.  42:41-59. 2017

    Book

    Year Title
    2017 Deeds of the Bishops of Cambrai, Translation and Commentary 2017

    Chapter

    Year Title
    2017 An Economic Perspective on Marriage Alliances in Ancient Greece.  32-45. 2017

    Teaching Activities

  • Colloquium Taught course
  • History of Ancient Rome Taught course
  • Hon/Capitalism and Inequality Taught course
  • Independent Study Taught course
  • Readings in Latin Literature Taught course
  • Special Studies in Greek Hist Taught course
  • Topics Ancient Greek History Taught course
  • UNH in Greece Study Abroad Taught course
  • UNH in Greece Study Abroad Taught course
  • Honors/Drugs, Addict Wrld Hist Taught course 2024
  • Topics Ancient Roman History Taught course 2024
  • Special Studies in Greek Hist Taught course 2024
  • UNH in Greece Study Abroad Taught course 2024
  • Honors/Drugs, Addict Wrld Hist Taught course 2022
  • Topics Ancient Greek History Taught course 2022
  • Special Studies in Greek Hist Taught course 2022
  • UNH in Greece Study Abroad Taught course 2022
  • Advanced Studies Silver Age Taught course 2022
  • Independent Study Taught course 2022
  • History of Ancient Greece Taught course 2022
  • World History to 16th Century Taught course 2022
  • Class&Hellenistic Greek Worlds Taught course 2021
  • World History to 16th Century Taught course 2021
  • Coll/Gendr&Sexualty in Ancient Taught course 2020
  • Honors/Drugs, Addict Wrld Hist Taught course 2020
  • Roman Empire Taught course 2020
  • Sem/Rich vs Poor Taught course 2020
  • Honors/Drugs, Addict Wrld Hist Taught course 2019
  • World History to 16th Century Taught course 2019
  • World History to 16th Century Taught course 2019
  • Class&Hellenistic Greek Worlds Taught course 2019
  • World History to 16th Century Taught course 2019
  • Roman Empire Taught course 2018
  • Sem/Rich vs Poor Taught course 2018
  • Honors/Drugs, Addict Wrld Hist Taught course 2017
  • Independent Study Taught course 2017
  • World History to 16th Century Taught course 2017
  • Class&Hellenistic Greek Worlds Taught course 2017
  • Coll/Gender and Sexuality Taught course 2017
  • Intro to Historical Thinking Taught course 2016
  • World History to 16th Century Taught course 2016
  • Roman Empire Taught course 2016
  • Sem/Rich vs Poor Taught course 2016
  • Intro to Historical Thinking Taught course 2015
  • World History to 16th Century Taught course 2015
  • The Origins of Capitalism Taught course 2015
  • The Origins of Capitalism Taught course 2014 - 2015
  • Hellenic & Roman Institutions Taught course 2014
  • Education And Training

  • B.A. Classics, University of Connecticut
  • M.A. Latin Teacher Education, University of Connecticut
  • Ph.D. Greek History/Lit, University of Michigan
  • Full Name

  • Michael Leese