Department of Classics

The 2009/2010 presentations for local middle and high school classrooms is finalized. Our goal is to increase your students’ understanding of life in the ancient world and to share our enthusiasm for teaching about the past.

The topics that follow draw on a broad range of subjects, and we hope at least one will complement your curriculum. There is even an opportunity for classes to visit the University of Cincinnati and experience the collections of the Classics Department first hand. Our goal is to increase your students’ understanding of life in the ancient world and to share our enthusiasm for teaching. When you see a topic that you like, contact the Department of Classics Program Coordinator, Ms. Laura Deller, who will connect you with the presenter and help plan the visit. Call 513 556-3050 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . UC’s quarter system means that we will have presenters available from early January through mid-June, 2010.

The following list represents the topics that we are offering for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Pompeii: Life from the Ashes
Allison L.C. Emmerson, Ph.D. Student

Walk with ancient Romans! This presentation will take students on a virtual tour of Pompeii, a Roman city buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Tour stops will include the town forum, an elite house, a “fast food joint,” the theatre district, the amphitheatre, and the cemeteries outside the city walls. At each stop, we will examine the ways in which the Latin language and the material remains of the town come together to bring the Roman past to life. The presentation will conclude with an interactive project. Students, working in groups and with the aid of a glossary, will translate several inscriptions from Pompeian tombs. The class will then reconvene to discuss what the tombs tell us about the individuals buried there, and to imagine the places within the city where those individuals might have lived, worked, and played.

How to Pick up Chicks in Rome: an Introduction to Love and Love Poetry at Rome
Patrick Beasom, Ph.D.

What did it mean to be in love in ancient Rome? In this presentation we will examine Roman conceptions of love and sex and their expression in Latin love poetry (in particular Catullus and Ovid). Students of Latin will gain an overview of Latin love poetry and how that poetry stood in relation to Roman societal norms. This presentation will explore love in the Roman world, noting in particular that concepts that are held in high esteem in American society were far rarer, or even absent from the Roman understanding of love. The role and position of women and slaves in Roman society will also be examined as it relates to the topic of love.

Bridge Builders, Birdwatchers, and Virgins
Andrew Connor, Ph.D. Student

What did Roman priests do all day? Did a Vestal Virgin have any other duties aside from not having sex? Literary and archaeological sources are rich with information about the duties and rules of Roman priests and priestesses. These positions were of critical importance in the Roman religious and social structure, and through use of the sources, we can see which priest couldn’t leave Italy, which one couldn’t touch a horse, why an admiral would be throwing chickens overboard before a battle, and what it was that Roman priests did all day.

Birth of a Nation
Whitney Snead, Ph.D. Student

Why do we celebrate Rome's founding on April 21, 753 B.C.? Let's explore the tradition and discover the truth. Using new archaeological excavations on the Palatine in Rome and Latin literature: poetry (Propertius) and prose (Livy), we will learn what those abandoned twins did and when they did it. Such explorations will also help us understand ancient propaganda and patriotism. After all, by the 6th century the hut of Romulus was already preserved as an ancient site, and the Roman emperors made sure to enrich the celebrations of the annual Parilia.

The Labyrinth and the Minotaur in Greek Mythology and Beyond
Professor Eleni Hatzaki

Why did King Minos of Crete keep captive in his labyrinthine palace a creature with a human body and the head of a bull, called the Minotaur? Who killed this Minotaur and why? And why were the ancient Greeks fascinated with this story? In this presentation we will learn about the power and meaning of myths in the ancient world, and consider why they are still relevant to our lives today.

These Walls Can Talk!
Allison Sterrett-Krause, Ph.D. Student

We Americans aren’t the only ones who carve words onto buildings and write on bathroom walls; the Romans did it too! Inscriptions on buildings and other objects provide us with a window into the minds and eyes of the ancient Romans, and into our own society. Explore some of the ways that Americans and Romans use inscriptions, figure out why we write on walls, and read some of the inscriptions that real Romans wrote and read as they walked around their cities 2,000 years ago.

Eureka!
Whitney Snead, Ph.D. Student

Heard of Copernicus, Newton, Einstein? Hackneyed all of them! Meet the original scientific genius. Recent work on the palimpsest manuscript of Greek scientist Archimedes offers a better understanding to the importance of his work. By reading some later Latin authors' accounts of Archimedes’ life and great scientific work under Heiro II, we can learn how his inventions and discoveries informed the scientists we all know by name. In addition, the Archimedes Palimpsest allows us to learn about ancient manuscripts- from papyrus to parchment -and how as historians, archaeologists and classicists we are bettered by such great findings.

Flint Dibble, Ph.D. Student

What we eat, who we eat with, and how we pay are all important decisions in our lives today. This presentation looks at the answers to those questions for the ancients, and illustrates the role that dining played within ancient society. From the earliest archaeological evidence of group activity (hunting and gathering), human society has been built upon working together in order to eat well. Apart from looking at what they ate so long ago, we’ll also look some of their customs that might be compared to our own: like Christmas dinner or our Memorial Day barbecues. A look at the ancient evidence for feasting, found in Ancient Greek and Latin mythology and literature, and also in archaeological material, shows that lunchroom politics - sharing, bullying, gossip, and "ewwwww how can you eat THAT!?" - have been around as long as humans have eaten together.

Home Sweet Home: Roman Houses and Everyday Life
Bice Peruzzi, Ph.D. Student

Hollywood didn’t invent high living and lavish houses! Some of the residences recovered in Pompeii and Rome by archeologists have intricate mosaic floors, marble bathrooms, and sophisticated gardens, complete with famous statues and even private pools and saunas! We will investigate the architecture of these houses and the lifestyle of their inhabitants. Did you know that every morning rich Romans would be visited by dozens of their neighbors? Or how many slaves worked behind the scene to keeps these houses clean and their owners happy? Let’s live one day in the life of the rich and powerful in Rome and see how they ate, where they slept, where they conducted their business and, more importantly, where they partied!

Digging up Homer
Shannon LaFayette, Ph.D. Student

Did the Trojan War really happen? This presentation is designed to give high school students an introduction to the archaeological evidence for one of the most gripping stories of the ancient world, Homer’s Iliad. Discussion focuses on archaeological excavations at Bronze Age palaces in Greece including those of Agamemnon and Nestor at Mycenae and Pylos, and from the citadel at Troy. Different forms of archaeological evidence including ceramics, fortifications, weapons, wall paintings, bones, and bathtubs paint a varied and dynamic picture of an ancient way of life. But is this enough to prove Homer’s tale? To answer this tantalizing question, this presentation looks at the problems involved when Homer and archaeology are brought together and what archaeologists are doing to figure out the best ways to determine if “X” truly marks the spot.

What Do Archaeologists Do, Anyway?
Katie Swinford, Ph.D. Student

This presentation explores the work of archaeologists and our place in society. The word “archaeologist” usually brings up images of Indiana Jones, treasure-hunting, or reanimated mummies. Real archaeology is not usually so Hollywood-friendly, but the field is full of both dangers and rewards. We will first discuss the goals of archaeology and how this discipline has contributed to our understanding of human history. We will then consider exactly what archaeologists do, including excavation, laboratory work, and experiments. We will look at a typical day on an excavation, including work, meals, accommodations, and recreation. Finally we will explore the role of archaeologists as advocates for the protection of our past.

“Ode to a Grecian Urn:” Understanding Greek Vases
Peter Stone, Ph.D. Student

This presentation will use genuine ancient ceramic objects from the Department of Classics’ Study Collection to introduce students to the importance of ceramics as an artistic medium in Ancient Greece. In addition to an overview of their use, the presentation will consider how the decoration and shape of ceramics are interpreted by the archaeologist, how their display in museum as “art” is not equivalent to their ancient value, and how illegal trade in Greek vases harms our knowledge of the ancient world. Probably best for a class of 25 or fewer. Spring 2010 only.

Persia: The Greatest Empire you’ve Never Heard of
Andrew Connor, Ph.D. Student

When the movie 300 depicts the Persians, they are a decadent, relentless menace from the East. When the poet Horace snaps, “I hate Persian things,” why does he target the Persians? The Persian Empire, situated at the edge of Greek and Roman consciousness, united regions as disparate as Egypt, Judea, Babylonia, and western China under a single king. It was described by authors such as Xenophon, Aeschylus, and Arrian. These ancient conceptions of this powerful people remain influential today, when once again the notion of a struggle between “the East and the West” remains popular. This talk will examine how the Persian Empire was perceived and described by ancient Greeks and Romans in art, architecture, and writing, and will then compare this to how the Persians portrayed themselves.

Let the Games Begin – the Ancient Olympics
Elizabeth Hamilton, Ph.D. Student

Can you imagine a bronze statue of Michael Phelps in downtown Baltimore? How about watching a parade celebrating the Dream Team’s victory in Beijing? The ways we celebrate the Olympics has hardly changed in 1500 years! We’ll explore the Panhellenic festival for Zeus at Olympia that set the stage for the games we know today. See the sports that have emerged from history and which were modern inventions: how the Marathon evolved, how gymnastics differed in the ancient world, and the role of equestrian events. Also, we’ll look at how the athletes, spectators, and trainers were monitored and the events judged. Together we’ll learn some of the penalties and prizes that arose from the Games at Olympia.

“A Funny thing happened on the way to Fountain Square:” Rome and the Roots of the Modern City
Kristina Neumann, Ph.D. Student

If an ancient Roman traveled to modern-day Cincinnati, what would he or she think? Certainly the technology would be shocking, but in many ways, both cities have much in common. Indeed, modern cities trace their roots back to the ancient Greek "polis" and the Roman "civitas," including governmental structures and entertainment facilities. With Rome and Cincinnati, however, the similarities are all the more striking. Let's take a walk along the Ohio and Tiber rivers, comparing the many buildings in terms of their architecture, arrangement and the different functions they play (for example: the Colosseum and Paul Brown Stadium!). We will discover how alike the modern city and its citizens are to the ancient civitas.

Pirates of the Mediterranean
Elizabeth Hamilton, Ph.D. Student

In a world where the sea was the main highway, pirates found plenty of opportunities to strike. Did you know that Julius Caesar was captured and ransomed by pirates? Pirates became common to many ancient adventure stories, for just as we have Jack Sparrow and the Pirates of Penzance, Romans also had the damsel ‘rescued’ by buccaneers. Who were these men and how did the ancient nations deal with the problems of piracy? Discover some of the mystery, myth, and facts behind the ancient world of robbery and pillage.

Hunting with the Ancients: Stone-tools and the Atlatl
Anne Feltovich, Ph.D. Student

It didn’t include a tape-measure or a Phillips-head screwdriver, but even the prehistoric man had his toolbox. A good set of stone tools and hunting equipment was essential to the hunter-gatherer way of life. In this presentation we will learn about the primitive tool kit and examine real (but modern-made!) stone tools and hunting equipment. We’ll determine the role of stone tools in society, including who used them, who made them, and how they passed on the art to their children. We will learn about experimental archaeology, a process by which modern archaeologists and anthropologists try to replicate ancient tools and then learn how to use them. Such experiments have led to the revival of the ancient atlatl, a simple tool used to assist in spear throwing, and to a modern competitive sport with several annual competitions in the tri-state area! As visual aids in this presentation, I will share stone tools that I have made, an atlatl, and several kinds of spears, including ones made to ancient standards and ones made with modern equipment.

Ancient Art from the UC Classics Study Collection
Carol Hershenson, PhD student and Curator of the Classics Study Collection

Get up close and personal with genuine objects of ancient art! This presentation brings a selection of artifacts from the Classics Study Collection to your classroom to encourage a hands-on discussion of their place in Greek art and society. We’ll consider the full life of the piece of ‘art’, including its creation utilizing local resources, the techniques of producing Greek pottery (illustrated with actual examples), a discussion of “What is Art?”, and an exercise on how archaeologists learn from these fragments of the past. Students have the opportunity to handle the artefacts, and to examine our finest vases more closely than they will ever see them in a museum.

Visit US!

Yes, It’s Real! Visit the Department of Classics Study Collection
Professors Steven Ellis and Kathleen Lynch

The Department of Classics owns a modest study collection of ancient objects: ceramics, coins, tablets, seals, and small statues. Much of the pottery is fragmentary, which permits hands-on activities. Classes of 20 or fewer are invited to arrange a visit of one to two hours. Students would be introduced to the relationship of use to form and decoration of pottery, the way archaeologists learn from broken pottery, how pictures convey messages on pots and coins, and how museums care for objects. A great opportunity for your students to interact with objects over 2500 years old! Contact Laura Deller to make arrangements.