Dr Leah Lazar

Research Associate

leah.lazar@classics.ox.ac.uk

My research explores the political and economic history of the Greek world, especially at the interface of imperial power and smaller communities. While I am first and foremost a historian, and make use of a broad range of sources, I make particular use of inscriptions and coins.

My first monograph, Athenian Power in the Fifth Century BC (OUP, 2024), provides an innovative new analysis of the fifth-century BC Athenian empire. Challenging orthodox approaches, which have been mostly been monolithic and focused on Athens, the book argues that Athenian power was flexible and a matter of negotiation between the Athenians and their allies. It brings the allies to centre stage as active agents, and considers how the Athenian empire operated in different regions.

For the CHANGE project, I am in the process of writing a second monograph, entitled Empire and Monetary Economy in Ancient Anatolia. It will explore the varied interaction between empires and cities in the ancient world through the lens of the monetary economy, from the Archaic Period through to the Roman Republic. I have also led the creation of the CHANGE Project’s Site Finds Database, and have compiled its Coins Hoards Database (online soon).