WIU 2020 Distinguished Faculty Lecture Goes Virtual

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2020 WIU Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Lee Brice
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WIU 2020 Distinguished Faculty Lecture Goes Virtual

October 6, 2020

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – The Western Illinois University 2020 Distinguished Faculty Lecture, presented by Lee L. Brice, recently went virtual due to the ongoing pandemic. This year's lecture is "The Colts of Corinth Revisited: A Numismatic Study."

According to Brice, a professor in the WIU Department of History, his lecture focuses on the results of an on-going study of small-denomination silver coinage of ancient Corinth and its place in the history of coinage.

"The most visible legacy of ancient Greece in our daily lives is coinage, especially small denominations," said Brice. "We use coins regularly, but most of us are less familiar with the history behind their use and what they can tell us now. While coins were invented in Asia Minor (modern Turkey), small denomination coins were a Greek invention. Corinth, the second largest economy in Greece from the 6th through the 2nd centuries BCE, was one of the first Greek cities to strike silver coins, including small denominations."

Brice added that his lecture topic is a demonstration of how changes in the field are providing a more complete sense of Ancient Greece.

"Students sometimes assume ancient history is set because the events don't change, but the field is vibrant and changes constantly as we find new sources, new evidence, and different approaches that enable us to ask new questions of old interpretations," he said.

Throughout his time at WIU, Brice has received numerous honors for his research and academic work. He was selected as a Tytus Fellow at the University of Cincinnati, was elected a Fellow into the American Numismatic Society, named the Gale Distinguished Lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and received the honor of Distinguished Visiting Lecturer in Ancient History at Auckland University in New Zealand and the Elizabeth A. Whitehead Distinguished Professor at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece.

Brice has previous taught as a Visiting Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Instructor in Classics at Sweet Briar College in Virginia. He has co-directed study abroad trips to Greece, Rome and Campania, and participated in multiple extended research trips to Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom, as well as served as president of the Association of Ancient Historians from 2014-17.

Since coming to WIU in 2003, Brice has served multiple terms on the Faculty Senate, also serving as secretary. While serving as faculty advisor for the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, Omicron-Omicron chapter at WIU, it was designated as an Outstanding Student Organization by the College of Arts and Sciences. Brice was also awarded the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Excellence Award in 2016, for research and scholarly activity, as well as the College of Arts and Sciences 2008 Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching – Mentoring Undergraduate Research and the Outstanding First Year Experience Teacher Award in 2006. He was co-organizer of the History Faculty Colloquia from 2009-12 and has served on numerous department, college and University Committees.

Professionally, Brice has published six books on ancient warfare and history, has authored and co-authored several book chapters and encyclopedia entries, published numerous articles in professional journals and many book reviews by invitation. He is the senior editor of "Research Perspectives in Ancient History," and editor of a peer-reviewed book series, "Warfare in the Ancient Mediterranean: Bill's Companions to the Classical World."

Brice said as the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, his lecture reflects how his research is applied in his classrooms.

"If we sometimes forget how important the connection between teaching and research is, the Distinguished Faculty Lecture is a chance to be reminded that the two are closely intertwined," said Brice. "I am honored to have been selected by my peers to highlight for the University community my field, ancient history and current research, which is so important to my teaching."

Brice received his bachelor's degree in history from Virginia Commonwealth University; his master's degree in history from the University of Houston and his doctoral degree in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.