Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Body As Battleground: Feminine Prophecy And Identity In The Ancient Mediterranean, Daniel M. Picus

Classical Mediterranean and Middle East Honors Projects

Women who spoke with the voice of divinity existed in the literature and mythologies of many cultures across the ancient Mediterranean. This paper examines six of these prophetesses from ancient Greek and Jewish traditions. It shows that prophecy is an experience deeply rooted in conceptions of the human body and “femininity.” By studying prophetesses in this light, I conclude that their bodies become battlegrounds for individual identities which may otherwise be subsumed by the god for whom they prophesy.

Cyprus, Nicolle E. Hirschfeld

Classical Studies Faculty Research

Strabo described Cyprus as “second to none of the islands of the Mediterranean: it is rich in wine and oil, produces grain in abundance and possesses extensive copper mines.…” (14.6.5). Geographical proximity placed Cyprus within the orbit of the Levant; currents and winds situated the island in the flow of peoples and ideas between the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. But at the same time, Cyprus’ insularity and large size fostered idiosyncratic developments. This tension—between native and imported ideas, and invention in a middle ground—informs studies of ancient Cyprus.

Vampire Island, Anastasia Tsaliki

Anastasia Tsaliki

Participation in this documentary directed by Julian Thomas and produced by Electric Sky for History Channel International.

"The legend of blood sucking vampires has captured peoples’ imagination for generations. Mysterious tales of the undead rising from their coffins to terrorise the living and drain their blood are the stuff of horror movies and novels. But a crack team of archaeologists and forensic scientists have uncovered hard evidence for the existence of the legend – a legend that continues to haunt communities in the present day…"