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Book Club | November 2020: Pliny the Younger Letters

Being at a convenient distance from the houses, we stood still, in the midst of a most dangerous and dreadful scene. The chariots, which we had ordered to be drawn out, were so agitated backwards and forwards, though upon the most level ground, that we could not keep them steady, even by supporting them with large stones. The sea seemed to roll back upon itself, and to be driven from… Read more

Open House | Uncanny Intruders: Ghosts and Greek Literature, with Robert Cioffi

We were pleased to welcome Robert Cioffi of Bard College, for an Open House discussion entitled “Uncanny Intruders: Ghosts and Greek Literature.” The discussion was live-streamed on Friday, October 23 at 11 a.m. EDT, and was recorded. In preparation for this event, you might like to read this passages: The ghost of Patroklos at Iliad 23.65–108, available from the Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours Sourcebook The ghost of Clytemnestra… Read more

Paestum, Magna Grecia

My trip to Naples—planned months ago—had not been cancelled; I could hardly believe it. Up to the last minute I was not sure whether the Foreign Office would advise against trips to Italy or not. But there I was in the Parthenopean city, and thinking of how to get from Naples to Paestum (pronounced [pestum] in Italian), which I had not visited before. On the appointed day, Domenico, my driver,… Read more

Charitimides in Egypt

In 460 BCE the Athenians were underway to carry out a mission—a raid on Cyprus to collect some more of the treasures of that island—when they was ordered by Perikles, after a voting process in Athens, to divert his fleet to Egypt.[1] The objective was to give naval support to the Libyan ruler Inaros II, who was leading a revolt against the Persian presence in that area. Charitimides led the… Read more

Open House | Immigration and Belonging: Phoenician Immigrants in 4th-Century BCE Athens, with Denise Demetriou

We were pleased to welcome Denise Demetriou, University of California – San Diego, for an Open House discussion entitled “Immigration and Belonging: Phoenician Immigrants in Fourth-Century BCE Athens,” on Friday, October 9, at 11 a.m. EDT, which was recorded In preparation for this event, you might like to read this PDF handout of readings: Immigration and Belonging Handout You can watch the video on our YouTube channel, or in the… Read more