Nicholas James Richardson is a British

Classical scholar Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

and formerly Warden of

Greyfriars, Oxford Greyfriars is a Roman Catholic friary and parish located in East Oxford, which until 2008 was also a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford. Situated on the Iffley Road in East Oxford, it was one of the smallest constituent halls o ...

, from 2004 until 2007. Nicholas Richardson was educated at

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the s ...

( Honour Moderations in ''Literae Humaniores'' first class, Final Honour School of ''Literae Humaniores'' first class,

BPhil Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil, BPh, or PhB; la, Baccalaureus Philosophiae or ) is the title of an academic degree that usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects. Unlike many other bachelor's d ...

DPhil A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...

). From 1960 until 1961 he was a student of ancient historian G.E.M. de Ste Croix, and contributed to his

festschrift In academia, a ''Festschrift'' (; plural, ''Festschriften'' ) is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during their lifetime. It generally takes the form of an edited volume, containing contributions from the h ...

entitled ''Crux''. He was appointed Lecturer at Pembroke and

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

and in 1968

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

and Tutor in Classics of Merton. He was Chairman of the

University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

-wide Tutors for Graduates Committee 1988-93, Governor of

Plater College Plater College was an adult education establishment which was based in Oxford, England. College history The college was founded in 1922 by the Rev. Leo O'Hea, S.J. (1881–1976), director of the Catholic Social Guild, in memory of the Father ...

1993-99, and Sub-Warden of Merton 1998-2000. He became Warden of Greyfriars in 2004. He was the first layperson to hold that office. He retired in 2007. He is now an Emeritus Fellow of Merton. Richardson was elected a

Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

in 1985.

Publications

*''The Homeric hymns'', trans. Jules Cashford; introduction and notes Nicholas Richardson (London: Penguin, 2003) *Nicholas Richardson ''et al.'', ''La philologie grecque à l'époque hellénistique et romaine: sept exposés suivis de discussions, Vandoevres, Genève, 16-21 août 1993: entretiens préparés et présidés par Franco Montanari'' (Entretiens sur l'Antiquité classique t. 40, Genève: Vandœuvres, 1994) *Nicholas Richardson, ''The Iliad: a commentary, vol. 6: books 21-24'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993) *Nicholas Richardson, 'The individuality of Homer's language', in J.M. Bremer, I.J.F. de Jong, and J. Kalff, eds, ''Homer: beyond oral poetry: recent trends in Homeric interpretation'' (Amsterdam: B.R. Grüner, 1987), pp. 165–184 *Nicholas Richardson, 'Classical themes in modern Chian popular poetry', in John Boardman and C.E. Vaphopoulou-Richardson, eds, ''Chios: a conference at the Homereion in Chios 1984'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986), pp. 61–77 *Nicholas Richardson, 'Pindar and later literary criticism in antiquity', ''Papers of the Liverpool Latin Seminar'' 5 (1985), 383-401 *Nicholas Richardson, 'Recognition scenes in the Odyssey and ancient literary criticism', ''Papers of the Liverpool Latin Seminar'' 4 (1983), 219-235 *Nicholas Richardson, 'Hesiod's wagon: text and technology', ''Journal of Hellenic Studies'' 102 (1982), 225-230 *Nicholas Richardson, 'The contest of Homer and Hesiod and Alcidamas' Mouseion', ''Classical Quarterly'' 31 (1981), 1-10 *Nicholas Richardson, 'Literary criticism in the exegetical Scholia to the Iliad: a sketch', ''Classical Quarterly'' 30 (1980), 265-287 *Nicholas Richardson, ed., ''The Homeric hymn to Demeter'' (Oxford:

Clarendon Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...

, 1974; corrected edn 1979) *Nicholas Richardson, 'Homeric professors in the age of the sophists', ''Proceedings of the Cambridge Philological Society'' 201 (1975), 65-81 *Nicholas Richardson, ''A commentary on the Homeric hymn to Demeter'' (3 vols,

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

DPhil thesis, 1970)

Sources and further information

University of Oxford Annual Review 2003/4: Heads of Houses

by the Public Orator, 2005.
Oration by the Vice-Chancellor
''

Oxford University Gazette The ''Oxford University Gazette'' (often simply known as the ''Gazette'' locally) is the publication of record for the University of Oxford in England, used for official announcements. It is published weekly during term time. The ''Gazette'' ...

'', Supplement (3) to no. 4818 Wednesday 3 October 2007, p. 100. {{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Nicholas Year of birth missing (living people) Living people English classical scholars Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford Fellows of Merton College, Oxford Wardens of Greyfriars, Oxford Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London