Definition
Harold B. Mattingly was a British classical scholar and numismatist noted for his contributions to the study of Roman history and Roman coinage.
Overview
Harold Braithwaite Mattingly pursued an academic career centered on the ancient world, particularly the Roman Empire. He authored several influential works on Roman imperial chronology, biography, and numismatics. Among his most widely referenced publications are The Imperial Coinage of the Roman Empire and a scholarly biography of the emperor Augustus. Mattingly held professional roles that included curatorial responsibilities for the coin collection of the British Museum and academic appointments within university departments of classics or ancient history. His research combined literary sources with material evidence, notably coins, to reconstruct political and economic aspects of Roman antiquity.
Etymology/Origin
The surname Mattingly is of English origin, historically deriving from place‑names such as Mattingley in Hampshire. The middle initial “B.” stands for Braithwaite, a family name.
Characteristics
- Specialization: Roman numismatics, imperial chronology, and biographical studies of Roman figures.
- Methodology: Integration of epigraphic and numismatic evidence with literary sources to produce comprehensive historical analyses.
- Key Publications:
- The Imperial Coinage of the Roman Empire (multi‑volume series) – a detailed catalogue of Roman imperial coins.
- Augustus – a scholarly biography examining the political and cultural impact of Rome’s first emperor.
- Professional Roles: Curator or deputy keeper of the coin collection at the British Museum; university lecturer or professor in classics or ancient history (exact institutions and titles are not uniformly documented).
Related Topics
- Roman numismatics
- Imperial Roman history
- British Museum collections
- Classical scholarship in the United Kingdom
- Historical methodology combining material culture and textual analysis
Accurate information is not confirmed for certain biographical details, such as exact birth and death dates and specific academic appointments, due to limited publicly available authoritative sources.