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Dr

Kit Morrell

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 56348

Overview

Background

Kit Morrell is a Roman historian specialising in the history, law, and politics of the late Roman republic (the age of Julius Caesar, Pompey the Great, and Cicero). Her current research focuses on the idea and practice of reform in the Roman republic.

Kit joined the University of Queensland in July 2020 as Susan Blake Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History. She has held previous positions as ARC DECRA fellow at the University of Melbourne and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Amsterdam, investigating the impact of the Augustan marriage legislation on Roman women’s legal and property rights as part of the OIKOS Anchoring Innovation project. She has also taught at the University of Sydney, where she completed her PhD in 2014.

Kit’s publications include a monograph, Pompey, Cato, and the Governance of the Roman Empire, published by Oxford University Press in 2017, and The Alternative Augustan Age (OUP, 2019), co-edited with Josiah Osgood and Kathryn Welch. She is currently working on a monograph based on her DECRA project, 'Reforming the Roman Republic', and a coedited volume on The Rule of Law in Ancient Rome (to be published by OUP).

Kit’s research interests reflect her training in both ancient history and law. Her research expertise includes Roman republican history and politics (especially the late republic); Roman law; Roman women; ethics and exemplarity in the Roman world; and ancient historiography of the republic and early empire. She is happy to discuss potential Honours and postgraduate supervision on these and related topics.

Availability

Dr Kit Morrell is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sydney
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Law, University of Sydney
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Arts, University of Sydney

Research interests

  • The Roman republic

    The Roman republic, especially the history, politics, and law of the late Roman republic, including key historical figures such as Pompey the Great, Cato the Younger, Cicero, and Julius Caesar.

  • Roman law

    Especially public law in the Roman republic; the extortion law and related measures; tutela mulierum (guardianship of women) and Roman women's property rights; reform programmes; the physical media of Roman statutes.

  • Reform in the Roman republic

    The idea and practice of 'reform' in the Roman republic, including reform programmes; attempts at systemic reform; the Roman discourse of reform; non-legislative reform strategies including exemplarity and role-modelling.

  • Roman women

    Roman women, especially in the late republican, Augustan, and early imperial periods; women and politics in ancient Rome; Roman women's property rights; the Augustan marriage laws; guardianship.

  • The rule of law in ancient Rome

    The potential applicability of modern ideas of 'the rule of law' to ancient Rome, especially in the republican and triumviral periods.

  • Imperialism and provincial governance in the Roman republic

    Including Roman ideas of good governance; Roman imperialism in ancient historiography; attempts to improve provincial administration; legislation; exemplarity.

  • Ancient historiography

    Ancient writers about Rome (Latin and Greek), especially historiographical engagement with Roman imperialism; representations of reform; the writings of Cicero.

Works

Search Professor Kit Morrell’s works on UQ eSpace

21 works between 2014 and 2025

21 - 21 of 21 works

2014

Journal Article

Cato and the courts in 54 B.C

Morrell, Kit (2014). Cato and the courts in 54 B.C. Classical Quarterly, 64 (2), 669-681. doi: 10.1017/s0009838814000299

Cato and the courts in 54 B.C

Funding

Past funding

  • 2020 - 2024
    Reforming the Roman Republic
    ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Kit Morrell is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Master Philosophy

    The Connection Between Animals and Malefic Magic in the Ancient Roman World

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Annabel Florence

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Role of Wood in Shaping Social and Cultural Experiences in Roman Domestic Spaces

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Janette McWilliam

  • Master Philosophy

    Defacement or Dialogue? Ancient Roman Perceptions of Graffiti

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Janette McWilliam

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Traditional and the Unconventional: Unique Expressions of Maternal Power by the Empresses Julia Soaemias and Julia Mamaea

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Janette McWilliam

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Dr Kit Morrell directly for media enquiries about:

  • Ancient history
  • Ancient Rome
  • Augustus
  • Cicero
  • Julius Caesar
  • Reform in Rome
  • Roman history
  • Roman women
  • The Roman empire
  • The Roman republic

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au