John Atkinson (professor)

Atkinson studied at Durham University. He took a BA (Hons) in Classical and General Literature in 1961, one of his classmates being the future historian R. M. Errington.[1]

Following his undergraduate studies he joined the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now University of Zimbabwe) as Assistant Lecturer, under the leadership of Thomas Francis Carney. From there he moved to the University of South Africa, before joining the University of Cape Town in 1965 as Lecturer, completing a PhD at this institution in 1971. His first book, A commentary on Q. Curtius Rufus' Historiae Alexandri Magni Books 3 and 4, was published in 1980.[2]

Atkinson's academic interests lie in the field of Ancient History, but he can, in the British tradition, be considered first and foremost as a Classicist. His particularly area of specialization is the Latin historian, Q. Curtius Rufus. Joseph Roisman, in the Oxford Bibliographies entry on Alexander the Great, has labelled Atkinson as the 'leading commentator on Curtius'. Jacek Rzepka, in a Bryn Mawr Classical Review article on Atkinson's work, described him as 'a scholar who has almost monopolized studies in Curtius Rufus for two decades'.[3]

Atkinson was an active member of the Classical Association of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1961–63), as well as Assistant Editor of the Proceedings of the African Classical Association (PACA), and the Classical Association of South Africa (CASA), where he was elected onto the Executive Committee as Treasurer (1981–83), Vice-Chairperson (1999–2001) and as Chairperson (2001–03). He is currently an Honorary President of the Association. He has served as a member of the editorial boards of both Acta Classica (1985–2003) and of Akroterion (1985–present).

Wardle, David. "John Edward Atkinson: An Appreciation", Acta Classica 48 (2005). Retrieved on 28 September 2018.