Peter Fraser

Peter Marshall Fraser, (6 April 1918 – 15 September 2007) was a classical scholar and historian specialising in the Hellenistic age of Greece. He was a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford and acting Warden of the college from 1985 to 1987. He served as Director of the British School at Athens from 1968 to 1971.

Early life Fraser was born on 6 April 1918. He was brought up in Carshalton, Surrey. He was educated at the City of London School, boys' private day school in the City of London, England. He won a classical scholarship to Brasenose College, Oxford where he studied for mods the first part of Literae Humaniores. His studies were interrupted by his military service in World War II. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 16 August 1941, having attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit. He was given the service number 201494.

It was because of his knowledge and interest in Classical Greece, that he was recruited by the Special Operations Executive. In the early 1950s, he taught undergraduates, including George Forrest, early Roman history from a Greek perspective. He retired from his university lecture post in 1985 and from his college fellowship in 1987. Peter Marshall Fraser MC

6.4.1918 – 15.8.2007

Scholar

Yet leaving here a name I trust

That will not perish in the dust

Works Three-volume Ptolemaic Alexandria, published in 1972, is considered Fraser's magnum opus, and called "the standard study of Alexander’s greatest foundation".

It received positive reviews; one reviewer called it "as complete a history as the evidence permits" of Alexandria: The quality of print was criticized as not on par with the scholarship.

Honours On 4 January 1945, Fraser was awarded the Military Cross (MC) 'in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field'.

In 1960, he was elected Fellow of the British Academy (FBA). He was awarded a number of honorary degrees: in 1984, an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (Dr. Phil) by the University of Trier; in 1996, an Honorary Doctor of Letters (DLitt) by La Trobe University; and in 2002 an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) by the University of Athens.