Classics Commons^™

Hands Up Education Cic. 2021. Suburani (Na Edition) Book 1 Textbook. London, Uk: Hands Up Education. Pp. 304 Paperback. (Isbn 978-1-912870-02-8) $55.00., Maia Lee-Chin

New England Classical Journal

No abstract provided.

Jane Draycott. 2022. Prosthetics And Assistive Technology In Ancient Greece And Rome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 226. Hardcover. (Isbn 9781009168397), Marchella Ward

New England Classical Journal

No abstract provided.

The 2024 Classical Association Of New England Student Writing Contest

New England Classical Journal

No abstract provided.

The Dioscuri Between Time And Eternity: A Study In Greek Myth And Genealogy, Avi Kapach

New England Classical Journal

This paper examines the genealogical doubleness of the Dioscuri, whose existence is divided between two generations: as brothers of Helen and sons of Leda and Tyndareus (or Zeus), the Dioscuri should belong to the generation of the Trojan War; yet their exploits take place during the previous generation, the generation of the Argonauts and the Calydonian Boar Hunt. I argue that the discrepancy between the Dioscuri’s two lives constituted a key feature of their mythology from an early period, giving rise to a genealogical problem that was reflected, with increasing subtlety, in ancient Greek literature.

Cristina Pérez Díaz, Antígona By José Watanabe: A Bilingual Edition With Critical Essays. Routledge, 2022. Pp. 172. Ebook (Isbn 9781003150350) $40.45., Andrés A. Carrete

New England Classical Journal

No abstract provided.

Divina Mens: Imperial Propaganda In De Architectura 6.1, Alex-Jaden Peart

New England Classical Journal

This paper, framed by “racecraft” theory (Fields and Fields 2012), argues that the first chapter of Book VI of Vitruvius’ De architectura positions the Roman state led by Augustus—established at the temperate middle of the ecumene by the “divine intellect” (divina mens)—as imbued with the tools to expand its territory at this critical point in the nation’s history. Exploring Vitruvius as a transitory figure, existing within both the late Republic and the early Principate, I argue that we can understand how his reception of environmental determinism theory placed Italy and its people between racial and climatic extremes.

Full Issue

New England Classical Journal

No abstract provided.

Solo Dance In Greek And Roman Comedy, Marleigh Anderson

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

In the first full-length study focusing exclusively on comic solo dance, I argue for the presence and significance of solo dance in both Greek and Roman comedy. My dissertation aims to answer two driving questions: where does solo dance (broadly defined as dance by actors) occur in extant Greek and Roman comedy, and how does such dancing contribute to the plays? The introduction lays out my methodology for approaching these questions. My study then moves from what can be known with certainty (definite solo dance scenes and references to dance) to what requires more speculation (likely dance scenes). Chapter one, …

Odyssey Of A Renegade Queen, Annabelle Harris

Honors Theses

After a violent shipwreck, Savannah washes up on the shores of Outis with no memory of her past. She is found by James, who she thinks is a suave but ill-tempered merchant. Outis turns out to be a more dangerous place than Savannah had thought. Through the aftermath of a traumatic encounter with another islander, she learns that James is a notorious pirate, and she is stuck on an island populated by his dangerous crew. James gives Savannah an ultimatum, and with no choice but to join his crew, she becomes the ship surgeon on the Cyllenia. During their sea-faring …

Cenabis Bene: A Culinary Odyssey Through Apicius, Kathryn Atkinson

University Scholar Projects

Apicius is the sole surviving cookbook from classical antiquity; as such it is invaluable for what it tells us about ancient feasting customs. Yet the gluttony typically associated with classical antiquity has no place in Apicius beyond the art that is inherently associated with food; we are not so much given a seat at the cena (dinner) as we are led into the kitchen, handed an apron, and instructed to cook. This critical analysis explores each recipe not only on the surface—i.e., examining the ingredients and recreating selected recipes—but also on a deeper level, lifting food above its concrete reality …

Cenabis Bene: A Culinary Odyssey Through Apicius, Kathryn Atkinson

Honors Scholar Theses

Apicius is the sole surviving cookbook from classical antiquity; as such it is invaluable for what it tells us about ancient feasting customs. Yet the gluttony typically associated with classical antiquity has no place in Apicius beyond the art that is inherently associated with food; we are not so much given a seat at the cena (dinner) as we are led into the kitchen, handed an apron, and instructed to cook. This critical analysis explores each recipe not only on the surface—i.e., examining the ingredients and recreating selected recipes—but also on a deeper level, lifting food above its concrete reality …

Grief Reimagined: A Comparative Analysis Of Vergil's Aeneid And St. Augustine’S Confessions, Catherine Parker

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This essay intends to comparatively analyze Vergil’s Aeneid and Saint Augustine’s Confessions to examine the shifting perspectives of grief throughout the ancient Mediterranean as the official Roman religion transitioned from Roman Paganism to Christianity following the Edict of Milan in 313 AD. Funerary customs and traditions presented in both the Aeneid and the Confessions provide one mode of insight to explain how expressions of grief evolved over time. The other direction offered in these primary texts includes depictions of the afterlife itself. Vergil and Saint Augustine both served as heralds of their respective eras—the Augustan and Christian eras—and can therefore …

“She Didn’T Know I Was In The Room”: The Effects Of Hatfield’S Illustrations On Readers’ Interpretations Of “The Yellow Wallpaper”, Mason Repas

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

When Charlotte Gilman's short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper," was first published in New England Magazine in 1892, staff illustrator Joseph Hatfield created three realistic-style images to accompany the text. Research suggests that Gilman had no control or influence over these images, which altered readers' perception of her story about the dangers of the rest cure for female hysteria. While Hatfield faced artistic limitations and his intentions are not discoverable today, the choices and details in his illustrations support interpretations of the short story as a piece of horror fiction in which his cohesive series of images is a more reliable …

"Beowulf": Interpretation And Supplementation, Abigail Martin

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the various ways in which Beowulf has been interpreted across time, explaining how factors, called paratexts, have played a large part in shaping these interpretations and how, especially in reading the Beowulf manuscript, we inherit the sum of these influences. In order to demonstrate this, I present a variety of arguments and perspectives on the text that have been developed by scholars over the years based on different types of paratexts (physical, intangible, and translational) in the absence of a known author. At each stage of Beowulf’s life, there have been opportunities for individuals with authority …

The Revolting Monster - A Consideration Of Existentialist Themes In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Through A Comparison To Albert Camus' The Stranger, Felipe Rodriguez Ii

Theses and Dissertations

This Master’s thesis is concerned with analyzing key themes and ideas in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein through an existentialist lens which is made possible through a comparison to themes and ideas in Albert Camus’ The Stranger. I aim to make a contribution to my field by fulfilling a comparison that has long been made since the late 1960s when conversations about British Romanticism and Existentialism were still common. The purpose of my first chapter is to elucidate a new argument about the relationship between these two novels. There is a discernable element of Camusian Revolt exhibited by the Creature in …

Feminist Retellings Of Homer's The Odyssey, 2005-2022, Brenna R. Bretzinger

Honors Capstones

Over the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of feminist retellings of Greek mythology. These retellings serve to give voice to the marginalized female characters from ancient stories whose characterizations were deprioritized over their male counterparts. Furthermore, these stories connect the plights of ancient women with modern feminists to champion issues that women continue facing today. This study focuses on retellings of Homer’s The Odyssey, but these ideas and arguments are still largely applicable to other retellings of Greek mythology. Along with discussing The Odyssey, this project also analyzes three feminist retellings: …

Spectacle In The Roman Imperial Funeral Procession, William Smith

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

From the legendary foresight of Augustus, to the scandalous escapades of Nero and Commodus to even the philosopher emperor, Marcus Aurelius, much has been written. This thesis does not concern itself with the deeds of emperors, but rather their funerals. Imperial funerals in some ways were quite similar to their Republican era antecedents. They differed in spectacular ways. This thesis investigates the spectacle evident in imperial funerals and argues that their inclusion is not to honor the deceased but rather cement their place in the cultural memory of Rome by means of this performance. In addition, it examines the role …

The Political Power Of Roman Empress Julia Domna, 193-217 C.E., Abigail Sanchez

Whittier Scholars Program

This research paper aims to analyze the extent of Roman Empress Julia Domna’s political power and how her power would have influenced the Roman empire. Roman women faced many limitations in the political world, including being unable to be elected to public office; however, Roman imperial women were in the unique position of being able to take up space in the political world. Empress Julia Domna’s role was symbolic and active, putting her nearly in equal standing to her husband, Emperor Septimius Severus, and her son, Emperor Caracalla. When considering the political limitations of Roman women, analyzing the extent of …

Autoethnography As Self-Portrait: An Autoethnographic Analysis Of Trauma-Sensemaking Through Art, Kally Werning

All Theses

This project thesis is centered around coping with early onset childhood trauma through an autoethnography of narrative and art creation. The goal of this project is to understand more deeply how the art making process synthesizes or disrupts trauma sense-making through the introspective lens of the artist as scholar. The project consists of an interactive art exhibit and this written scholarly analysis of the creation and display of this exhibit. This includes an introduction to my life as a trauma survivor and Greek-American woman, informed by communication scholarship and other relevant fields regarding narrative theory, Greek history, religious and trauma …

An Emergentist Critique Of The Contract Theory Of The State Of Nature, With A Consideration On Two Types Of Polity And Their Origins., Ryan A. Apperson

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

The theories of the state of nature provided by the political philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke have made a significant impact in the general conceptions of the origin of states. Though there are many critical differences in the conceptions of the state of nature between each in their seminal works, they both possess of a view of states that is rational and constructivist.

In this paper, I use the game theory concepts of the coordination game, collective action problem, and focal point to illustrate a lacuna in this rational and constructivist conception of the origin of states, as their …

Boudica At The Intersection: Gender, Alterity, And Narrative In Imperial Roman Historiography, Adam Cummings

Honors Theses

Tacitus (fl. ~100 ᴄᴇ) and Cassius Dio (fl. ~200 ᴄᴇ) wrote, respectively, the Annales and the Historia Romana, both now fragmentary, both detailing imperial Roman expansion, and both displaying anxieties about the barbarian ‘Other.’ Their accounts of Boudica, who led the Iceni against Roman encroachment in Britannia in 62 CE, provide a view into these authors’ visions of colonization, ethnicity, and gender. Characterizing this woman as a barbarian leader of war, the authors reveal not only their foundational ideologies but also the political projects underpinning their histories. This thesis will proceed in the following manner: I will provide 1) a …

The Structure Of Human Redemption As Demonstrated In Dante's The Divine Comedy, Erick S. Flores

Student Research

Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy is renowned all around the globe for its impact on literary history as a whole. This research paper delves into the structure of human redemption as portrayed in Dante's epic masterpiece. Through a comprehensive analysis of the narrative structure, allegory, and symbolism, employed by Dante, this study illuminates the underlying framework that guides the protagonist and readers on a transformative journey through the afterlife. By examining the divisions of Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, this paper reveals the hierarchical nature of sin, the ever-progressive path of spiritual growth, and the ultimate attaining of salvation and understanding …

Hubris And The Protection Of The Citizen Body, Lillyan Uhlmann

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Classical Greek notion of hubris, which relates most closely to a modern form of disrespect, was an important form of protection for the citizen body. The law of hubris fell under the public sphere of graphai, which allowed for any individual in the community to bring up a charge. The law of hubris protected not only male citizens, but also women and slaves, which emphasizes the protection of the society as a whole. Hubris was a way to check those of power in society and charges of hubris, if proven, could result in the revoking of citizenship or political …

Heroic (Im)Maturity: Domestic Rupture And The Myth Of Telemachus' Coming Of Age, Mary Whitney

College Honors Program

As one of the most enduring narratives discussed in the field of Classics, extensive research has been written about Homer’s Odyssey. The universal and flexible maxims of the desire for homecoming (νόστος) make the events of this epic so compelling. One central aspect of Odysseus’ νόστος is the return of his son Telemachus to a specific role as the obedient prince. This implies that before the resolution of Odysseus’ νόστος, there exists the rupture of the domestic sphere that allows for freedom and chaos, both of which are removed and checked when Odysseus returns to Ithaca. For as long …

Mythos Series (Mythos: The Greek Myths Reimagined, Heroes: The Greek Myths Reimagined, And Troy: The Greek Myths Reimagined) By Stephen Fry, Phillip Fitzsimmons

Faculty Articles & Research

Book review of Stephen Fry's Mythos series, reviewed by Phillip Fitzsimmons.

Nero's Alexandrian Coinage: The Olympic Series Of 66/67 And 67/68 Ce And Its Achaean Context, Samantha Doleno

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Emperor Nero's coinage is considered by some to be the height of artistic innovation, strongly influenced by his own philhellenism. This can especially be seen in his Alexandrian coinage, which minted an unprecedented amount of coinage at the end of his reign. The overall purpose of this thesis is to explore why the Olympic series, a series of billon tetradrachms minted in 66/67 and 67/68 CE and thought to commemorate Nero’s victories in Greece, was minted, despite Alexandria not being affected by Nero’s journey to Greece. I will argue that the Olympic series was minted as a philhellenic connection to …

‘Where Now Bucephalus And The Proud Eormanric?' The Interplay Of Gothic And Classical References As A Tacit Background Behind The Wanderer, Tolkien's Anglo-Saxon Source, Giovanni Carmine Costabile

Journal of Tolkien Research

The famous lines "Where now the horse and the rider?" from The Two Towers, spoken by Théoden in Peter Jackson's film, but recited by Aragorn in Tolkien's original text, find an unquestionable source in the Anglo-Saxon poem The Wanderer, and as such received detailed comment by the Professor as a scholar, stating that it is not very important to identify who the rider being cited might be, as long as we admit he is a "type". In order to understand the type of this rider, then, we only have to look for similar occurrences of the evergreen "ubi …

The Curia Julia: Its History, Materials, Use, And Preservation Through The Centuries, Katharine Bogen

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The Curia Julia has one of the most fascinating histories out of all the buildings in Rome. Julius Caesar began its construction in 44 BCE in the Forum Romanum as the meeting place for the Roman Senate, and it continued to serve as such until the eventual fall of the Roman Empire. Today, the building stands almost completely intact, a feat that is not common for other structures of the same period. The reason why it has remained standing for so many centuries is due to its history of use: it was transformed into a church in the 7th century …

Review Essay: Lewis’S Lost Aeneid: Arms And The Exile, Nikolay Epplée, B. N. Wolfe, Louis Markos

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

An extended review of C. S. Lewis, C. S. Lewis’s Lost Aeneid: Arms and the Exile, ed. by A. T. Reyes (New Haven, 2011). xxiii + 184 pages. $27.50. ISBN:: 9780300167177

Demythologizing Homer: Investigating Religion In Minoan Crete, Elizabeth Rybarczyk

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The Minoan civilization of Bronze-Age Crete has, until recently, been obscured in mythological uncertainty. As a prehistoric civilization, the available evidence for historic analysis is sparse and ambiguous. This paper evaluates the material evidence for ritual activity to chart the religious developments of Minoan Crete. In the earliest periods of their civilization, the Minoans practiced animism, which reflected their ideals towards survival and cooperation. As their prosperity grew due to technological advancements, a social hierarchy formed. The emerging elite employed religion to justify their claim to power by appropriating religion, which culminated in a dual-monotheistic Knossian theocracy. This lasted until …