AHA awards two Press books

Established in 1985, the Paul Birdsall Prize is currently awarded biennially for the most important work published in English on European military or strategic history since 1870. In 2016, it was awarded to The Great War and the Origins of Humanitarianism, 1918-1924 by Bruno Cabanes, another Press title. 

Also recognized with the James Henry Breasted Prize was Jeremy Hartnett for his book, The Roman Street: Urban Life and Society in Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Rome.

Named in honor of James Henry Breasted, a pioneer in ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern history and president of the AHA in 1928, the prize has been given annually since 1985 for the best book in English on any field of history prior to the year 1000 CE. Sexual Violation in Islamic Law: Substance, Evidence, and Procedure by Hina Azam also won this award in 2016.

The AHA offers annual prizes honoring exceptional books, distinguished teaching and mentoring in the classroom, public history, and other historical projects. Since 1896, the association has conferred over one thousand awards. This year’s finalists were selected from a field of over 1,500 entries by nearly 150 dedicated prize committee members. 

The prizes will be officially awarded at the association’s 133rd annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on January 3–6, 2019.