Steve Mason

I'm privileged to be a historian of the ancient eastern Mediterranean world, under Roman rule (ca. 200 BCE to 400 CE). After a BA and MA in McMaster University's Religious Studies department, in early Judaism and Christian origins, I continued to a PhD from St Michael's Toronto, with a year each in Jerusalem (Hebrew U) and Tübingen along the way. Three years of the usual job anxiety for humanities PhDs ended with a contract and eventually permanent post at Toronto's York U, in classics-religious studies-humanities, later in the Department of History as a Canada Research Chair in Greco-Roman Cultural Interaction (2003-2011). Then I decided to leave for the UK, home of my second citizenship, then for the Continent, where I've landed at the University of Groningen.

Although I don't object to the label 'Josephus scholar', being happy to be called a scholar (= 'student') of any kind, the majority of my research time for twenty years+ has been among other ancient texts and material evidence (sites, coins, inscriptions, etc.). I hope that my latest book -- A History of the Jewish War, AD 66-74 -- helps to show this approach to the past. Check it out!