prosopography
/ˌprɑsəˈpɑɡrəfi/
noun
- The study of a group of people in history, especially by collecting and analyzing details about their lives, careers, and relationships.
- The historian used prosopography to understand the social networks of ancient Roman senators.
- Prosopography can reveal patterns of power and influence that are not obvious from individual biographies.
- Her research on medieval guilds relied heavily on prosopography to trace the careers of individual members.