Valerie Maxfield

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Valerie A. Maxfield is a Roman archaeologist and emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the University of Exeter. She specializes in the archaeology of the Roman army and frontiers and edited the Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society through 2020.

Education and early career
She earned a history degree at the University of Leicester and completed a PhD at Durham University in 1972 (Trevelyan College) under the supervision of Brian Dobson. She studied at the British School at Rome and later became a Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Exeter.

Career and retirement
Maxfield retired in 2008, the same year as Bryony Coles; to mark their departures, the archaeology department held a conference titled “From Desert to Wetland.” She continues to hold the title of emeritus Professor of Archaeology at Exeter.

Fieldwork and projects
In 1972 she excavated the Roman temporary camp at Eskbank, revealing its entrance complex, and in 1975 excavated a series of pits there. She directed the excavation of the Roman fort of Camelon, Falkirk (1975–1977) and uncovered a new camp at Lochlands (1980–1984). Since 1987 she has worked in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, including excavations at Mons Porphyrites with David Peacock in the 1990s. A British Academy grant of £5,595 in 2005 supported post-excavation work on this project.

Professional contributions and affiliations
Maxfield co-founded the Hadrianic Society in 1971 with David Breeze and Brian Dobson and was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1978. She is a member of the Durham School of Archaeology. She has long been involved with both the Devon Archaeological Society and the Cornwall Archaeological Society, serving as president of the Cornwall Archaeological Society in 2014 and as the current vice-president of the Devon Archaeological Society, where she also edits the society’s journal.