Not in the sense of D. H. Lawrence, or even Jeffrey Archer, perhaps (well, with one exception), but I place words on pages and they make sentences… sort of. Most of what I write is boring old reports, mainly on the subject of archaeology – the public duty to inform, I suppose, together with the odd academic paper. There is the occasional book too, but nothing that need detain you. Except when numpties take it upon themselves to ignore my wishes, I always write as M. C. Bishop to avoid confusion with all the other Mike Bishops in archaeology (all part of a subtle plan for us to take over the world whilst all the John Smiths are lulled into a false sense of security: indeed, recent research reveals that Mike Bishops are well on course to achieve this dubious goal…).

2023

• ‘Equipping the soldiers of the emperor. The Claudio-Neronian legionary’, Ancient Warfare 16:5, 20–3
• Roman Mail and Scale Armour, Elite 252 (Osprey: Oxford 2023)

2022

• Roman Plate Armour, Elite 247 (Osprey: Oxford 2022)
• ‘A Christian in the ranks? Deciphering the ‘medallion’ of Aurelius Cervianus’, JRMES 20, 115–21
• (with M. Alberti) ‘Three new swords from Vindolanda’, JRMES 20, 103–13

2021

• ‘The Mainz-Weisenau helmet. Exception to the rule’, Ancient Warfare 14:5, 50–1
• ‘Dimisso equo: horse-riding elites on the frontiers of Rome’, in Maguire, R. and Ropa, A. (eds), The Liminal Horse. Equitation and Boundaries, Budapest: Trivent, 263–80
• (with N. Mills) ‘Turma! Hadrian’s Cavalry Charge in Carlisle’, in Mills, N. (ed.), Visitor Experiences and Audiences for the Roman Frontiers. Developing Good Practice in Presenting World Heritage, BAR International Series 3066, Oxford: BAR, 163–75

2020

• ‘Form and function: the Roman Niederbieber helmets’, Ancient Warfare 14:2, 12–13
• Roman Shields, Elite 234 (Osprey: Oxford 2020)
• ”Trapp’d in silver”: Roman cavalry equipment revisited’, JRMES 19, 47–60
• ‘Pimp my ride: early Imperial cavalry, saddle plates, and long-reining’, JRMES 19, 61–73
• (with M. Petitjean and W. B. Griffiths) ‘Experimenting with Roman Cavalry: the Hadrian’s Cavalry Turma! Project’, JRMES 19, 217–26
• The Spatha: The Roman Long Sword, Weapon 72, (Osprey: Oxford 2020)

2019

• ‘Deciphering the double burial – Murder in Canterbury’, Ancient Warfare 13:3, 22–5
• [translator] Army of the Roman Emperors: Archaeology and History by T. Fischer (Oxbow Books: Oxford 2019)
• The Secret History of the Roman Roads of Britain paperback edition (Pen & Sword: Barnsley 2019)

2018

• ‘Military middens and the taphonomic dynamic’, in Matesic, S. and Sommer, C. S. (eds), Limes XXIII Proceedings of the 23rd International Limes Congress in Ingolstadt 2015, (Nünnerich-Asmus: Mainz 2018), 233–8
• (with R. Bewley, E. Cunliffe, D. Mattingly, N. Sheldrick, & A. Wilson) ‘Roman military archaeology in danger’, in Matesic, S. and Sommer, C. S. (eds), Limes XXIII Proceedings of the 23rd International Limes Congress in Ingolstadt 2015, (Nünnerich-Asmus: Mainz 2018), 1060–3
• Lucius Verus and the Roman Defence of the East (Pen & Sword: Barnsley 2018)
• ‘Augustan lorica segmentata‘, Ancient Warfare 12:1, 27

2017

• ‘Armas y armaduras en la Roma del siglo II d. C.’, La legión romana (IV). El auge del Imperio, Desperta Ferro Especiales 13, 13–19
• ‘Military equipment’ in Ambrey, C., Fell, D., Fraser, R., Ross, S., Speed, G., and Wood, P. N., A Roman Roadside Settlement at Healam Bridge: The Iron Age to Early Medieval Evidence (NAA: Barnard Castle 2017), vol.2, 151–5 <https://doi.org/10.5284/1041575>
• Gladiators: Fighting to the Death in Ancient Rome (Casemate: Oxford 2017)
• ‘Along The Wall With Hadrian’s Cavalry’, Minerva May/June 2017, 8–12
• The Pilum: The Roman Heavy Javelin, Weapon 55, (Osprey: Oxford 2017)

2016

• The Gladius: The Roman Short Sword, Weapon 51, (Osprey: Oxford 2016)

2015

• ‘Inevitable corollaries? Lorica segmentata from Eining and Zugmantel’, Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies 14/15 2003/4 (2015) 15–28
• ‘Body Armour’ (PDF) and ‘Equine Equipment’ (PDF) in Le Bohec, Y. (ed.) Encyclopedia of the Roman Army, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: Chichester 2015)
• ‘The Eining lorica segmentata’, in P. Henrich, Ch. Miks, J. Obmann, and M. Wieland (eds), Non solum… sed etiam. Festschrift für Thomas Fischer zum 65. Geburtstag (Rahden/Westfalen 2014), 52–62

2014

• ‘The Corbridge Hoard revisited’ in Collins, R. and McIntosh, F. (eds), Life in the Limes: Studies of the People and Objects of the Roman Frontiers (Oxbow: Oxford 2014), 79–86
• An Archaeological Guide to Walking Hadrian’s Wall from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway (East to West), PLV 3 (Armatura: Pewsey 2014)
• The Secret History of the Roman Roads of Britain (Pen & Sword: Barnsley 2014) Link
• Ut Milites Dicuntur: A Dictionary of Roman Military Terms and Terminology, PLV 5 (Armatura: Pewsey 2014)

2013

• ‘Re-enactment and living history – issues about authenticity’ in Mills, N. (ed.), Presenting the Romans. Interpreting the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site (Boydell & Brewer: Woodbridge 2013), 23–30
• Handbook to Roman Legionary Fortresses (Pen & Sword: Barnsley 2013) Link
• (with D. J. Breeze) The Crosby Garrett Helmet (Armatura: Pewsey 2013)

2012

• An Archaeological Guide to Walking Hadrian’s Wall from Bowness-on-Solway to Wallsend (West to East), PLV 2 (Pewsey 2012)
• ‘Tracht und Bewaffnung: James Curle and the Newstead military equipment’ in Hunter, F. and Keppie, L (eds), A Roman Frontier Post and Its People: Newstead 1911–2011 (Edinburgh 2012), 169–79

 2011

• An Introduction to Hadrian’s Wall: One Hundred Questions About The Roman Wall Answered, PLV 1 (Darlington 2011)
• ‘Weaponry and military equipment’, in L. Allason-Jones (ed.), Artefacts in Roman Britain: Their Purpose and Use (Cambridge 2011), 114–32
• (with D. L. Kennedy) ‘Google Earth and the Archaeology of Saudi Arabia. A case study from the Jeddah area’, Journal of Archaeological Science 38, 1284–93

 2010

• ‘Keeping the weapons. Acquisition, ownership and storage’ in Ancient Warfare Special Issue 2010, 66–73

2009

• ‘The body armour’ in C. Howard-Davis, The Carlisle Millennium Project: Excavations in Carlisle, 1998-2001, Volume 2: The Finds (Oxford 2009), 687–705
• ‘Corbridge’ in M. F. A. Symonds and D. J. P. Mason (eds), Frontiers of Knowledge, A Research Framework for Hadrian’s Wall (Durham 2009), 22–6

 2008

• ‘Nodding scholars, or how an old tile-stamp from Carlisle became a “new” tile-stamp from Corbridge’, Archaeologia Aeliana series 5, 36, 2008, 366

2006

• (with J.C.N. Coulston) Roman Military Equipment from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome, ed.2, (Oxford 2006)

2005

• ‘A new Flavian military site at Roecliffe, North Yorkshire’ Britannia XXXVI, 2005, 135–223

2004

• Inveresk Gate: Excavations in the Roman Civil Settlement at Inveresk, East Lothian, 1996-2000, STAR Monograph 7 (Edinburgh 2004)

2002

• ‘A catalogue of military weapons and fittings’, Jahresbericht der Gesellschaft Pro Vindonissa 2001, 2002, 7–12
• ‘Inveresk Gate’ in M. C. Bishop (ed.), Roman Inveresk. Past, Present and Future (Chirnside 2002), 29–35
• Lorica Segmentata vol.I: A Handbook of Articulated Roman Plate Armour, JRMES Monograph 1 (Chirnside 2002) PDF

2001

• (with M. McCarthy & T. Richardson) ‘Roman armour and metalworking at Carlisle, Cumbria, England’, Antiquity 75, 2001, 507–8 Link

2000

• ‘The Roman military equipment’, in J. C. Barrett, P. W. M. Freeman, and A. Woodward, Cadbury Castle Somerset. The Later Prehistoric and Early Historic Archaeology, English Heritage Archaeological Report 20 (London 2000), 242–7

1999

• ‘The historical and archaeological context of the castra at Castleford’ in P. Abramson, D. S. Berg, and M. R. Fossick, Roman Castleford Excavations 1974–85. Volume 2. The Structural and Environmental Evidence, Yorkshire Archaeology 5 (Wakefield 1999), 307–12
• ‘A late Iron Age and early Romano-British “ladder” settlement at Melton, East Yorkshire’ , Yorkshire Archaeological Journal 71, 1999, 23–63
• ‘The Newstead “lorica segmentata“‘, Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies 10, 1999, 27-43 PDF
• ‘Praesidium: social, military, and logistical aspects of the Roman army’s provincial distribution during the early principate’, in A. Goldsworthy & I. Haynes (eds.), The Roman Army as a Community, JRA Supplementary Series 34, Portsmouth RI, 111–18 PDF

1998

• ‘Military equipment’ in H. E. M. Cool & C. Philo (eds.), Roman Castleford Excavations 1974–85. Volume 1. The Small Finds, Yorkshire Archaeology 4 (Wakefield 1998), 61–81
• ‘An old Corbridge bath-house revisited’, Archaeologia Aeliana series 5, volume 26, 1998, 39–47

1996

• Finds from Roman Aldborough. A Catalogue of Small Finds from the Romano-British Town of Isurium Brigantum, Oxbow Monograph 65, (Oxford 1996)
• ‘How do you follow that? The Russell Robinson archive and the future of Roman military equipment studies’, Arma 8, 1996, 9–12

1995

• ‘Some pre-Flavian military equipment from Kent’ Arma 7, 1995, 17-19

1994

• Corstopitum: An Edwardian Excavation, (London 1994)
• ‘Roman or native? A new hilt-guard from a Roman context’ Arma 6, 1994, 16–18

1993

• ‘Excavations in the Roman fort at Chester-le-Street (Concangis), Church Chare 1990-91’, Archaeologia Aeliana Ser.5, XXI, 1993, 29–85
• (with J. C. N. Coulston) Roman Military Equipment from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome, (London 1993)
• (with P. W. M. Freeman) ‘Recent work at Osmanthorpe, Nottinghamshire’, Britannia XXIV, 1993, 159–89
• (with N. A. Griffiths) ‘Some military fittings from Caerwent (Venta Silurum)’, Arma 5, 1993, 18-20

1992

• ‘The White Wall, Berwick upon Tweed’, Archaeologia Aeliana Ser.5, XX, 1992, 117–19
• ‘Early enamelled belt plates from Britain’ Arma 4, 1992, 17–19
• ‘The early imperial “apron”‘, Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies 3, 1992, 81–104 PDF

1991

• Recent Excavations on the Roman Fort at Chester-le-Street (Church Chare 1990–91), (Newcastle upon Tyne 1991)
• ‘Soldiers and military equipment in the towns of Roman Britain’ in V. A. Maxfield & M. J. Dobson (eds.), Roman Frontier Studies 1989, (Exeter 1991), 21–7 PDF

1990

• ‘On parade: status, display, and morale in the Roman army’ in Akten der 14. Internationalen Limeskongresses in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg/Carnuntum, 14.-21. September 1986, Römische Limes in Österreich Sonderband, (Vienna 1990), 21–30 PDF
• ‘A decorated dagger scabbard from Corbridge, Northumberland’ Arma 2, 1990, 11
• ‘Two cavalry fittings from Castleford, West Yorkshire’ Arma 2, 1990, 28–31
• ‘Legio V Alaudae and the crested lark’, Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies 1, 1990, 161–4 PDF

1989

• • • ‘The composition of some copper alloy artefacts from Longthorpe’ Arma 1, 1989, 20–3
    • ‘Belt fittings in Buxton Museum’ Arma 1, 1989, 11–13
    • ‘The articulated cuirass in Qin dynasty China’, Antiquity 63:241, December 1989, 697–705 Link
    • ‘O Fortuna: a sideways look at the archaeological record and Roman military equipment’ in C. van Driel-Murray (ed.), Roman Military Equipment: the Sources of Evidence. Proceedings of the Fifth Roman Military Equipment Conference, BAR International Series 476, (Oxford 1989), 1–11 PDF
    • (with J. C. Coulston) Roman Military Equipment, Shire Archaeology, (Princes Risborough 1989)
    • (with J. N. Dore) Corbridge: Excavations of the Roman Fort and Town, 1947-80, HBMCE Archaeological Report No.8, (London 1989) PDF

1988

• • • ‘Cavalry equipment of the Roman army in the first century A.D.’ in J.C. Coulston (ed.) Military Equipment and the Identity of Roman Soldiers. Proceedings of the Fourth Roman Military Equipment Conference, BAR International Series 394, (Oxford 1988), 67–194 PDF
    • (with L. Allason-Jones) Excavations at Roman Corbridge: the Hoard, HBMCE Archaeological Report No.7, (London 1988) PDF

1987

• • • ‘“The Evolution of Certain Features”’ in M. Dawson (ed.), Roman Military Equipment: the Accoutrements of War. Proceedings of the Third Roman Military Equipment Research Seminar, BAR International Series 336, (Oxford 1987), 109–39 PDF

1986

• • • ‘The distribution of military equipment within Roman forts of the first century A.D.’ in C. Unz (ed.) Studien zu den Militärgrenzen Roms III. 13. internationaler Limeskongreß Aalen 1983 Vortrage (Stuttgart 1986), 717–23 PDF

1985

• • • ‘The military fabrica and the production of arms in the early principate’ in Bishop, 1985, 1–42 PDF
    • (as editor) The Production and Distribution of Roman Military Equipment. Proceedings of the Second Roman Military Equipment Research Seminar, BAR International Series 275, (Oxford 1985)
    • (with J. Thomas) ‘”BEAKER” – an expert system for the BBC Micro’ in S. Laflin (ed.) Computer Applications in Archaeology 1984, 56–62

1984

• • • (with M. V. Andrews) ‘Absolute pollen analysis: an example of the use of the “home computer” in archaeology’ in J. G. B. Haigh (ed.) Computer Applications in Archaeology 1983, 59–66

1983

• • • ‘The Camomile Street soldier reconsidered’ in Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 34, 1983, 31–48 PDF
    • (as editor) Roman Military Equipment. Proceedings of a Seminar Held in the Department of Ancient History and Classical Archaeology at the University of Sheffield, 21st March 1983, (Sheffield 1983)