Dr. Edward Watts

Professor

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Biography

Edward Watts is a Professor at the University of California, San Diego, specializing in the intellectual, political, and religious history of the Roman Empire and early Byzantine Empire. He received his BAs in Classics and Ancient Medieval Culture from Brown University and completed his PhD in History at Yale University in 2002. He is the author of seven books, including 'The Final Pagan Generation' and 'Mortal Republic: Rome Fell to Tyranny,' with his latest work, 'Resilient Rome,' set to publish in 2025. His research has been featured in prominent publications such as Time, Vox, and The Wall Street Journal. Before joining UCSD in 2012, Watts taught for a decade at Indiana University, where he developed courses on Byzantine History, Roman History, Late Antique Christianity, and Roman numismatics. His scholarship also includes numerous articles and contributions to edited volumes, furthering the discourse around the Late Antique period and its cultural influences.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

2012-01-01 — Present

University of California, San Diego • La Jolla, California

Teaching and researching the history of the Roman Empire and early Byzantine Empire.

Instructor

2002-01-01 — 2012-01-01

Indiana University • Bloomington, Indiana

Taught various courses on history with a focus on Late Antiquity and Byzantine studies.

Courses

Byzantine History Roman History Late Antique Christianity Roman Numismatics

Requirements for University of California, San Diego

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:85
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Duolingo
Overall Score
Required:120
Overall
Required:120
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in physical, biological, or earth sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Differential and integral calculus. One year of calculus-based physics with laboratory. One year of chemistry with laboratory.
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose (max 2 pages)
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Application fee ($135 domestic / $155 international)
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Curricular groups include Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere (COAP), Geosciences (GEO), and Ocean Biosciences (OBP).