Peter Connolly
Peter William Connolly FSA (8 May 1935 – 2 May 2012) was a British illustrator and self-taught scholar of the ancient world, Greek and Roman military equipment historian, and reconstructional archaeologist.
Also recorded as Peter William Connolly
Peter Connolly
- Name
- Peter Connolly
- Born
- 8 May 1935
- Died
- 2 May 2012
- Education
- Brighton College of Arts and Crafts
- Occupation
- Scholar, reconstructional archaeologist and illustrator
- Known for
- Work on Greek and Roman military equipment
- Full name
- Peter William Connolly.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom.
- Fields
- history, military history, illustration and classical antiquity.
- Honours
- Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary summary
Peter William Connolly FSA (8 May 1935 – 2 May 2012) was a British illustrator and self-taught scholar of the ancient world, Greek and Roman military equipment historian, and reconstructional archaeologist.
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Note VALÉORINE
Peter Connolly (1935–2012) was a British historian, illustrator and writer. Born Peter William Connolly in Surbiton, the historian died in Spalding.
Peter Connolly studied at University of Brighton and University of Brighton School of Art. The historian worked for University of Oxford and was a member of Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies and Society of Antiquaries of London. Peter Connolly worked in Greater London. The historian was active in classical antiquity, history and illustration.
Languages used include English. Peter Connolly received Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q2062461
In this article
Biography
Biography
Peter Connolly studied at University of Brighton and University of Brighton School of Art. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is history, military history and illustration. Places of work recorded in the authority are Greater London. Employment is recorded with University of Oxford. Distinctions recorded are Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Peter Connolly • Born — 8 May 1935 • Died — 2 May 2012 • Education — Brighton College of Arts and Crafts • Occupation — Scholar, reconstructional archaeologist and illustrator • Known for — Work on Greek and Roman military equipment
Biography
Biography
The son of an artist, Connolly studied at the Brighton College of Arts and Crafts after national service in the Royal Air Force. His interest in ancient military history caused him to collaborate with Brian Dobson and H. Russell Robinson; and his first book, The Roman Army, came out in 1975. He wrote and illustrated books about the ancient world, including Pompeii, Greece and Rome at War, The Greek Armies, Colosseum: Rome's Arena of Death, and the award-winning Legend of Odysseus. Connolly appeared regularly on television as an expert on ancient armies and their equipment, and in the 1980s presented a series for UK schools called "An Archaeological Background to the Gospels" in which he travelled to ancient sites in Israel, illustrating the programmes with his own paintings, many of which appeared in his book Living in the Time of Jesus of Nazareth. He became a member of the Society of Antiquaries in 1984 and a year later was awarded an honorary research fellowship at the Institute of Archaeology of the University College London. From 1987 until his death in 2012, he lived in Spalding, Lincolnshire.
Works
Works
Works are both written and illustrated by Connolly unless otherwise noted. • Crosher, Judith (1974), The Greeks, Macdonald Educational (Illustrated by Peter Connolly). • Connolly, Peter (1975), The Roman Army, Macdonald Educational. • Connolly, Peter (1977), The Greek Armies, Macdonald Educational. • Connolly, Peter (1978), Hannibal and the Enemies of Rome, Macdonald Educational. • Connolly, Peter (1978), Armies of the Crusades, Macdonald Educational. • Connolly, Peter (1979), Pompeii, Macdonald Educational. • Connolly, Peter (1981), Greece and Rome at War, Macdonald Phoebus Ltd. • Revised edition (1998), London: Greenhill Books and Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. • Connolly, Peter (1983), Living in the Time of Jesus of Nazareth, Oxford University Press • Reprinted as A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus: From Herod the Great to Masada (1987) • Reprinted as The Jews in the Time of Jesus: A History (1995) • Reprinted as The Holy Land (1999) • Connolly, Peter (1986), The Legend of Odysseus, Oxford University Press. • Reprinted as The Ancient Greece of Odysseus (1998) • Connolly, Peter (1988), Tiberius Claudius Maximus: The Legionary, Oxford University Press. • Connolly, Peter (1988), Tiberius Claudius Maximus: The Cavalryman, Oxford University Press. • Hackett, John (1989), Warfare in the Ancient World, Facts On File (Illustrated by Peter Connolly). • Coe, Michael (editor) (1989), Swords and Hilt Weapons, Grove Press (Contributor: Peter Connolly). • Connolly, Peter (1991), The Roman Fort, Oxford University Press. • Burrell, Roy (1991), The Romans, Oxford University Press (Illustrated by Peter Connolly). • Connolly, Peter (1993), Greek Legends: The Stories, the Evidence, Simon & Schuster. • Burrell, Roy (1997), Oxford First Ancient History (Series: Oxford First Books), Oxford University Press (Illustrated by Peter Connolly). • Connolly, Peter (editor) (1998), The Hutchinson Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval Warfare, Routledge. • Connolly, Peter and Hazel Dodge (1998), The Ancient City, Life in Classical Athens & Rome, Oxford University Press. • Connolly, Peter (2001), Ancient Greece, Oxford University Press (Text by Andrew Solway). • Connolly, Peter (2001), Ancient Rome, Oxford University Press (Text by Andrew Solway). • Connolly, Peter (2003), Colosseum: Rome's Arena of Death, BBC Books.
Career and activity
Career and activity
Peter Connolly worked in history, military history, illustration, classical antiquity and literary activity. He was employed by University of Oxford. He belonged to Society of Antiquaries of London and Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies. He worked at Greater London.
Identity
Identity
Peter Connolly is recorded as historian, illustrator and writer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1935
Peter Connolly born at Surbiton.
2012
Peter Connolly died at Spalding.
Places
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Surbiton.
Birth place
Spalding.
Death place
Holdings and surviving copies
Where the work is held
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Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
scholarly publication
- A Student's Guide to the History and Philosophy of Yoga – By Peter Connolly, Religious Studies Review, 2009
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2009
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2062461: Peter Connolly
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
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References
Citations
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scholarly publication
A Student's Guide to the History and Philosophy of Yoga – By Peter Connolly, Religious Studies Review, 2009Crossref registry
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Secondary witness
People, houses and institutions
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People, houses and institutions
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Born at
1- SurbitonPlace
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Further particulars
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Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Connolly, Peter Romauld, Dictionary of Irish Biography, 2009
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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