Richard Saller

Faculty Director

Richard Saller, Kleinheinz Family Professor of European Studies, succeeded Founding Director, Philip Pizzo, in September 2022.  Richard’s scholarly interests are in Roman social, economic, and cultural history, using literary, legal and documentary evidence to illuminate social networks, family relations, human capital and economic production.  His books include Personal Patronage under the Early Empire, The Roman Empire: Economy, Society and Culture (with Peter Garnsey), Patriarchy, Property and Death in the Roman Family, and Pliny’s Roman Economy: Natural History, Innovation and Growth.  In addition, he co-edited The Cambridge Economic History of the Greco-Roman World.  His administrative roles have included Dean of the Social Sciences Division and Provost of the University of Chicago, and Dean of Stanford’s School of Humanities and Sciences.  He was educated at the University of Illinois (BAs in History and Ancient Greek) and the University of Cambridge (PhD).

Having written about the Roman life course in a society with an average life expectancy of 25 years, Richard is very interested in the potential of a three-fold increase in life expectancy for lifelong learning for which DCI is a model.  As Faculty Director, he provides academic expertise and knowledge of the university to guide the program and curriculum.  Working with the Executive Director, he manages the selection and recruitment of the new Fellows and Partners.  Once Fellows and Partners have entered the program, his duties include identifying faculty to serve as mentors for Fellows and as speakers at DCI events, as well as attending DCI orientations and community gatherings.