Professor Oliver Taplin was a fellow and tutor of Classics (Literae Humaniores) at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Professor Taplin is author of several books, including 'Greek Fire', a celebration of the capacity of Ancient Greek culture to stand the test of time and influence modern art, thought and society. The book accompanied a Channel 4 documentary series of the same name. This book has been translated into five languages. His first book was "The Stagecraft of Aeschylus" examining the entrances and exits of characters in Aeschylus's plays.
He set up the APGRD (Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama) in 1996 with Edith Hall. It is devoted to the international production and reception of ancient plays since the Renaissance. He has also worked with productions in the theatre, including The Oresteia at the National Theatre (1980–81), The Thebans at the RSC (1991–92), and The Oresteia at the National Theatre (1999–2000).
Apart from Greek drama, his chief area of interest was in Homer.
He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1995. Since turning 65 in August 2008, Professor Taplin has retired as Tutor in Classics at Magdalen College, Oxford. The same year, Oxford University Press published 'Performance, Iconography, Reception: Studies in Honour of Oliver Taplin' edited by Martin Revermann and Peter Wilson.
