Boston Area Classics Calendar
March 2020
Timothy Joseph (College of the Holy
Cross)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?tr…
Mon., Mar. 2, 5 – 6:30 p.m.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Barker 133, 12 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
"Lucan on the beginnings and ends of Latin epic"
Mahindra Humanities Center Seminar: Civilizations of Ancient Greek and
Rome<http://mahindrahumanities.fas.harvard.edu/content/civilizations-anc…
Adrienne Mayor (Stanford
University)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calend…
Tue., Mar. 3, 3:45 – 5:15 p.m.
WELLESLEY COLLEGE, Newhouse Center for the Humanities (Green Hall), Wellesley, MA 02481
"Gods and Robots: Myths and Ancient Dreams of Technology"
Who first imagined robots? As early as Homer, Greek myths envisioned automated servants,
self-moving devices, and AI—and grappled with ethical concerns about technology. This talk
explores how some of today’s most advanced innovations in robotics and AI were
foreshadowed in classical antiquity.
Adrienne Mayor is a research scholar in the Classics Department and the History and
Philosophy of Science Program, Stanford University. Her most recent book is Gods and
Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology. Other books include The First
Fossil Hunters; Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical
Warfare in the Ancient World; The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women; and a
biography of Mithradates, The Poison King (National Book Award finalist).
Sponsored by the Newhouse Center for the Humanities and Departments of Classical Studies
and Computer Science at Wellesley College.
Susanne Paulus (Oriental Institute, University of
Chicago)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?…
Tue., Mar. 3, 5:15 – 7 p.m.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Semitic Museum, Room 201, 6 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
"A Lot of Barley and A Bit of Gold: Aspects of the Babylonian Economy in the Late
Bronze Age"
Harvard History and Archaeology of Ancient Near Eastern Societies Workshop
[Susanne Paulus (Oriental Institute, University of Chicago)]
Patrick Michel (Lausanne
University)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calend…
Wed., Mar. 4, 5:15 p.m.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Boylston Hall, Fong Auditorium, Cambridge, MA 02138
"Real Heritage - Digital Heritage: Digital devices and cultural heritage of
Palmyra"
James Loeb Lecture
[Patrick Michel (Lausanne University)]
Adrienne Mayor
(
Stanford)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar…
Thu., Mar. 5, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Center for the Study of World Religions, Common Room, 42 Francis
Avenue, Cambridge, MA
02138<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__maps.google.co…
"Gods and Robots: Myths and Ancient Dreams of Technology"
Who first imagined robots? As early as Homer, Greek myths envisioned automated servants,
self-moving devices, and AI—and grappled with ethical concerns about technology. This talk
explores how some of today’s most advanced innovations in robotics and AI were
foreshadowed in classical antiquity.
Adrienne Mayor is a research scholar in the Classics Department and the History and
Philosophy of Science Program, Stanford University. Her most recent book is Gods and
Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology. Other books include The First
Fossil Hunters; Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical
Warfare in the Ancient World; The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women; and a
biography of Mithradates, The Poison King (National Book Award finalist).
Sponsor: Harvard Center for the Study of World Religions and Harvard Department of the
Classics
cswr.hds.harvard.edu…<https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/upcoming-events?…
[Adrienne Mayor (Stanford)]
Bob Brier (Long Island
University)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calend…
Thu., Mar. 5, 6 p.m.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Harvard Semitic Museum, Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St,
Cambridge, MA 02138
"The second boat of Khufu from Giza"
Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage
Free public lecture presented by the Harvard Semitic Museum with support from the Marcella
Tilles Memorial Fund.
archaeology.harvard.edu…<https://archaeology.harvard.edu/event/second-bo…
[Bob Brier (Long Island University)]
Graduate Symposium in Ancient Near Eastern Studies
(
GSANES)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?t…
Fri., Mar. 6 – Sat., Mar. 7
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Harvard Semitic Museum, Third Floor Atrium Gallery, 6 Divinity Ave.,
Cambridge, MA 02138
"Engaging with Empires"
Keynote lecture by Seth Richardson (University of Chicago)
This is the second in a series of symposiums organized jointly by graduate students at
Yale, Brown, and Harvard universities.
The topic “Engaging with Empires” seeks to engage with contemporary study of empire in the
ancient Near East. Demarcation and terminology at current remains fuzzy in the study of
Empire in the ancient Near East, wherein topics of power, space, body, and economy, which
lay the forefront of majority historiography, analysis, and model, often fail to be
recognized within larger socio-political frameworks and systems. How we should understand
the concept of empire, how may empire have understood itself, and how we can wrestle with
our material outside, and within, its grasp through primary and secondary material is the
goal of this year’s assembly.
This event is open and limited to a first-come, first-serve basis. There is no conference
fee, but registration is required. Please RSVP at
gsanes2020@gmail.com<mailto:gsanes2020@gmail.com> or
adeloucas@g.harvard.edu<mailto:adeloucas@g.harvard.edu>.
scholar.harvard.edu…<https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/aandeloucas/files…
[Graduate Symposium in Ancient Near Eastern Studies (GSANES)]
Linda R. Rabieh
(
MIT)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?trum…
Mon., Mar. 9, 5:15 – 6:45 p.m.
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Building E51, Room 275, 70 Memorial Drive,
Cambridge, MA 02142
"Humane Warfare: An Ancient Perspective on Ethics in War"
presented by MIT's Ancient & Medieval Studies Colloquium
What are the ethics that should guide our soldiers in war? Although this is an old
question, it must be revisited in light of the peculiar situations in which our soldiers
are called to act in the 21st century. Do the same principles apply when we engage in
war through automated drones or cyber warfare? How is it possible to maintain ethical
principles when confronted with the brutality of those who refuse to distinguish between
combatants and civilians? For guidance, this talk returns to ancient political thought,
which grappled with questions both of war and of character, and in particular to Plato’s
Republic, where Socrates outlines an education for warriors and the nature of a healthy
soul that suggests different grounds for ethical actions, grounds that may provide a
superior model for our complex times.
MIT Ancient & Medieval Studies Colloquium Series
calendar.mit.edu…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__c…
[Linda R. Rabieh (MIT)]
David Ganz (Harvard
University)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calend…
Tue., Mar. 10, 5 p.m.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Boylston 203, Cambridge, MA 02138
"E. K. Rand, Ludwig Traube, Latin Palaeography and the Medieval Academy of
America"
David Ganz is a Visiting Scholar in Medieval Studies at Harvard University.
James Loeb Lecture
Gianfranco Agosti (Università di Roma “La
Sapienza”)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calenda…
Wed., Mar. 11, 12 – 1:30 p.m.
BROWN UNIVERSITY, Petteruti Lounge, Faunce House, Room 201, 75 Waterman St, Providence, RI
02912
"Metrical Inscriptions in Late Antiquity: What Difference Did Christianity
Make?"
In the so-called ‘resurgence’ of poetry in Late Antiquity verse inscriptions played a
significant role. They eloquently show how widespread was the taste for poetic
compositions among the different levels of Late Roman society, pointing also out the
social importance of classical paideia. Despite the condemnation of some church Fathers,
who considered the passion for poetry useless and even dangerous, Christian verse
inscriptions entered very early the ‘epigraphic display’ of Late Antique cities. This talk
aims at investigating what difference they made in terms of style, language and
communicative functions, questioning also if we can properly speak of a Christian verse
epigraphy.
Gianfranco Agosti is Professor of Classical and Late Antique Philology at the Sapienza
University of Rome. He is affiliated member of the Centre d’Histoire et Civilisation de
Byzance (Paris), of the l’Institut d’études anciennes et médiévales (Université Laval), of
the Department of Classics and Ancient History of Newcastle University (UK), Member of
Academia Europaea (Section of Classics and Oriental Studies), and was awarded with Chaire
Gutenberg de l’Université de Strasbourg in 2019. He is currently working on a monograph on
Late Antique education, a monograph on Late Antique Greek metrical inscriptions, and to
other to a revised critical text, Italian translation and commentary of Agathias’
Histories.
As always, this event is free and open to the public. You can find more information on the
Classics website and Classics Facebook page. We hope to see you there!
Brown Lecture Series
events.brown.edu…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__e…
[Gianfranco Agosti (Università di Roma “La Sapienza”)]
Paul Christesen (Dartmouth
College)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?…
Wed., Mar. 11, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Samberg Conference Center, Salon M, Building E52,
50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA
02142<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__maps.google.co…
"Luxury at Sparta"
commentary by Graham Oliver (Brown University)
New England Ancient Historians
Colloquium<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.neah…
www.neahc.us<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.ne…
CANE Annual
Meeting<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?t…
Fri., Mar. 13 – Sat., Mar. 14
TRINITY COLLEGE, 300 Summit Street, Hartford CT
06106<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__maps.google.co…
Registration is now open. The program is available at
docs.google.com…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__do…Le8Rd0zp-oJSY3xr2m8&e=>.
caneweb.org…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__canewe…
Ellen Oliensis (University of California,
Berkeley)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar…
Tue., Mar. 24
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, TBA, Cambridge, MA 02138
TBA
GSAS Workshop "Critical and Comparative Approaches to
Classics"<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/links/critical-and-compa…
Emily Wilson (University of
Pennsylvania)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-cale…
Wed., Mar. 25, 5:30 p.m.
BOSTON COLLEGE, Stokes Hall South 195, 160 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02167
"Translating Homer's Odyssey Again: Why and How?"
The 2020 Heinz Bluhm Memorial Lecture
Emily Wilson is Professor of Classical Studies, a 2019 MacArthur Fellowship recipient, and
the first woman to translate Homer's Odyssey, published in 2017. To be published this
spring is The Norton Critical Edition of Homer's Odyssey edited and translated by
Prof. Wilson. She is currently working on a new translation of Homer's Iliad.
For further information: Prof. Franco Mormando
(mormando@bc.edu<mailto:mormando@bc.edu>; 617-552-6346)
Directions and Parking:
www.bc.edu/bc-web/about/maps-and-directions.html<https://urldefense.proo…
The Boston College Heinz Bluhm Memorial Lecture
Series<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__events.bc.edu…
[Emily Wilson (University of Pennsylvania)]
Madeline
Miller<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?tr…
Wed., Mar. 25, 7 – 8 p.m.
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, Remis Auditorium, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA
02115<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__maps.google.co…
"Madeline Miller: Making Art from the Past"
Author Madeline Miller shares how she retells ancient stories for modern times, drawing
inspiration from texts, sources, and artifacts to create her hit novels.
Circe, Miller’s second novel and an instant bestseller, is currently being adapted for a
series with HBO Max. Miller’s novels have been translated into more than 25 languages and
her essays have appeared in The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post,
The Telegraph, Lapham's Quarterly, and
NPR.org.
TICKET REQUIRED
To order tickets by phone, call 1-800-440-6975 ($6 processing fee applies); to order in
person, visit any MFA ticket desk.
www.mfa.org…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.mf…
Harvard Graduate Student
Conference<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calenda…
Sat., Mar. 28
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, TBA, Cambridge, MA 02138
"Class before Capitalism?: Social Structure and the Ancient World"
Keynote speaker: Johanna Hanink (Brown University)
Call for
Papers<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/news/call-papers-biennial-gradua…ce>:
abstracts due January 1, 2020
Biennial Harvard Graduate Student Conference
classics.fas.harvard.edu…<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/news/call-pap…
April 2020
Leni Ribeiro Leite (Federal University of Espírito
Santo)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?tr…
Thu., Apr. 9, 6 – 7 p.m.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Boylston 237, Cambridge, MA 02138
TBA
GSAS Workshop "Critical and Comparative Approaches to
Classics"<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/links/critical-and-compa…
Leni Ribeiro Leite (Federal University of Espírito Santo,
Brazil)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?t…
Tue., Apr. 14, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, TBA, Cambridge, MA 02138
"New worlds through Classical lenses: Classical epideictic tropes in Maffei's
Historiarum Indicarum Libri XVI"
Mahindra Humanities Center Seminar: Civilizations of Ancient Greek and
Rome<http://mahindrahumanities.fas.harvard.edu/content/civilizations-anc…
Vesta Curtis (British
Museum)<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar?t…
Wed., Apr. 22
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, TBA, Cambridge, MA 02138
llse and Leo Mildenberg Memorial Lecture
July 2020
Classical Association of New England Summer
Institute<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar…
Mon., July 13 – Sat., July 18
BROWN UNIVERSITY, TBA, Providence, RI 02912
On the theme "The Empire and the Individual"
graduate credit available
For more information and registration details, go to
www.caneweb.org<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.…
Please direct questions to the CSI director Amanda Loud at
summerinst@caneweb.org<mailto:summerinst@caneweb.org>.
caneweb.org…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__canewe…
View the entire calendar
online<https://classics.fas.harvard.edu/boston-area-classics-calendar>
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