Associate Professor of History 1967-2002
olsonri@stolaf.edu
A native of Elroy, Wisconsin (he went to high school with former Governor Tommy Thompson; one of the two was voted "most likely to succeed"), Richard went against his parents' wishes to attend St. Olaf College, and instead went to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa (rebellion, 1950's style), where he majored in history and classics. He studied early church history at Luther Seminary, and after spending a year as youth director in a St. Paul church, decided on a career in teaching.
Following graduate school, he accepted a job at St. Olaf (thus assuaging his parents for his teenage rebelliousness). Specializing in ancient numismatics, he has published, "The Maurice Quam Collection of Parthian Coins", (reportedly read by Quam himself), articles on coins as documents, and a Festschrift piece on the Great Silk Road.
His current research is on Roman empress Julia Domna, who was the wife, mother and great-aunt of five different Roman emperors, for which she was given the title, "Mother of Her Country", by the Roman Senate. Some First Lady (although never a candidate for the senate herself)!
Richard is married to Vicki Harper of St. Olaf's Philosophy department, and they share a house in the woods with a couple of cats (inside) and various (outside) critters such as chipmunks, squirrels, woodchucks, raccoons, rabbits, and a possum who answers to "Baby Simon."
