Sinclair Bell
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Sinclair Wynn Bell is an American classical archaeologist and art historian. He is a Professor of Art History at
Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois. It was founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895, by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld as part of an expansion of the state's system ...
where he teaches courses in Greek, Etruscan, and Roman art history, architecture, and archaeology, as well as museum studies. His research focuses on the art and archaeology of the
Etruscans The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, rou ...
; sport and spectacle in the Roman imperial period, especially the
Roman circus The Roman circus (from the Latin word that means "circle") was a large open-air venue used for public events in the ancient Roman Empire. The circuses were similar to the ancient Greek hippodromes, although circuses served varying purposes and di ...
; and
slavery in ancient Rome Slavery in ancient Rome played an important role in society and the economy. Besides manual labour, slaves performed many domestic services and might be employed at highly skilled jobs and professions. Accountants and physicians were often slaves ...
, especially the visual representation of slaves, freedmen, and foreigners in
Roman art The art of Ancient Rome, and the territories of its Republic and later Empire, includes architecture, painting, sculpture and mosaic work. Luxury objects in metal-work, gem engraving, ivory carvings, and glass are sometimes considered to be min ...
.


Early life and education

Bell earned his
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
degree in Classical Studies and History from
Wake Forest University Wake Forest University is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Reynolda Campus, the un ...
, where he was a student of Allen Mandelbaum. He completed his graduate work in Classical Art and Archaeology at the
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
, the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
, and the
University of Cologne The University of Cologne (german: Universität zu Köln) is a university in Cologne, Germany. It was established in the year 1388 and is one of the most prestigious and research intensive universities in Germany. It was the sixth university to ...
. During his graduate work, Bell was the recipient of a Postgraduate Fellowship from the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (2001-2) to study with Prof. Henner von Hesberg at the Archaeological Institute at the University of Cologne, as well as a Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Pre-Doctoral Rome Prize Fellowship in Ancient Studies at the
American Academy in Rome The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill) in Rome. The academy is a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers. History In 1893, a group of American architects, ...
(2002-3).


Career

Bell joined the Art History department faculty at
Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois. It was founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895, by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld as part of an expansion of the state's system ...
as an Assistant Professor in 2008, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2012, and to Professor in 2020. During the 2010–11 academic year, Bell was named a “Research Ambassador” to the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst. In 2020, he was named a Presidential Teaching Professor, which "were established in 1991 to recognize and support faculty who excel in the practice of teaching" at Northern Illinois University. Bell has co-edited nearly 20 volumes, including a book with Teresa Ramsby on freed slaves in ancient Rome ''Free at Last! The Impact of Freed Slaves on the Roman Empire'' and with Alexandra Carpino ''A Companion to the Etruscans.'' Bell was selected for a three-year term as the Editor of the journal the ''Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome.'' He has received numerous postdoctoral grants and fellowships in support of his research, including a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Roman Archaeology at the
University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
(2019), and a Fellowship from the
National Endowment for the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...
(2021). He also appeared as a presenter in a documentary on the Smithsonian Channel, "Rome's Chariot Superstar" which was based in part on his dissertation research. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 2023.


Selected publications

*''Brill’s Companion to the Reception of Vitruvius'', co-edited with Ingrid D. Rowland. Leiden: Brill, 2023. * ''The Running Centaur: Horse-Racing in Global-Historical Perspective'', co-edited with Christian Jaser and Christian Mann. London: Taylor & Francis, 2021. *''Roman Law before the Twelve Tables: An Interdisciplinary Approach'', co-edited with Paul du Plessis. Edinburgh: The University of Edinburgh Press, 2020. *''Child, Family, and Ancient Society: Papers in Honour of Mark Golden'', co-edited with Pauline Ripat. (''Mouseion. Journal of the Classical Association of Canada'' 15.3) Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2019. *''At the Crossroads of Greco-Roman History, Culture and Religion: Papers in Memory of Carin M.C. Green'', co-edited with Lora Holland. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2018. *''Sport and Social Identity in Classical Antiquity: Papers in Honour of Mark Golden'', co-edited with Pauline Ripat. (''Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies'' 61–1.) Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2018. *''A Companion to the Etruscans'', co-edited with Alexandra Carpino. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016. *''Free at Last! The Impact of Freed Slaves on the Roman Empire'', co-edited with Teresa Ramsby. London: Bloomsbury, 2012. *''New Perspectives on Etruria and Early Rome'', co-edited with Helen Nagy. (Wisconsin Studies in Classics Series). Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press, 2009. *''Role Models in the Roman World: Identity and Assimilation'', co-edited with Inge Lyse Hansen. (''Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome'' Supplementary volume; VII). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2008. *''Games and Festivals in Classical Antiquity'', co-edited with Glenys Davies. (BAR International Series 1220). Oxford: Archaeopress, 2004.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Sinclair Living people Wake Forest University alumni Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Oxford Northern Illinois University faculty American art historians American archaeologists Year of birth missing (living people)