Professor Sir Moses Finley (1912-1986) was an eminent historian of the ancient world, regarded by some as the most important ancient historian of the 20th Century. Finley (Moses Isaac Finkelstein until 1946) brought to the study of ancient society radical new methods and perspectives, opening up expanded horizons through his efforts to revolutionise the study of antiquity. His influence, especially after he emigrated from the US during the McCarthy period, extended from Britain to many European countries. Finley then turned his genius to the elucidation of classical social and economic institutions, especially the Mycenaean and Homeric worlds, the Greek polis, slave and dependent labour. 

In 1955 he was appointed University Lecturer in Classics at Cambridge and, in 1957, was elected to the Fellowship at Jesus College. He was Reader in Ancient Social and Economic History from 1964–1970, Professor of Ancient History from 1970–1979 and Master of Darwin from 1976–1982. He became a British subject in 1962, a Fellow of the British Academy in 1971, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1979. 

More information on his distinguished career can be found here.