Molly Ladd-Taylor and I are pleased to announce that Jonathan Edmondson, the Chair of the History Department, will be honoured this week by the Spanish Ministry of Culture. He won the “Premio Internacional Genio Protector de la Colonia Augusta Emerita,” which translates as “International Prize Protective Spirit of the colony of Augusta Emerita.” He will be the 18th winner of the prize inaugurated in 1994 by the Association of Friends of the Museo Nacional de Arte Romano (National Museum of Roman Art), run by the Spanish Ministry of Culture. The prize recognizes the contributions of individuals, academics and researchers who have expanded knowledge on the historical, cultural and archaeological heritage of the Roman world, in particular of the city of Mérida. Some previous winners include:
Dr Walter Trillmich, former Director of the German Archaeological Institute, Berlin
Prof. Dr. Jose Blázquez, former Professor of Roman Archaeology at the Complutense University of Madrid Dr. Jean-Claude Golvin, CNRS/Univ. de Bordeaux III
Prof. Dr. Martin Almagro Gorbea, Professor of Archaeology, Complutense University of Madrid, Anticuario of the Real Academia de la Historia
Prof. Dr. Jorge Alarcão, former Professor of Roman Archaeology, University of Coimbra
Prof. Dr. Pierre Gros, former Professor of Roman Archaeology, Univ. d’Aix-en-Provence
Rafael Moneo Vallés, world-renowned architect (and architect of the new Museo Nacional de Arte Romano, inaugurated 19 Sept. 1986, 25 yrs ago)
Congratulations Jonathan on this remarkable achievement. He will be travelling to Spain this week to collect the award, which is a copy of the marble bust of the “Genius” of Augusta Emerita.