John F. Drinkwater

John Frederick Drinkwater (born 1947) is a British historian, classicist, and author. He is Emeritus Professor of Roman Imperial History in the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Nottingham and Honorary Lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Sheffield.

Drinkwater specializes in the study of the Roman West and the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a former joint editor of the Derbyshire Archaeological Journal.

Biography Drinkwater speaks of a lifelong interest in the Romans, beginning with a picture book he received as a young child, and then citing the BBC television series, Dr Who, as another major influence - specifically the four episode serial titled "The Romans" in 1965. although he also has a strong interest in the history of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He is known for his numerous works on Roman Gaul, and on the Third Century Crisis of Rome. In 2007 a study of the office of Roman emperor led him to focus on Nero and, in 2019, to publish Nero: Emperor and Court. This work was referenced in the BBC Radio series, In Our Time.

He has been joint editor of the Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, and is now Professor Emeritus of Roman Imperial History at the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Nottingham. and honorary lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Sheffield.