Professor Dr. Anna Bonnell Freidin

Biography

Anna Bonnell Freidin is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Michigan, specializing in the cultural and social history of the Roman Empire. She earned her PhD from Princeton University in 2018 and has since focused her research and teaching on gender, daily life, science and medicine as well as food cultures in ancient Rome. Her forthcoming book, 'Birthing Romans: Childbearing Risks in Imperial Rome' (2024), examines the understanding and management of pregnancy and childbirth during the Roman Empire. Freidin is also working on a book project titled 'Empire Bread: Food and Community in Ancient Rome,' which delves into the social and cultural dimensions of Roman foodways, particularly the significance of bread in shaping everyday life. She collaborates with Colin Webster on the Rootcutter Society for Ancient Medicine and is a core faculty member in the Interdepartmental Program in Ancient History. Additionally, Freidin is affiliated with the Institute for Research on Women and Gender and the Science, Technology, and Society Program. Her recent publications contribute to discussions on the gendered experience of childbirth and the role of food in societal structure in ancient Rome.

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