Barry Strauss '74, Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies Emeritus in the College of Arts and Sciences, was awarded the Hattendorf Prize from the U.S. Naval War College for 2026. The prize is awarded every two years and honors a lifetime of work researching and writing about military history. At an event on Sept. 9, Strauss was presented with a bronze medal, a citation and an award of $10,000.
After accepting the prize, Strauss delivered a lecture titled “Sea Power Today: Lessons from Greece and Rome."
“Prof. Strauss has over his distinguished career made military history accessible to millions, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have had this chance to honor his work and hear his perspective on sea power, informed by decades of research into the wars that have shaped our world,” said J. Ross Dancy, Naval War College associate provost for research, in a statement.
“I’m deeply honored to receive an award from the Naval War College, a historic thought leader about sea power, and an award named for John Hattendorf, one of the great maritime historians,” Strauss said.
Strauss is author of ten books on ancient history, including “Battle of Salamis: The Naval Encounter That Saved Greece—and Western Civilization” and “Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar and the Genius of Leadership.” His most recent book is “Jews vs. Rome: Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World’s Mightiest Empire.” He is currently the Corliss Page Dean Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University and the Terry Giles and Kalli O’Malley Distinguished Visiting Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University.
Strauss’s honors include the 2025 Bradley Prize and fellowships from the NEH, DAAD, Korea Foundation, and American Academy in Rome. He is a member of the American Academy of Sciences and Letters and an honorary citizen of Salamis, Greece.
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