Smithsonian Journeys Experts

Justin Leidwanger is an Associate Professor of Mediterranean archaeology at Stanford University, where he holds positions in the Department of Classics, the Archaeology Center, and the Doerr School of Sustainability’s Oceans Department. He teaches courses on maritime archaeology, ancient architectural engineering and technology, heritage ethics, and the economic systems of the Greeks and Romans. A Midwesterner lured by the sea, historic architecture, and strong coffee, he found a second home in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, where he has conducted fieldwork along the Cypriot, Turkish, and Italian coasts. His recent excavation of a massive late Roman shipwreck of marble architecture at Marzamemi, Sicily is part of an ongoing investigation into the island’s deep historical connections to (and across) its surrounding waters, ranging from trade and warfare to migration and fishing. He has written articles on shipwrecks, ports, and ancient trade, and is the author or editor of several books, including Roman Seas.