Edith Wightman

Edith Mary Wightman FSA (1938 – 17 December 1983) was a British ancient historian and archaeologist. She was Assistant-Professor and then Professor at McMaster University (1969–1983). Wightman was best known for her studies Roman Trier and Gallia Belgica.

Edith Mary Wightman FSA
Born	1938 Scotland
Died	17 December 1983
Nationality	British
Occupation	Archaeologist, ancient historian

Biography

Wightman undertook undergraduate studies at the University of St Andrews, receiving her MA in 1960.[1] Next, she studied in Oxford with Ian Richmond and C.E. Stevens, receiving a diploma in Classical Archaeology in 1962, and a DPhil in 1968.[1] Her dissertation on Roman Trier and the Treveri was published as a monograph in 1970.[1] Wightman lectured at the University of Leicester from 1965–69,[1] before joining the Department of History at McMaster University in 1969,[2] replacing her predecessor Edward Togo Salmon as Professor of Ancient History.[1]

Wightman undertook archaeological fieldwork in the Mediterranean as part of three projects; at Monte Irsi under the direction of Alaster Small,[2][3] as co-director of the Second Canadian Team excavations at Carthage alongside Colin Wells,[4] and as the director of the multidisciplinary field survey project in the Liri Valley, Italy.[5]

Wightman's work has been described as a "model of how to combine literary, epigraphic, and archaeological data with caution and imagination[6] Research for Gallia Belgica involved annual research visits to archaeological institutes in Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.[7] Her posthumously published survey of Gallia Belgica has been described as "magisterial",[8] and John Percival stated that "it is hard to think of a better study of an individual Roman province in terms of comprehensiveness and reliability".[9] Underlying her work was a "concern for the Roman countryside and its population".[2] She was noted for her skill as a researcher and as a teacher,[2] and as "a much loved and respected scholar".[9]

Wightman was murdered on 17 December 1983 in her office at McMaster University.[1][10] She was found lying on the floor with her eyes and mouth bound with surgical tape and her hands handcuffed behind her back.[11] According to the police, credit cards were missing and robbery was probably the motive for the killing.[11]

Honours

Wightman was elected as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1973, a foreign associate member of the Société des Antiquaires de France in 1976, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1982.[1]

Works

• Wightman, E. 1970. Roman Trier and the Treveri. Oxford
• Wightman, E.M. 1974. La Gaule chevelue entre César et Auguste. In Actes du IXeme Congres International d'études sur les Frontières Romaines, Mamaïa, 6-13 septembre 1972.
• Wightman, E.M. 1975. The pattern of rural settlement in Roman Gaul. ANRW 2.4: 584-657
• Wightman, E.M. 1977. Military arrangements, native settlements and related developments in early Roman Gaul. Helinium 17, 105-126.
• Wightman, E. 1978. Peasants and potentates : an investigation of social structure and land tenure in Roman Gaul. American Journal of Ancient History 3.
• Wightman, E. 1980. The plan of Roman Carthage, in New Light on Ancient Carthage (Ann Arbor, 1980), 29-46
• Wightman, E. 1981. The lower Liri valley: problems, trends and peculiaritiies. In G. Barker and R. Hodges (eds.) Archaeology and Italian Society. Prehistoric, Roman and Medieval Studies. Oxford: BAR International Series 102.
• Wightman, E. 1985. Gallia Belgica. London: B. T. Batsford
• Wightman, E.M. 1994a The Iron Age. In J.W. Hayes and I.P. Martini (eds.) Archaeological survey in the Lower Liri Valley, Central Italy (BAR International Series 595). Oxford, Tempus Reparatum. 13-17.
• Wightman, E.M. 1994b Communications. In J.W. Hayes and I.P. Martini (eds.) Archaeological survey in the Lower Liri Valley, Central Italy (BAR International Series 595). Oxford, Tempus Reparatum. 30-33.
• Hayes, J.W. and Wightman, E.M. (1984) Interamna Lirenas: risultati di ricerche in superficie 1979-1981. In S. QuiliciGigli (ed.) Archeologia Laziale VI (Quaderni del Centro di Studio per l'Archeologia Etrusco-Italica 8). Roma, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. 137-148.

References

1. Ridgway, David (1994). "Edith Wightman". Biographical Dictionary of North American Classicists by American Philological Association. p. 709.
2. Rossiter, J (1984). "Edith Mary Wightman". Échos du Monde Classique. 28: 302–3.
3. Monte Irsi, Southern Italy : the Canadian excavations in the Iron Age and Roman sites, 1971-1972. Small, Alastair., Barker, Graeme. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. 1977. ISBN 090453166X. OCLC 3390190.CS1 maint: others (link)
4. Hitchner, R. Bruce (2010). "Professor Colin Michael Wells". Libyan Studies. 41: 5–6. doi:10.1017/S0263718900000236. ISSN 0263-7189.
5. Archaeological survey in the Lower Liri Valley, Central Italy. Wightman, Edith Mary, -1983., Hayes, John W., Martini, I. P. (Ireneo Peter), 1935-. Oxford: Tempvs Reparatvm. 1994. ISBN 9780860547693. OCLC 32394341.CS1 maint: others (link)
6. Woolf, G (2005). "Family History in the Roman North-West". In George, M (ed.). The Roman Family in the Empire: Rome, Italy, and Beyond. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 231–254.
7. Laet, S. J. De (1987). "Wightman Edith Mary . Gallia Belgica. London: B. T. Batsford, 1985. xiv + 386 pp., 84 illus. £19.95". Antiquity. 61 (231): 145–146. doi:10.1017/S0003598X00072732. ISSN 0003-598X.
8. Greene, K. (1986). The Archaeology of the Roman Economy. London: B. T. Batsford Ltd. p. 141.
9. Percival, John (1986). "Gallia Belgica. By Wightman Edith Mary. 24 × 15·5 cm. Pp. xiv + 386, 44 figs. + 40 pls. London: B. T. Batsford, 1985. ISBN 0-7134-4609-9. £19·95". The Antiquaries Journal. 66 (2): 432. doi:10.1017/S0003581500028377. ISSN 1758-5309.
10. Gordon, Laura. "Wightman, Edith Mary". Database of Classical Scholars | Rutgers, University of New Jersey. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
11. "Canadian News Briefs". United Press International. 12 January 1984. Retrieved 2020-04-25.