Jefferson Scholars Foundation and UVA’s College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences announce appointment of historian and classicist Fred Drogula

The Jefferson Scholars Foundation and UVA’s College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences are pleased to announce the appointment of Fred Drogula as the Melville Foundation Jefferson Scholars Foundation Distinguished University Professor. An internationally recognized historian of the Roman Republic, Drogula will join the University of Virginia’s Department of Classics in fall 2027.

Drogula has reshaped the study of Roman political institutions by challenging long-held assumptions about how the Republic functioned. Rather than interpreting ancient government through modern political frameworks, he examines how Romans themselves understood power, authority, and constitutional order. His research has deepened scholarly understanding of the ancient world while offering new perspectives on questions that continue to inform the study of democracy, governance, and civic life.

Drogula comes to UVA from Ohio University, where he serves as the Charles J. Ping Professor of Distinguished Teaching in the Humanities and Professor of Classics. He is the author of several influential books, including Commanders and Command in the Roman Republic and Early Empire and Cato the Younger: A Life of the Collapse of the Roman Republic. His most recent book, Spheres of Control: The Origins of Government in Early Rome, explores the origins of the Roman Republic. He has published numerous articles and book chapters, delivered lectures throughout the U.S. and abroad, and contributed to The Oxford History of the Roman World.

His appointment also marks a homecoming. Drogula earned his Ph.D. from UVA in 2005, where he developed the approach to historical inquiry that has defined his career. 

“Fred Drogula is exactly the kind of scholar the Foundation’s Distinguished Professorship Program was designed to attract to UVA,” said Jimmy Wright, president of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation. “Fred’s scholarship has changed the way historians understand the Roman Republic, and his commitment to teaching will benefit generations of UVA students. We are delighted to welcome him back to Charlottesville.”

Teaching has remained central to Drogula’s career. Before entering academia, he spent several years teaching Latin at the high school level, an experience that shaped his philosophy as an educator. He has since earned national recognition for creating classrooms defined by discussion, intellectual curiosity, and active engagement. In 2025, he received the Society for Classical Studies (SCS) Excellence in Teaching Award, one of the discipline’s highest honors for undergraduate instruction.

“Good teaching is getting a group of people in a room to start exchanging ideas,” Drogula said. “Students will often come up with brilliant things I hadn’t thought about. My job is to guide the conversation without leading it.”

He hopes students leave his courses with habits of mind that extend well beyond the study of ancient history.

“I always tell my students they probably won’t remember the details of the class in 15 years, but I hope they develop an appreciation for the culture and take away a stronger toolkit of intellectual skills,” Drogula said. “I want them to learn how to analyze evidence, build strong arguments, recognize weak ones, and feel comfortable working with unfamiliar ideas.”

At UVA, the title of Distinguished University Professor is reserved for scholars of exceptional distinction whose work advances the University’s mission through research, teaching, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Appointed by the provost and president and approved by the Board of Visitors, these professorships provide a powerful means of recruiting and retaining faculty whose impact extends across the University.

“Professor Drogula’s recruitment reflects our commitment to attracting scholars whose work transforms their fields,” said Christa Acampora, dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. “He is an exceptional researcher, an award-winning teacher and a generous academic citizen. We are privileged to welcome Professor Drogula back to UVA. His return strengthens an already outstanding Department of Classics and builds on the momentum of excellence across Arts & Sciences.”