I studied Classics and Archaeology at the University of Florence, Italy, where I also received a post-master diploma in Conservation of Cultural Heritage. After being awarded the PhD in Classical Studies from Columbia University in New York, I worked as research staff at the University of Oxford and was appointed Golding Fellow at Brasenose College. I have been a member of the research team for the Oxford Roman Economy Project until my appointment in 2008 as Lecturer in Classics at the University of Reading; since 2013 I am Professor of Ancient History in Reading's Department of Classics.
My research interests lie in the sphere of Roman social and economic history and I have published widely on topics ranging from audience targeting on Roman imperial coinage to assessing the agricultural production of Rome’s hinterland and the economic importance of ancient aquaculture. I have participated in archaeological projects In Italy, Egypt, and Libya, and I am currently co-directing an excavation project in Pompeii.
FSA; FRHistS