Ian Richmond
{{Short description|English archaeologist and academic}}
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{{Infobox academic
| honorific_prefix = Professor
| name = Sir Ian Richmond
| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|FSA|FBA|size=100%}}
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| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1902|5|10}}
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| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1965|10|5|1902|5|10}}
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| nationality = English
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| title = Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire
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| discipline = Archaeology
Classics
| sub_discipline = Roman Britain
Roman Empire
Classical archaeology
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| education = Ruthin School
| alma_mater = Corpus Christi College, Oxford
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| workplaces = Queen's University Belfast
British School at Rome
Durham University
University of Oxford
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Sir Ian Archibald Richmond, {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|FSA|FBA|size=100%|sep=,}} (10 May 1902 – 5 October 1965) was an English archaeologist and academic. He was Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire at the University of Oxford.The Antiquaries Journal 45,September 1965 p ix In addition, he was Director of the British School at Rome from 1930 to 1932, President of the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies from 1958 to 1961, and Director of the Society of Antiquaries of London from 1959 to 1964.
Early life
Richmond was born on 10 May 1902 in Rochdale, Lancashire, England,{{cite ODNB|last=Birley|first=Eric|editor1-first=Malcolm|editor1-last=Todd|title=Richmond, Sir Ian Archibald (1902–1965)|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/35744|access-date=14 December 2013|year=2004|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/35744}} alongside his twin brother.{{cite web|last=Shotter|first=David|title=The Archaeologists of Lancaster|url=http://www.archaeologyuk.org/lahs/archaeologists_of_lancaster.htm|publisher=Council for British Archaeology|access-date=14 December 2013}} He was educated at Ruthin School, a public school in Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales. In 1920, he began the study of classics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He achieved a third class in Mods in 1922 and a second class in Greats in 1924 of his Literae Humaniores degree. He spent the next two years studying at the British School at Rome.
Academic career
In 1926, following his studies, Richmond joined Queen's University Belfast as a lecturer in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History.{{cite journal|title=Ian Archibald Richmond, 1902–65|journal=The Journal of Roman Studies|year=1965|volume=55|pages=xiii–xiv|jstor=297425|doi=10.1017/s0075435800070003|doi-access=free|last1=s. s. f|issue=1/2}} In 1930, he returned to Rome as Director of the British School. On leaving Rome in 1935, he became a lecturer in Roman-British studies at Durham University's King's College, Newcastle upon Tyne. He was promoted to Reader in 1943 and to professor in 1950. He was Public Orator for Durham University from 1949 to 1951. In 1956, he was invited to fill the new chair of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire at Oxford.{{cite web|title=History of the School of Archaeology|url=http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/history.html|publisher=University of Oxford|access-date=14 December 2013|archive-date=5 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105151406/http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/history.html|url-status=dead}}
He was a prolific excavator of Romano-British sites, specialising in small-scale excavations, often just a single trench placed at a crucial point in a Roman fort which thereby established both the date and purpose of the fort. He excavated at Segontium in Caernarfon, Chester, South Shields, Lancaster, Bath, Silchester, Inveresk Roman Fort and Chedworth Roman villa. However his two major projects were at the Hod HillHod Hill: Excavations carried out between 1951 and 1958 for the Trustees of the British Museum, British Museum Iron Age hillfort where he elucidated the Roman fort that was inserted into one corner, and then at InchtuthilL.F.Pitts, J.K.St Joseph. Inchtuthil, The Roman Legionary Fortresss, Britannnia Monograph series 6, 1985 near Perth in Scotland, the legionary fortress occupied during Agricola's advance into Scotland. He also wrote a highly successful book on Roman Britain for the Penguin series.
On 25 April 1944, he was appointed a member of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.{{London Gazette |issue=36501 |date=5 May 1944 |page=2071 }} He was also appointed a member of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England on 2 April 1946.{{London Gazette |issue=37520 |date=2 April 1946 |page=1634 }} He was a Commissioner until his death, making an important contribution to their study and record of Roman monuments.
Death
Having experienced two years of minor heart troubles, Richmond died at his home in Oxford on 5 October 1965. He was 63 at the time of his sudden death.{{cite web|title=Further Information|url=http://ukbookworld.com/book-for-sale/bossomc/127222/richmond-ian-roman-archaeology-and-art-essays-and-studies-ian-richmond|publisher=UK Book World|access-date=14 December 2013}} His funeral was held on 8 October 1965 at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford.{{cite news|title=Deaths – Richmond|newspaper=The Times|date=6 October 1965}}
Personal life
Richmond was a devout Anglican. In 1938, he married Isabel Little. Together they had two children; one son, Hugh, and one daughter, Helen.{{cite news|title=Obituary – Prof. Sir Ian Richmond|newspaper=The Times|date=6 October 1965|page=16}}
Honours
Richmond was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA) in 1931 and Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 1947. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1958. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on 22 July 1964.{{London Gazette |issue=43390 |date=24 July 1964 |page=6313 }}
Legacy
The Richmond Prize is awarded every year by the Archaeology department of Newcastle University for the best performance at Stage 2, given to an undergraduate at the end of their second year.{{cite web |url=https://www.ncl.ac.uk/media/wwwnclacuk/schoolofhistoryclassicsandarchaeology/V400%20and%20V401%202019-20%20Handbook%20Final%20V3.pdf |title=Degree Programme Handbook 2019/20 |access-date=16 January 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Publications
- Roman Britain (1955) Penguin.
References
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Category:People educated at Ruthin School
Category:Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Category:Professors of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire
Category:Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Category:Fellows of the British Academy
Category:Presidents of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Category:Academics of Queen's University Belfast
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Academics of Durham University