Biography

I am an archaeologist, historian, author and broadcaster specialising in the Roman and classical world. Through books, television, lectures and archaeological tours, I have spent decades exploring the ancient world and sharing its stories with audiences through research, storytelling and public engagement.

Author, Broadcaster & Public Historian

I am an award-winning and best-selling archaeologist, historian and broadcaster with a long-standing passion for the Roman and classical world. Over the course of my career I have written more than twenty books exploring Roman history, warfare, archaeology and imperial politics. My most recent book, The African Emperor, about Septimius Severus, became a Sunday Times best-seller and received positive reviews in The Spectator, The Daily Telegraph and The Wall Street Journal.

Earlier publications have also received recognition. Roman Britain’s Missing Legion was named BBC History Book of the Year 2021, while Sea Eagles of Empire, examining the Roman fleet in Britain, received the Military History Matters Book of the Year award in 2017. I am currently writing Death on the Palatine: Cold Cases of the Roman Emperors, which is due to be published by Icon Publishing in April 2027. Alongside books, I have written widely for mainstream, archaeological, historical and gaming media.

Broadcasting and public engagement have become an important part of my work. I frequently appear across television, podcasts and digital media as both presenter and expert, helping bring archaeology and ancient history to wider audiences.

Research, Broadcasting & Academic Life

Recent broadcasting work has included Channel 5’s Pompeii: Life in the City, The Colosseum with Dan Snow, Walking Britain’s Roman Roads with Dan Jones, Britain’s Lost Battlefields with Rob Bell, Tony Robinson’s History of Britain and London: 2,000 Years. I have also appeared in Channel 4’s The Great British Dig, ITV’s Back to School with Alison Hammond, Discovery’s Mysteries of the Deep, National Geographic’s Drain the Oceans and multiple productions with History Hit. Beyond television, I have been fortunate to appear as a guest in more than one hundred podcasts and numerous online lectures.

I am also honoured to guide archaeological lecture tours to Roman sites across Italy, France and North Africa for organisations including Andante Travels, The Cultural Experience and Hidden History Travel, combining scholarship, travel and storytelling in the landscapes where history unfolded.

Academically, my PhD is in Classics and Archaeology from the University of Kent. I also hold an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a second MA in Archaeology from UCL’s Institute of Archaeology. I have had the honour to serve two four-year terms as a Trustee of the Council for British Archaeology, remain an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Kent and am a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Earlier Career & Professional Experience

Before archaeology, writing and broadcasting became my primary focus, I spent many years working in journalism and communications.

I began my professional career as an aerospace and defence journalist, writing for national newspapers and serving as an editor at both Flight International and Jane’s Defence Weekly. Later, I moved into public relations and went on to run major public relations companies in the City of London and West End.

Those earlier careers shaped how I communicate complex subjects and continue to influence my work today. Whether writing books, appearing on television or speaking publicly about the ancient world, I remain committed to making history accessible, engaging and relevant to modern audiences.

DR SIMON ELLIOTT

Key life events

2026

Broadcast

Rich Lives/ Poor Lives with Rob Rinder and Ruth Goodman, Channel 5
The Rise of Augustus, History Hit
Caesar’s Disastrous Invasion of Britain, History Hit