John Percy Vyvian Dacre Balsdon, FBA (4 November 1901 â 18 September 1977), known as J. P. V. D. Balsdon in his academic work and otherwise as Dacre Balsdon, was an English ancient historian and writer. He was a Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, from 1927 to 1969, and president of the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies from 1968 to 1971.
Balsdon was born on 4 November 1901 in Bideford, Devon. He was educated at Exeter School, Exeter. He studied classics at Exeter College, Oxford. In 1922, he was awarded first class honours in Mods, and in 1924 he was also awarded first class honours in Greats.
Balsdon began his academic career as a teacher at Sedbergh School, then an all boys public boarding school. His first university post was as a Fellow of Keble College, Oxford. From 1927, he was a Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, where he taught Ancient History. His research was primarily in Roman History. In 1940, he was elected Junior Proctor of Oxford University; serving from March 1940 to March 1941. In 1956, he was a candidate for the Rectorship of Exeter College, but lost out to Kenneth Wheare. He served as president of the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies from 1968 to 1971. He retired from full-time academia in 1969. The same year he was elected an emeritus Fellow of Exeter College.
He also wrote novels using the name Dacre Balsdon; his academic works gave his name as Balsdon.
He was elected Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 1967.
As J. P. V. D. Balsdon:
As Dacre Balsdon: