JOHN R. MELVILLE-JONES (1933–2026)

In Memory of John R. Melville-Jones (1933–2026)

The ANS is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of John R. Melville-Jones AM, ANS Life Fellow, and Emeritus Professor in the Department of History and Classical Studies at the University of Western Australia.

Born in the United Kingdom, Melville-Jones was a graduate from the University of Cambridge and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Western Australia in 1963. While at the University of Western Australia, he became a junior lecturer, first teaching Ancient Greek history and language. He went on to become a well-known educator in numismatics, particularly ancient Greek and Roman coinage. His seminal book Testimonia Numaria: Greek and Latin Texts Concerning Ancient Greek Coinage (vol. 1, Spink, 1993; vol. 2, Spink, 2007) has become a resource that many researchers keep within arm's reach when studying the nature of ancient money. His other prominent publications include A Dictionary of Ancient Greek Coins (Seaby, 1986), A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (Seaby, 1990), and Testimonia Numaria Romana: Greek and Latin Texts Concerning Roman Coinage (Spink, 2023), which have been used by numerous students and collectors.

 

Melville-Jones was the Winthrop Professor in Classics and Ancient History from 2008 to 2012, before becoming Emeritus Professor and Senior Honorary Research Fellow in 2012. His professional activities and associations included serving as President of the Australian Society for Byzantine Studies from 1995 to 2003; fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities since 1994; member of the Numismatic Association of Australia; and as a member of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, in 1974. He was awarded the Aristotle Award by the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace in 1999 and was granted an honorary Doctor of Letters from Macquarie University in 2016. In 2021, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to tertiary education in Greek, Roman, and Byzantine history and numismatics.

We express our sincerest condolences to John's family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all who crossed paths with him as a scholar, colleague, or teacher, and his admirable legacy in numismatic studies will not be forgotten.

 

For more information, see:
John Melville-Jones (https://collected.uwa.edu.au/nodes/view/562)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web