UCL DEPARTMENT OF GREEK AND LATIN
Classics newsletter
October 2013 | Issue 11
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Gesine Manuwald
It is a great pleasure to introduce this
year’s Newsletter, after taking over from
Maria Wyke as Head of Department in
autumn 2012. UCL Greek and Latin
continues to be a great Department
with wonderful colleagues and keen
students, which makes the job of a Head
of Department so much easier. Despite
many changes in the higher education
sector, Classics at UCL is doing well,
with a consistently high number of well-qualified applicants
for our undergraduate degrees. We were delighted that the
modifications to the admissions process as a result of the
new fees regime have allowed us to increase our intake of
first-year undergraduates. Our MA and PhD programmes
are also thriving, although here the impact of the economic
situation and the small number of fully funded places are
more noticeable. Thanks to the generosity of alumni and
other friends of the Department, we are able to offer support
in the form of small scholarships to a number of students
and to assist in cases of hardship.
Although the £9,000 fee per year for undergraduates
does not have to be paid upfront, there is the fear that it
may deter excellent candidates from more disadvantaged
backgrounds from applying to UCL. With the arrival of our
new colleague Peter Agocs, who has taken on the post
of Widening Participation Officer, the Department has
enormously increased its so-called outreach activities over
the past year (funded by the UCL Outreach Office and a
grant from the A.G. Leventis Foundation): we have run
taster days, Classics fairs and summer schools, as Peter
describes below. We all enjoyed bringing Classics to a
wider public, and the students involved were excited to get
schoolchildren passionate about Classics and their own
work.
Besides Peter Agocs (who works on Greek lyric), we
welcomed Mairéad McAuley (who works on early imperial
Latin literature) as a new member of academic staff, as
well as Rosa Andújar: thanks to the grant from the Leventis
Foundation, Rosa will be with us as a Research Fellow
for four years and will be hosting a major conference next
year. One of her specialities is Greek drama; hence she is
helping the students with the annual production of a Greek
Play at the Bloomsbury Theatre and is organizing a series
of activities around it. The entire sequence was again very
successful this year, as described below. We also have
a new face in the Departmental Office, Val Schofield, an
alumna from another UCL department; she can be contacted
for all general enquiries. Finally, after we all got to enjoy the
newly refurbished common rooms in the Department over
the past year, this summer the Otto Skutsch Room, a room
in the Department used for teaching, meetings, seminars
and private study, was refurbished (again supported by
donations). All shared spaces in the Department now
present themselves in shining splendour!
Besides teaching students and liaising with the wider public,
all staff have been busy with their research and published
a number of books, edited volumes and articles (see their
individual staff pages on the departmental website). This is
all the more important in the run-up to the so-called Research
Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, which will assess
research culture and quality of all departments nationwide,
with the results influencing future funding. Our research
students have also been working hard: several gained their
PhDs in the last year and others helped with Departmental
teaching or ran their own conferences and seminar series,
in addition to events initiated by staff. Besides the Greek
Play, highlights this year included a screening of Silent Films
in the Bloomsbury Theatre organized by Maria Wyke (who
otherwise enjoyed a well-deserved research leave) and the
annual Housman Lecture and Masterclass, delivered by
Professor Eric Csapo from Sydney, thanks to funding from
the Leventis Foundation.
We are grateful to all staff, students and supporters for their
great work throughout the past year, and we are now looking
forward to an equally exciting new academic year. The
pages that follow give more details about all our activities
from a variety of perspectives.
UCL GREEK AND LATIN REACHES OUT
Peter Agócs
The withdrawal of state funding for
higher education, the introduction of
tuition fees and the negative impact
of government austerity policies
across the UK has led to a crisis in
humanities departments in universities
and endangered their long-established
role as engines of social mobility. It is increasingly difficult
to attract students from working-class backgrounds into
university study. With traditional links to privilege and
private education, Classics in particular has found its
long-term survival threatened in many British universities.
There are still reasons for optimism — an increase in
schools offering Latin and Classical Civilisation as GCSE
and A-Level subjects, the popularity of Classical subjects
in literature, cinema and television, and the heroic labour
of largely voluntary organisations like Classics for All, the
Joint Association of Classical Teachers, the Iris Project, and
the East End Classics Centre. Nevertheless departments
across the country are searching for innovative longterm solutions to the problem of attracting a diverse
body of students under current conditions. We need to
open the doors of the ivory tower, go out to meet people,
and become advocates for our subject in a new way.
In collaboration with the new UCL Outreach Office, the
Iris Project and the East End Classics Centre, as well as
Classics Departments in other UK universities, UCL Greek
and Latin has committed itself to bringing Greece, Rome
and other ancient world cultures to the widest possible
audience and, in particular, to supporting London state
schools in reintroducing the subject and keeping it alive.
UCL Greek and Latin was one of the first departments in
the UK to introduce a course (Ancient World Studies) that
allows students to begin learning the ancient languages at
university. UCL has committed itself to raising the proportion
of our students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and our
admissions criteria have been revamped to take account of
applicants’ background. But the reintroduction or survival
of Latin, Greek or Classical Civilisation as secondary
school subjects often depends on the energy, dedication
and persuasive ability of a single teacher. I took over
responsibility for the Department’s outreach work when I
arrived last September. My own visits this year to the BSix
Brooke House Sixth Form College in Hackney and the
Jewish Free School in Brent were moving experiences: it
was exciting to meet such clever and dedicated students,
who chose to study Greece and Rome for the interest of
the subject, and many of whom were keen to carry on with
Classics at university. I was also impressed by the skill and
determination of their teachers and by the forward-looking
policy of the schools who support their work.
As part of a consortium with the East End Classics Centre
(http://www.bsix.ac.uk/), Classics for All (http://www.classicsforall.
org.uk/), Birkbeck College, Oxford University, and the Iris Project
(http://irisproject.org.uk/), our Department will participate in a
grant application to the Mayor of London Schools Excellence
Fund, to roll out Latin teaching across secondary schools in a
wide area of the East End. Togerher with Lorna Robinson and
the Iris Project, and the generous support of the UCL Outreach
Office, UCL Greek and Latin has also organised several
successful events designed to give children and teenagers
a taste of university life at UCL. We also provided a venue
for two of the Iris Project’s Classics Fairs, for year 11 and 12
secondary school students and for primary school students,
designed to raise awareness of Classics as a subject. These
events will be repeated next year, and teachers interested in
bringing their classes can contact Lorna or myself for details
of how to apply.
UCL has supported Iris’ work in schools around London
and the southeast for several years now: several of
our students taught Latin in primary schools this year,
a commitment we intend to repeat and extend. Two
taster days were also organised for students in years 11
and 12 who are thinking of studying Classics, Ancient
History and the Ancient World at university, with talks and
workshops on subjects ranging from Egyptian archaeology,
to papyrology and classical literature and philosophy.
(to apply, see: http://www.london.ac.uk/tasters). The AWS
(Ancient World Studies) Summer School also attracted a
large group of years 11 and 12 students, who spent two
days at UCL at the end of July attending lectures and
workshops on the ancient world, including a visit to UCL’s
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology. This year’s very
successful Greek Play (Euripides’ powerful Trojan Women)
and the accompanying lectures and workshops also
attracted large numbers of primary and secondary school
students and interested members of the community, as did
the London Summer School in Greek and Latin. Members
of the Department also took part in events and conferences
organised by the Outreach Office and have given talks to
community and teachers’ groups.
We aim to continue all of these activities, expanding our
work in schools and the wider community, in the coming
years. We hope that our alumni will help us by devoting
their time and by supporting charities like Iris, Classics for
All, and the East End Classics Centre. There are plenty
of ways to get involved. Those interested in our activities,
or who have ideas about how we could support Classics
and widening university participation, can contact me at:
p.agocs@ucl.ac.uk (to find out about our outreach events
for next year, see: http://www. ucl.ac.uk/classics/schoolsand-colleges).
SHOWCASING CLASSICS TO LONDON SCHOOLS
Iris Classics Fairs at UCL in partnership with the Mayor of London
Lorna Robinson, Director of the Iris Project
This year, the Iris Project has been collaborating with the
UCL Department of Greek and Latin and City Hall to run
Classics Fairs for London state schools. Running fairs is an
exciting challenge and has been a new venture for the longstanding partnership between Iris and UCL.
After months of planning and preparation, on Wednesday
13th March, we ran the first of our two Classics Fairs with
UCL this school year. Groups from state schools across
the city came to attend a series of talks from experts and
enthusiasts, visit the stalls, watch excerpts from this year’s
UCL play, meet students and explore the university. Writer
and broadcaster Lindsay Johns gave a rousing opening
speech, and an exciting range of activities and talks
followed. Feedback has been phenomenal, with several
pupils saying they would now consider studying Classics
at university.
One teacher commented: “I just wanted to say a massive
thank you to you and all your colleagues for organising
the event. This morning, my students have returned
to school really inspired and cannot stop talking about
UCL, Classics being cool, and how much they are
looking forward to the next event!” Pupils were similarly
enthusiastic, with one reporting that “it was amazing –
would love to go again. Helped me with my future”. Another
said “The fair was very knowledgeable and was very
fun. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot of stuff that day.”
The next fair was aimed at primary schools and took
place at UCL on 22nd July. It was fully booked, and
again featured stalls, speakers and a fantastic drama
performance. There were even ancient Greek and Roman
characters wandering around. It was an exciting day for all
involved!
More information can be found on our website at:
www.irisproject.org.uk
teenage listeners to engage with the material in energetic
discussion. Additionally, I ran a table on Roman emotions,
where students could evaluate differences between Roman
and English translations of specific emotions, and the
manifestation of emotions from literary accounts to images.
I am grateful to have witnessed through my participation
such enthusiasm for Classics outreach from all involved in
the UCL Classics Fair!
Emily Thomas, MA Student
The UCL Classics Fair on 13th of March provided an
opportunity for young people at different stages in their
education and from different backgrounds to come together
and experience the classical world and the academic
traditions surrounding it. From year seven to A-levels, the
visitors were all enthusiastic about coming to UCL and
seeing the diverse range of scholarship in the area, as well
as getting their first taste of university-level education. I was
in charge of a group of GCSE students, who were the first
to learn Latin at their school as a trial run, and were coming
to the fair to see the potential for continuing their classical
education to university level. They asked lots of questions
to those leading the classes, but also to other students
on campus. They enjoyed talks on Homer and daily life in
Rome, were introduced to the Latin language, and even
saw a small performance from this year’s UCL Classics play
and had the opportunity to speak to the cast and crew.
By the end of the day the group I was in charge of were
talking animatedly about the possibility of studying Classics
at university. They were keen to try to get an A-level in
Latin or Classical Civilisation going at their school in order
to continue their classical education, and they took a
subscription to Iris Magazine back with them. I think that
the fair was a key part of them seeing how Classics could
be taken beyond their GCSEs and I hope it has given them
some inspiration for the future.
Emily Lord-Kambitsch, PhD Candidate
This past March, at the invitation of Lorna Robinson of
the Iris Project and Peter Agocs of the UCL Department
of Greek and Latin, I had the singular privilege of
participating in the UCL Classics Fair. The aims of the fair
were to showcase various subject areas within Classics,
from gladiators to ancient emotions, and to inform school
students from primary and secondary levels about the
important skill sets and other benefits, in terms of both
vocational and personal development, that can come
from studying the ancient world and ancient languages. I
served two roles at the fair: firstly, as a ‘floating Classicist’,
I accompanied students to lectures on the Latin language
and daily life in ancient Rome. Both of these workshops
were interactive and stimulating, inviting the group of
The UCL Classics Fair
CLASSICAL COLLABORATIONS:
New partnerships bring fresh impetus to UCL’s
outreach initiatives
Xavier Murray-Pollock, The BSix East End Classics Centre
The Department of Greek & Latin has long committed to providing a wealth of
outreach opportunities for schools and members of the public. In conjunction
with the Iris Project, one of department’s longstanding collaborative partners,
UCL has sent large numbers of volunteers to teach in a variety of schools
which would otherwise have no provisions for Classics or classical languages.
While this is not news to most, the latest statistics make for some impressive
reading; this year, Iris sent some 300 volunteers from universities including
UCL to work their paedagogic magic in as many schools, bringing Classics to
some 2000 pupils.
Yet, the advent of new partnerships is set to increase the breadth of UCL’s
outreach programmes further. Several months ago, in an attempt to establish
a centralised hub for Classics within London, the university and Iris combined
their efforts and resources with the East End Classics Centre. Within this
centre, a number of provisions for the study of Classics has been established,
which included: an A-Level in Classical Civilisation, a Latin GCSE, outings
to the see UCL’s Trojan Women, and school visits from a panoply of muchvenerated academics. This extensive academic calendar was then crowned
with a summer school at the University of Oxford, dedicated to learning
Ancient Greek.
The participants were also able to
admire the collections of the British
Library, the British Museum, the Petrie
Museum and the Wellcome Library
in a series of visits organised by the
Director of the Summer School. During
these visits the participants followed
guided tours of the Museums and the
Libraries and had the opportunity to
converse with the curators and experts
from the Greek and Latin Department.
The busy program was rounded
off by the well-established Classics
Debate, which this year was on the
most important villain of antiquity. The
candidates were Dionysus, Augustus,
Odysseus and Sinon the Greek
warrior who tricked the Trojans into
accepting the gift of the wooden horse.
In the end, the god of wine was voted
the winner. During the debate there
was an exhibition of both mosaics
produced in the workshop and posters
created by some of the students in the
Greek and Latin language classes.
For details of this year’s Summer
School, contact Miss Lizzie Barnard
(elizabeth.barnard@kcl.ac.uk,
+44 (0)20 7848 2343).
The centre itself is based at Brooke House Sixth Form College, Hackney.
Affectionately dubbed ‘BSix’, the school holds a slew of brand-new facilities
to help revitalise Classics. In addition to the dedicated classroom facilities
(Classics teacher included), the purpose-built don’s study room and Garden
of the Ancient World have both helped to stamp ‘Classics’ on the architectural
landscape of the school and local area.
Partnership with the East End Classics Centre has given UCL a vital extension
to its outreach schemes: Iris continuing to provide access to Classics for
younger age groups, the Classics Centre offering dedicated facilities for those
looking to obtain Classics qualifications. With a substantial funding bid in the
pipeline, new schools joining the programmes every month, plans to retrain
school teachers in Latin, and so many doctors on board, the prognosis has
never been better.
Bettany Huges lectures Summer School students
about Helen of Troy
If you would like to learn more about the outreach work conducted by the
Department of Greek & Latin, or would like to play a part in our projects and
their development, please contact Dr Agocs.
Mosaics, Museums and Classical Villains:
London Summer School in Classics 2013
Summer School students stage a debate over the
greatest villain of antiquity
More than 250 students defied the heatwave and attended the London Summer
School in Classics from 9 to 18 July 2013 at the Department of Greek and Latin
at UCL. Apart from the usual classes in Greek and Latin language, which were
attended by the majority of students, there were also smaller classes in Coptic
and Biblical Hebrew and for the first time a workshop on mosaics. There were
special lectures by the well-known TV historian Bettany Hughes (‘Helen of Troy’),
King’s College London Professor of Latin William Fitzgerald (‘Slavery in Roman
Literature’), the UCL Head of Department, Professor of Latin Gesine Manuwald
(‘Jupiter’s plans in Virgil’s Aeneid and other Roman epics’) and UCL’s expert in
Historical Linguistics, Dr Stephen Colvin (‘Mycenaean Greek’). Dr Peter Haarer
from the University of Oxford delivered a talk on Greek Epigraphy.
One of the Roman-style mosaics produced by
Summer School students.
Antony Makrinos, Director
Ancient Tragedy, Modern War: Staging Euripides’
Trojan Women 2013
Students from Varndean College (Brighton) and
from Colchester County High School for Girls
participating in Russell Bender’s workshop at UCL
Students from Brigham Young University (USA)
particiating in Deb Pugh’s workshop at UCL
Rosa Andújar, Academic Advisor
This year’s Classical play at the Bloomsbury Theatre was Euripides’ Trojan
Women. The play is set in the aftermath of Troy’s fall. Abandoned by the gods
and bereft of their men, the city’s women wait inside a prison camp to be shipped
off to a life of slavery, and discover that their suffering is far from over.
Directed by Rebecca Speller, this ambitious production featured a novel setting
for this ancient play: Singapore during the WWII Japanese occupation. The
performance, which was based on Alan Shapiro’s elegant translation, also
incorporated 1940s music and excerpts from a wartime radio address to all the
children of the British Commonwealth by (then) Princess Elizabeth, joined at
several points by Princess Margaret. A stellar cast of UCL students from various
departments, including our own, brought Euripides’ most famous ‘anti-war’
play to life. Furthermore, the production was considered for the Sunday Times
National Student Drama Festival, which showcases exceptional productions by
young theatre makers. We were therefore not surprised to learn that this year’s
play sold more tickets than ever before.
This year’s ‘Ancient Plays for Modern Minds’ programme of lectures and
workshops, which complemented each evening performance, was also wildly
successful. Lectures by Simon Goldhill (Cambridge), Chris Carey and Rosa
Andújar illuminated various aspects of the play and Euripidean theatre to
packed audiences of school and university groups as well as to alumni and
members of the public. Three interactive workshops run by theatre practitioners
(Russell Bender, Deb Pugh, and David Stuttard) allowed participants to gain
a better understanding of how the chorus works, and how to create meaning
on stage with movement. Most of these exciting lectures and workshops were
fully booked weeks in advance. This extraordinary interest in both the play and
outreach events confirms that the Classical Play is a real highlight in the UCL
calendar. Next year’s production will be Aristophanes’ Clouds (11-13 February
2014) and we are planning to book bigger venues and perhaps to host more
workshops in order to meet the increasing demand for these events. Until then,
we recommend that anyone interested in any past productions visit our newly
launched Classical Play archive on our website! The Archive not only contains all
the programme notes and cast lists going back as far as 1987, but also includes
‘Study Information’ for the past five productions, from Aristophanes’ Frogs (2009)
to this year’s Trojan Women. This remarkable collection may be accessed at
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/classics/classical-play/archive/.
Bethan Lloyd, actor
As a cast member, I strongly believe that what made this year’s Classics
production so special was the people involved. I have genuinely never had more
fun creating a play and the friends I made during that 4-month period will stay
with me for life. So often when you trap a group of dramatic individuals in a
room for any extended period of time it ends in disaster; pulled pig-tails, cussing
and flying scenery are often just the beginning. However, although obviously
there were disagreements between us, laugher rang out far more often than
harsh words. This laughter was often
so uncontrollable that many tragic
moments in the play were buried
beneath it – I particularly remember
the stichomythia exchange between
Andromache and Hecuba at the gates
of the enclosure.
I believe that the chemistry that we
developed as a cast enabled us to
create such a brilliant production.
The cast worked so well together and
I believe we proved how important
every single person involved is. This
was particularly demonstrated to me
by the reaction provoked by the silent
male chorus. They may have been
without lines but they symbolised the
women’s imprisonment in the most
effective and frightening manner.
Becky’s [Rebecca Speller] vision
was incredible and she was a great
director to work with. I particularly
loved the manner in which she chose
to close the play – the sounds of the
destruction echoing around the theatre
really did chill me to my bones.
I was lucky enough to play Cassandra
in our production (a role my father
argues was type-cast, but here my
response has to be ‘well these things
are genetic!’). Becoming Cassandra
was an odd experience and often
left me extremely drained – mostly
because Becky wanted my speeches
to be as physical as possible. Perhaps
the biggest challenge I faced was
on opening night when I failed to
remember half of my opening speech.
Luckily however, Laura (Hecuba)
saved me and turned my silence into
a touching moment between a mother
and her deranged daughter. Laura
was the rock of our production and she
carried it through every performance.
I loved playing my character so much
that I have decided to write my 3rd year
extended essay about her – who says
drama isn’t educational?
BRINGING THE RUINS BACK TO LIFE:
ANTIQUITY IN SILENT CINEMA
Maria Wyke
Why did antiquity appear so often in
early cinema? What did cinema gain
from antiquity and what did antiquity
gain from projection on screen? Those
are the questions that I am trying to
address in an international research
project Ancient Civilisations in Silent
Cinema. The project began back in
2009 when I and my partner in the
project Pantelis Michelakis (University
of Bristol) arranged the screening of a
variety of little known, rarely seen and
rather beautiful early ‘antiquity’ films at
UCL’s Bloomsbury Theatre, with piano
accompaniment and a series of expert
talks to set the scene for our audience –
made up of classicists, other interested
academics, and film fans of all kinds.
Our research over this last year also
constituted a kind of celebration,
because exactly one hundred years
ago the Italian feature-length film Quo
Vadis? (dir. Enrico Guazzoni) - an
extravagant re-enactment of Christian suffering and redemption set in the reign of the emperor Nero – was a huge
international success. From the United States to New Zealand, audiences admired the film for its magnificent beauty,
accuracy and realism, and for the revolutionary change it seemed to bring to the potential of the motion picture. To
commemorate that film and its significance for cinema history, we held two major events about antiquity in silent cinema
– a screening of two feature films at UCL Bloomsbury in May 2013 and a series of screenings and workshops at the
Cinema Ritrovato Film Festival in Bologna in June. In May in London, we saw Odysseus confront the Cyclops and kill the
suitors in The Odyssey (Italy, 1911) and Julius Caesar conquer the Gauls and succumb to assassination in Julius Caesar
(Italy, 1914). In June in Bologna, among a feast of antiquity films of all kinds, we bore witness to Nero’s persecution of
the Christians but also to the gladiator Spartacus escaping down Mount Vesuvius and confronting the armies of Rome.
The hundreds of ‘antiquity’ films that survive from early cinema concern many different periods and places (from the Bible
and Pharaonic Egypt to Mesopotamia, Greece and the later Roman empire) and draw on diverse and often experimental
approaches (from epic to comic, fantastical to documentary). What binds these films together? And why were they
mainly the product of just three countries: Italy, France and the United States? Early cinema sought to elevate its own
cultural status by drawing on that granted to antiquity in more traditional and respected media (painting, sculpture,
dance, theatre, opera and the novel). It then sought to challenge those media by developing ever more spectacular and
complex reconstructions. Representing antiquity allowed cinema to claim the benefits of education as well as remarkable
entertainment and provided a rich source of material for playing out contemporary concerns about sexuality, religion,
politics or morality – often in extreme. Quo Vadis?, for example, takes in a sadistic emperor, the persecuted faithful,
virtuous romance, the overthrow of tyranny and the triumph of the Church. Thus for cinema antiquity could be a place
of horror as well as a paradise lost. Cinema even found in antiquity suitable metaphors for itself as a modern medium:
the tenth Muse, the modern hieroglyph, the cinematograph (‘writing in movement’). But if cinema gained so much
from antiquity, what did it offer antiquity in return? Soon after the international distribution of Quo Vadis?, teachers and
professors enthused about the huge educational potential of the new medium. After all, cinema offered to its audiences a
sensorial experience of the past – a feeling of being in history. It gave to the ruins of antiquity monumentality, movement,
music and colour, brought its dead back to life, and presented it thus enlivened to a modern, mass audience across the
globe.
When cinema and antiquity have gained so much from each other, there is all the more reason for us to reflect on the
nature and importance of their relationship. We hope to offer more film screenings and workshops, but meanwhile a
collection of essays edited by Pantelis Michelakis and myself has just been published, The Ancient World in Silent
Cinema (CUP, out August 2013). Further information on this collaborative research project, Ancient Civilizations in Silent
Cinema, is available at www.ucl.ac.uk/classics/research/research-projects/CINECIVS/
UCL
CONFERENCE
APPROACHING THE END OF A
Paths of Song:
JOURNEY: COMPLETING A PHD AT UCL
Interactions between
Kyriaki Ioannides
Greek Lyric and Tragedy Ioannis Lambrou
As I progress into the
The Being so near to
11-13 April 2013
third year of my PhD
the end of my PhD
Theodora Hadjimichael
(UCL/LMU Munich)
This conference was organised by
Theodora Hadjimichael (UCL/LMU
Munich/OU Cyprus) in collaboration
with Michael Carroll (Cambridge)
and Thomas Coward (KCL). The aim
was to reveal points of convergence
between Greek lyric and tragedy
and to show the benefits of a crossgeneric dialogue more broadly.
Almost 65 delegates from different
universities in the globe enjoyed
21 papers in the course of two and
a half days. The conference had a
truly international and welcoming
character: the speakers included
established and early career scholars,
as well as graduate students from
the UK, continental Europe, and
America. The programme offered
papers that ranged from discussions
on the context of the interaction
between Greek lyric and tragedy
(ritual context, historical, social and
political background), to analyses
of its essential characteristics
(imagery, linguistic, musical and
textual features), and presentations
on traditional and new academic
approaches to the theme (audiencereception, cognitive approaches,
intertextuality and allusion).
The papers together marked out
definite new directions for the study of
tragedy. They brought to the surface
questions related to song and dance
in the ancient theatre, the relationship
between songs in tragedies and lyric
songs in the outside world, themes
and features travelling from one
genre to the other, and they marked
interpretative models that may
apply to both tragedy and lyric. The
high quality and thought-provoking
agenda provided the stimulus
for enthusiastic discussions in a
friendly and well-run atmosphere. The
conference succeeded in particular
in showing the energy and ability of
young scholars. The future of classics
is in good hands.
studies usually results
in one single question
from people who think
about pursuing a PhD,
“So, is a doctorate a
journey worth starting?”
My answer is always, “Yes, it is actually
worth it if you make the most of it”. Studying
for a PhD in the Department of Greek and
Latin at UCL, one of the premier Classics
departments in the UK, has indeed been
a very rewarding experience for me. My
doctoral thesis explores the competitive
and dialogical dynamics between Homer
and the wider epic tradition, and I consider
myself extremely privileged to have been
mentored by Professor Chris Carey, who is
universally acknowledged amongst young
classicists as the epitome of a good teacher
and supervisor.
My research as a PhD student at UCL was
generously supported in various ways. Both
the UCL Graduate School and the Faculty
of Arts and Humanities provided me with
full funding to attend language courses
offered by the UCL Language Centre. They
also offered me generous bursaries that
allowed me to participate in international
conferences, for example, in the 2011
Australasian Society for Classical Studies
32 Conference in New Zealand, where I
presented my work and gained encouraging
and productive feedback towards the
completion of my doctoral thesis. During
the Spring Term 2013, I co-organised
with my colleague Adam Lecznar the first
weekly postgraduate research seminar
in the Department, the Lyceum Classics
Community Seminar (LCCS), which was
also fully funded by the Faculty of Arts and
Humanities. LCCS provided a regular point
of social contact in the Department and an
ideal forum for junior researchers to present
an overview or aspects of their work and
practice public speaking in a relaxed and
supportive environment.
No journey worth taking is ever easy, but
I strongly believe that the Department of
Greek and Latin at UCL is proud to offer a
PhD programme that makes the research
journey here a truly unique experience.
research, I can only
evaluate the past two
years at UCL as being
the most interesting and
delightful years of my
student life. This is a
result of the friendly and stimulating working
environment that the Department of Greek
and Latin and particularly my supervisor,
Dr Nikolaos Gonis, have created with their
generosity and support. My thesis deals with
Greek Comedy as I am writing a commentary
on three fragmentary comedies of Menander
preserved on papyri: Georgos, Heros, and
Theophoroumene.
I pursued a number of activities during these
past two years, which included attending
lectures and conferences organized by UCL,
ICS and KCL and visiting the manuscript
holdings in the British Library. I also attended
a conference on Menander in Nottingham
and participated in a 6-day workshop on
comic fragments in Freiburg, Germany. The
second year of my studies was exceptionally
busy. The Department afforded me with a
number of opportunities, such as teaching
Ancient Greek (while I will also be teaching
Latin during my third year), participating in
Training Sessions for Teaching and delivering
a paper at our departmental seminar. In
addition, I was invited to give a lecture at the
Open University of Cyprus and presented
a poster at the 2013 Classical Association
conference in Reading. Dr Makrinos gave me
the opportunity to perform in his staged class
of Plautus’ Amphitruo (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/
classics/students/undergraduate/Amphitruo),
an innovative teaching technique that we
presented at the Higher Education Academy
conference in Brighton. In addition, together
with Joao Francisco Costa Ribeiro (2nd year
Ancient World) we are directing the UCL
Greek Play 2014, Aristophanes’ Clouds.
As part of our directors’ commitments we
have been watching plays in London and
attending talks by professional directors,
while we also travelled to Greece to
watch Aristophanes’ Wealth at the Ancient
Theatre of Epidaurus.
I hope the third year of my PhD will be as
captivating and active as the last two years. I
look forward to continue working with all the
great students and academics that constitute
the driving force of our Department.
UCL DEPARTMENT OF GREEK AND LATIN
Newsletter 2013
www.ucl.ac.uk/classics