Other Classics Commons^™

Myrrha Now: Reimagining Classic Myth And Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses In The #Metoo Era, Claire A. Pukszta

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper represents the final culmination of a theater senior project. The project consisted of an analytical research paper, performance in a mainstage department production, and supporting process documentation. I portrayed Myrrha, Hunger, Zeus, and others in a production of the play Metamorphoses.

Through research on Mary Zimmerman’s 1998 play Metamorphoses, adapted from the works of Roman poet Ovid, this thesis grapples with the historical meaning of the myth of Myrrha. A polarizing figure, Myrrha was cursed to fall in lust with her father. By exploring of portrayals sexual assault onstage, I tackle themes of audience relationships to …

Global Engagement At The United Nations: Lessons From Ancient Greece For Our Modern Times, Jason M. Schlude

Classics Faculty Publications

The present political moment in America is rife with irony. One example, revealing a battle for America’s soul, involves two speeches recently delivered at the opening of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly.

"A True Philosopher Of Christ:" Ambrose Of Milan's Reworking Of Cicero's De Officiis, Lydia Herndon

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

The Death Of Tragedy: Examining Nietzsche’S Return To The Greeks, Brian R. Long

Honors Bachelor of Arts

In what follows, I will demonstrate how necessary the balance between Apollo and Dionysus is, how it exists in tragedy, and how it is destroyed. In my first chapter, I will discuss the Apolline and Dionysian powers, giving some background on Apollo and Dionysus. I will then explore the struggle between the two powers, noting the specific role of the Silenic wisdom. In the second chapter, I will examine several tragedies in light of these two powers, culminating in a discussion of Euripides’ Bacchae. This discussion will demonstrate how the Apolline and Dionysiac powers were at work on the …

Democracy Vs. Liberty: The Telos Of Government, Ryan C. Yeazell

Honors Bachelor of Arts

Democracies are known for being relatively stable and ensuring freedom for their citizens. However, those assumptions are called into question by the various failures of modern democracies to both maintain authority and enshrine liberty. Are the institutional checks and balances failing to prevent some of the expected issues with governments based on popular voting? Or is there some other cause of failure outside of the institutional structures themselves?

To examine these questions, I will be comparing a few examples of failed modern democracies with arguably history’s longest lasting democratic government: the Roman Republic. Although separated by over two thousand years …

Piecing Together Roman Life And Art: The Impact Of Societal Changes On Developments In Roman Mosaics, Emily A. Lewis

Honors Bachelor of Arts

Although changes in mosaics in ancient Rome can be attributed to various factors such as available resources, skills of the mosaicists, and room aesthetics with wall paintings, the changes in the relationship amongst social classes is a factor that is rarely examined, but strongly impacted these development in mosaic styles. First, an analysis of various mosaics from the 2^nd century BC-2^nd century AD will be given so that there is an understanding of the changes that occurred. From there, reasons for the adaptations of polychrome into black and white will be assessed; focusing the argument on analysis of …

Textile Terminologies From The Orient To The Mediterranean And Europe, 1000 Bc To 1000 Ad, Salvatore Gaspa, Cécile Michel, Marie-Louise Nosch

Zea E-Books Collection

The papers in this volume derive from the conference on textile terminology held in June 2014 at the University of Copenhagen. Around 50 experts from the fields of Ancient History, Indo-European Studies, Semitic Philology, Assyriology, Classical Archaeology, and Terminology from twelve different countries came together at the Centre for Textile Research, to discuss textile terminology, semantic fields of clothing and technology, loan words, and developments of textile terms in Antiquity. They exchanged ideas, research results, and presented various views and methods.

This volume contains 35 chapters, divided into five sections: • Textile terminologies across the ancient Near East and the …

The Position Of Freedmen In Roman Society, Cory R. Dibacco

MAD-RUSH Undergraduate Research Conference

The Position of Freedmen in Roman Society

By Cory DiBacco, Undergraduate History Major, James Madison University

This research investigates the methods of integration into Roman society by freedmen and how their positions in the public were met with significant countervailing tension because of the macula servitutis, or stain of slavery. This paper analyzes the examples and ways in which freedmen overcame the macula servitutis and disapproving perspectives regarding manumission to become respectable members of society. The research for this analysis relies on excellent historical monographs and primary sources of freedmen epitaphs, the writings of Cicero, Pliny, and many other …

Xenia In Classical Economies: The Function Of Ritualized Interpersonal Relationships In Athenian Trade, Morgan C. Kostiew

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Drawing on North’s New Institutional Economics (enhanced by Finley’s substantivist model), this thesis contributes to ancient economic theories by analyzing the role of the social institution of xenia in Classical Athenian economies. The significance of this ritualized interpersonal relationship has not yet been sufficiently appreciated, especially regarding its effects as a structural determinant on economic performance within specific trade mechanisms.

The case study of two particular economic services, provided by the Athenian aristocrat Andocides through his xenia with Archilaus of Macedon and Evagoras of Cyprus (And. 2.11 and 20-21) not only illustrates the significant effect of such ritualized personal relationships …

The Eighth Sacrament? The Evidence Of Hincmar Of Rheims, Doyle M.B. Baxter

Honors Bachelor of Arts

The Catholic Church did not dogmatically define the list of seven sacraments until the Council of Trent in the 16th century, marking the culmination of hundreds of years of theological study and reflection upon sacraments. After the definition of seven, French theologians argued that the coronation of their king was an eighth sacrament. In this paper, I contend that Hincmar of Rheims, his theology of kingship, and the coronation rites that he compiled are likely responsible for the French claim. Hincmar was the Archbishop of Rheims from 845 until his death in 882. During his time as archbishop, he compiled …

Mode Of Operations: A Critique Of The Agonistic View Of Greek Musical Modes In Plato And Aristotle, Robert Crawford

Honors Bachelor of Arts

Music has the power to transcend the confines of mere spatial geometry into the bounds of philosophy and emotion. In the views of the ancient philosophers Plato and Aristotle, music, namely the Greek modes, is valuable pedagogically in two ways: first, as a means to knowing the Good, e.g., the Dorian and Phrygian modes, and second as a means for suiting people for political life. Since their goal is to educate future rulers, Plato and Aristotle need to heighten some but censor other musical modes, e.g., the Lydian and Aeolian modes, due to some of the unsavory feelings, or affects, …

Divine Deliverance A New Look At Euripidean Tragedy Through Audience Interpretation, Samantha Pukys

Honors Bachelor of Arts

This study consists of a literary analysis of two Euripidean plays to explore audience reception. Hippolytus is the first tragic work I will examine, and it was performed in 428 BCE, three years after the start of the war; the final work I will examine, the Bacchae, which was also Euripides’ final play, was performed in 405 BCE, one year before the end of the war. A literary, specifically semiotic, analysis of the divine characters can provide insight into the audience’s reception of the plays. That is, by examining the symbols within the text, one can begin to understand …

Migration And Its Impacts On The Labor Market Of Rome During The Late Republic And Early Empire, Kerry Campbell

Honors Bachelor of Arts

For a city as large and influential as ancient Rome, its growth relied on a number of factors: military power, internal leadership, international trade, consumer goods markets, agricultural development, the labor force, and slavery. What allowed for growth in these areas was a certain combination of technological and cultural advancements, but what drove growth on such a scale at Rome was the sheer number of people found there. From the increases in wealth due to war, especially the Punic Wars, and the increases in the volume of slaves brought to and sold in Rome, the economy was flooded with capital, …

Classical Style And Catholic Theology: A Multi-Faceted Analysis Of The Eucharistic Hymns Of Saint Thomas Aquinas, David Nussman

Honors Bachelor of Arts

Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote five Eucharistic hymns, and four of them are included among the liturgical texts for the Feast of Corpus Christi. This essay seeks to analyze these five hymns using a classical methodology. In short, this classical methodology consists of paying close attention to rhetorical devices—especially the micro-level details of diction, syntax, and word-order. The first chapter argues that Saint Thomas Aquinas approached his hymns with a mindset comparable in some respects to that of the ancient Roman poets. The essay then analyzes the stylistic features in the second chapter. Lastly, the third chapter shows that certain teachings …

Archilochus’S Effect On The Homeric Hero: Tracking The Development Of The Greek Warrior, Luke Byerly

Honors Bachelor of Arts

This paper aims to show Archilochus’ effect on the conception of the Greek hero by identifying various Greek authors’ assessments of heroic qualities and comparing them with those of both Homer and Archilochus. The first chapter will define the Homeric values of the hero as presented in the Iliadand then identify Archilochus’ specific opposition to these values. In this context, Homer is considered the chief architect of the Greek hero, and the authors following Homer are remodeling and altering his original design rather than redesigning the hero altogether. The method used for identifying the Homeric values is a combination …

A Psychological And Philosophical Understanding Of Death: An Analysis Of Platonic And Epicurean Philosophy In Modern America, Alexina Hupp

Honors Bachelor of Arts

The following research intends to discuss various issues surrounding death, first, by examining the study of death through the history of psychology, then through two separate philosophical accounts from Plato and Epicurus. Plato and Epicurus offer a conversation about the universality of death and how death ought to be considered and conceived by a society. This conversation between differing views suggests two varying ideas about how to cope with death; one offers a spiritual approach, wherein the soul is immortal and the other offers a scientific approach that death represents the end of all life, with absolutely no hope of …

French Women In Art: Reclaiming The Body Through Creation/Les Femmes Artistes Françaises : La Réclamation Du Corps À Travers La Création, Liatris Hethcoat

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The research I have conducted for my French Major Senior Thesis is a culmination of my passion for and studies of both French language and culture and the history and practice of Visual Arts. I have examined, across the history of art, the representation of women, and concluded that until the 20^th century, these representations have been tools employed by the makers of history and those at the top of the patriarchal system, used to control women’s images and thus women themselves. I survey these representations, which are largely created by men—until the 20^th century. I discuss pre-historical …

Research And Study Of Fashion And Costume History Spanning From Ancient Egypt To Modern Day, Kaitlyn E. Dennis Miss

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Through a generous donation to Morehead State University, research has been conducted on thousands of slides containing images of artwork and artifacts of historical significance. These images span from Egyptian hieroglyphs to the inaugural dress of every first lady of the United States. The slides are in the process of being recorded and catalogued for future use by students in hopes of furthering academic comprehension and awareness of the influence of fashion and costume history through the ages. Special thanks to the family of Gretel Geist Rutledge, faculty mentor Denise Watkins, as well as the Department of Music, Theatre, and …

America And Athens As Seen Through South Park And Aristophanes, James F. Neyer

Honors Bachelor of Arts

When Dionysius the tyrant wished to be educated on the polity of Athens, Plato was said to have sent him the poetry of Aristophanes. It was through the works of Aristophanes that foreigners could learn how Athens functioned. The works of Aristophanes span 37 years, and won him multiple awards in this time. If Dionysius wished to learn about modern day America, then I think it would be best to give him the corpus of South Park. Over the course of two decades, this series has aired 267 episodes and has been consistently renewed. Though South Park does not …

Challenging Kleos: An Fpda Analysis And Application Of Andromache In The Iliad, Ayana Marie Rowe

Honors Bachelor of Arts

I will argue that through carefully constructed language, Andromache manipulates her status as an ideal, aristocratic woman in order to critique the masculine pursuit of kleos, thereby giving a voice to women like herself who are limited as women in their ability to speak out against the societal norms. I begin my argument by establishing the parameters of an ideal, aristocratic woman in ancient Greece and demonstrating ways in which Andromache fits this characterization. The larger expanse of my thesis is then devoted to my FPDA reading of Andromache’s speeches, and the conclusions drawn from my analyses. My final …

The Seed Of Principate: Annona And Imperial Politics, Joseph B. Ruter Iii

Honors Bachelor of Arts

From my study of the annona, I propose a new perspective on the transition between the Republic and the Principate. Each of the big three imperial historians account for the Principate in terms of personal politics and preferences of the “great man” Augustus (Div. Aug. 28; Rom. His. 52.1; Ann. 1.2). By contrast, I argue that the Principate represents the long-term political result of growing social inequality in Rome. From an equalitarian society of yodel-men farmers and shepherds in the 2^nd BCE, Rome had evolved into an unequal society by the 2^nd CE, …

Innovation & Hoplite Ideology: The Relation Of Martial Equipment To Ideology In Archaic And Classical Greece, William D. Henry

Honors Bachelor of Arts

The evidence which I present in this paper seems to suggest that there is an underlying ideology contributing to how hoplitic warfare is conducted. Further, I would argue that this ideology is more important to understanding and defining a hoplite than the definition given above. This ideology, I will argue even further, contributed to the slow adaption and evolution of the hoplitic panoply by which we now generally define hoplites. Lastly, I will discuss how this ideology changes during the period between the Archaic and Classical periods, and how this change affects the use of equipment. Therefore, there are two …

Girls, Girls, Girls The Prostitute In Roman New Comedy And The Pro Caelio, Nicholas R. Jannazo

Honors Bachelor of Arts

Prostitution is often said to be the oldest profession in the world, having occurred since the ancient times of Greece and Rome. Today’s American society views prostitution as immoral and repulsive, but this has not always been the case. In ancient Rome, Roman men were able to visit a brothel, pay for the company of a prostitute, and leave without being looked down upon or reproached, so long as they did so in moderation. If they frequently visited brothels, though, Roman men were admonished and scolded, as Cato does to a well-known gentleman after seeing him leave a brothel numerous …

Preaching Christ Crucified: Origen’S Apologetic Strategy In Contra Celsum, Morgan S. Thompson

Honors Bachelor of Arts

This thesis aims to take part in that discovery by looking away from the popular stories of Christianity’s tumultuous beginnings and towards the interim periods of relative peace between persecutions. Indeed, in following De Ste. Croix’s timeline, there is a noticeable gap between Nero’s persecution in 64 AD and Decius’ in 250 AD. How were Christians interacting with the Roman Empire in those roughly 200 years? While a complete answer to that question is far beyond the scope of this thesis, much insight can still be gained by examining one particular part of the clash between Christians and the Roman …

Combat Trauma And Tragic Catharsis: An Aristotelian Account Of Tragedy And Trauma, Edward J. Hoffmann

Honors Bachelor of Arts

This essay argues that the Greeks experienced and understood combat trauma, and that they used tragedy and the catharsis that it effected as a means of restoring the order of souls traumatized in war. Our examination of the horrors of hoplite warfare should leave us with no question that ancient warfare was no more clean, decent, or glorious than modern war. To treat the trauma induced those horrors, the Greeks did indeed practice certain societal mechanisms, which our own society seems to so sadly lack. One of these was Attic tragedy. Certain of the tragedies explicitly speak to military experience, …

Viget Certe Viget Adhuc: The Invention Of The Eternal City In Flavio Biondo's Roma Instaurata, Ryan G. Warwick

Senior Projects Spring 2016

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Languages and Literature of Bard College.

Two Notes On P. Merton Ii 100, James Keenan

James G. Keenan

The papyrus now accessible as P. Merton II 100 was first edited by H.I. Bell as "A Requisitioning Order for Taxes in Kind," in Aegyptus, fasc.2 (1951) (Raccolta Vitelli), pp. 307-12, and subsequently reprinted as SB VI 9232. The document, written during the emirate of Jordanes (ca. A.D. 699-704), is dated 23 Phaophi of the thirteen indiction (21 October 699). Difficulties of decipherment are owed to the colors of the inks that were used (they fade into the color of papyrus itself), the frequent use of abbreviation, and the extreme cursiveness of the second hand (lines 5-8). Nevertheless, some improvements …

"Zeus The Head, Zeus The Middle": Studies In The History And Interpretation Of The Orphic Theogonies, Dwayne A. Meisner

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis contributes to debates about the definition of Orphism by observing three characteristics of Orphic myth: Near Eastern influence, discourse between myth and philosophy, and speculations about the natures of Phanes, Zeus, Dionysus and other deities. In chronological order I analyze the fragments of four theogonies that were attributed to Orpheus: the Derveni, Eudemian, Hieronyman, and Rhapsodic Theogonies. Most modern scholars have described these poems as if they were similar to Hesiod’s Theogony – lengthy chronological accounts of the births of the gods from the beginning of time to the present – but I argue that the Orphic tradition …

The Vehiculatio In Roman Imperial Regulation: Particular Solutions To A Systematic Problem, Russell S. Gentry

Madison Historical Review

Category: World History

As the Roman Empire pushed its frontiers beyond the Mediterranean world, imperial authorities from Augustus onward faced a serious challenge: information transfer. The government of the early Roman Empire was famously lean in its bureaucracy and relied on small teams of imperial specialists (hated as spies) and military officers selected by governors to carry official documents great distances. These individuals traveled using an ad hoc system designed to take advantage of whatever hospitality existed along the Roman roadways. Messengers commandeered food, buildings, animals, and even guides for most legs of their journey. Official travel passes issued with …

Embodying God's Final Word: Understanding The Dynamics Of Prophecy In The The Ancient Near East And Early Monotheistic Tradition, Naila Z. Razzaq

University Scholar Projects

This thesis studies the various forms of oral and literary prophecy in the Ancient the Ancient Near East and Second Temple Judaism. After an introductory background section on the dynamics of prophecy in Ancient Assyria and Mesopotamia, I problematize the nineteenth century concept of the “cessation of prophecy” after Malachi, the last prophet in the Tanakh.

Too often prophecy is seen as a punctiliar process with a determined beginning and end. I complicate this simplified view by discussing the following questions while analyzing several key primary sources from the Second Temple period: In what forms does prophecy continue even after …