Canadian Classical Bulletin/Bulletin canadien des études anciennes    (ISSN 1198-9149)
Volume 12.3 (2005 11 16)
Editors/Redacteurs: J. W. Geyssen (University of New Brunswick) & J. R. Porter (University of Saskatchewan)     <bulletin@unb.ca> 

 

Editor's Note

CCB E-mail Contact

Apparently the email address <bulletin@unb.ca> is presently not working. The problem should be fixed soonish. In the meantime, please send items to <jgeyssen@unb.ca>. If you tried to send something that didn't make it through, I'll get a special bulletin out ASAP. My apologies for any problems this might have caused.

 

Association Announcements

Essay Contest 2005 Results

Junior Contest

As always, there were fewer submissions in this contest than I had hoped (perhaps that will change this year with the new, larger prizes). There were seven entries altogether (all except one from Western Canada), all of excellent quality. The entries that stood out were well written, carefully argued, and offered an original perspective on an aspect of Classical antiquity.

First prize:

Daniel Shapiro (University of Winnipeg) for "'Departing the University': A Satire in the Horatian Manner and Commentary." This essay is an erudite and amusing "autobiographical" account of a purported debate between Bill O'Reilly and Rex Murphy, in which the author skewers contemporary journalism (as a particularly egregious example of the current lack of concern for objective rationality) in the manner of Horace's Satires as a way of suggesting moral reform.

Second Prize:

Daniel Unruh (University of British Columbia) for "Sons of Gods: Divine Representations of Alexander and Augustus." This essay is an interesting examination of how and why Alexander and Augustus associate themselves with the gods in their visual representations but are also careful to distance themselves from divine status in these representations.

Third Prize:

Laura Wilson (University of Winnipeg) for "Heracles' Twelve Steps to Mt. Olympus Board Game." Though playing an entertaining game, players not only test their knowledge of the trivia relating to Heracles, but also must recognize the significance of the recurring themes and underlying meanings of the various components of the myth.

Senior Contest

The number of entries in this contest this year was disappointing also (although the increase in the monetary value of the prizes may ameliorate the situation next year). There were twelve altogether, from six universities from across Canada (all regions were represented). Although all the essays were excellent, the best offered a thorough and careful analysis of the topic chosen, with appropriate reference both to the ancient sources and to modern scholarship.

First Prize:

Colin Alexander Murray (University of Toronto) for "The Temple of Aphaia in a Broader Scope." This essay ties the sculptural program of the temple into the broader interests of the elite ruling class of Aegina rather than into a specific causal event.

Second Prize:

Émilie-Jade Poliquin (Université Laval) for "Le Commentaire au songe de Scipion au sein de la tradition cosmologique." In this essay, the author emphasizes the originality of Macrobius in his cosmological discussion, and demonstrates an excellent command of the complicated astrological material as well as modern views on the subject.

Third Prize:

Maciej Pach (University of Western Ontario) for "The Byzantine Economy of the Eleventh Century: A Turning Point." In a well-written and carefully argued essay, the author successfully demonstrates that the economic downturn in the eleventh-century Byzantine economy had far-reaching political effects. (NB: while the subject matter may appear to be outside the chronological range of what is usually considered Classics, it should be noted that this essay was submitted for an undergraduate course in Classics at a Canadian university.)

Honorable Mention:

Athena Economopoulos (University of Western Ontario) for "Burial Rites and Funeral Lamentations: Women's Roles in Ancient and Modern Greece." The author offers some interesting personal observations on the parallels in the rites of lamentation in the societies of ancient and modern Greece.

Revised Awards Structure

The CAC is pleased to announce a long overdue increase in the values of the prizes awarded in the Association's Sight Translation and Essay Competitions. The new prize tariffs are listed on the relevant pages of the CAC website.

La SCEC a le plaisir d'annoncer une augmentation, attendue depuis longtemps, des valeurs des prix décernes aux lauréats des concours d'essais et de versions grecque et latine organisés par la Société. Les tarifs révisés sont énumérés sur les pages de la site électronique de la Société dévoués aux concours.

 

Positions Available

Saint Mary's University
Tenure-Tack Position in Classics

The Department of Modern Languages and Classics invites applications for a tenure-track appointment in Classics at the rank of Assistant Professor starting July 1, 2006. The successful candidate will be involved in active research and teaching in at least one of the following areas: Greek and/or Roman History, Classical Literature or Classical Archaeology. Undergraduate teaching duties in Classics presently include Latin and Greek, Ancient History, Classical Myth and Literature, Women in Antiquity and the History of Ancient Art. This new appointment will be expected to enhance and further develop these and related areas in Classics. Applicants should hold a Ph.D. or be near completion of the degree, and demonstrate considerable promise in teaching, research and scholarly publication. A letter of application accompanied by an up-to-date curriculum vitae, the names of three referees, a one page statement outlining the candidate's approach to teaching Classics and recent teaching evaluations should be sent to:

Dr. George Nahrebecky
Chair, Department of Modern Languages and Classics
Saint Mary's University
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3C3
e-mail: <george.nahrebecky@smu.ca>

The closing date for applications is December 15, 2005.

Although candidates of all nationalities are encourages to apply, Canadian immigration requires that priority consideration be given to qualified Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

University of Arkansas
Tenure-track Position (Assistant Professor) in Classical Studies

The Department of Foreign Languages at the University of Arkansas invites applications from advanced ABDs and PhDs for a tenure-track position in the Classical Studies Program at the rank of Assistant Professor, to begin August 14, 2006. The candidate should have a research specialty in ancient art history; an emphasis on late antique and early Byzantine art is particularly welcome. Salary is competitive. The successful candidate will be expected to teach a wide range of courses in ancient and medieval art, classical civilization, Greek, and Latin. The Classical Studies Program has a close relationship with Humanities, and the candidate will eventually participate in an interdisciplinary, team-taught honors humanities course. In addition, there are study abroad programs in Greece and Rome that Classical Studies faculty lead on a rotating basis. The Classical Studies Program has made a strong commitment to innovative teaching with technology, and is interested in a candidate with demonstrated facility in presentation software and website design. The position requires an active research program, professional service potential, and evidence of excellent teaching.

Review of the applications will begin on December 1, 2005.

Please send a letter of application, writing sample (max. 30 pp.), curriculum vitae, transcripts, and three letters of support to:

Chair: Classical Studies Search Committee
Department of Foreign Languages
Kimpel Hall 425
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701

AA/EO Employer.

 

Calls for Papers

Days of Gold: Nostalgia and the Idealized Past
Classics Graduate Student Association of the University of Virginia

The Classics Graduate Student Association of the University of Virginia invites papers for its tenth Graduate Student Colloquium, "Days of Gold: Nostalgia and the Idealized Past," to be held in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, March 25, 2006.

The keynote speaker will be Christopher Pelling, Regius Professor of Greek at Christ Church, Oxford. Professor Pelling has published primarily and extensively on ancient biography, including Plutarch and History (2002), and historiography, including Literary Texts and the Greek Historian (2000).

As classicists we are constantly in contact with romantic and idealized versions of the past. This colloquium seeks to explore the construction of these ideal pasts by considering the question of how ancient literature and art conceive and represent a "golden" image of antiquity. For instance, what techniques and motifs do poets and prose writers employ, and how are these different from each other or from the strategies used by other artists? What motivations drive authors and artists to create Golden Ages or other idealized views of history? What role does idealization play in philosophy and cult? How does such idealization affect the human and divine past, either together or separately? Are there instances where such an idealized past is resisted or even ridiculed? How and why? In what ways does this tendency continue to have an effect on representations of the classical world in medieval, Renaissance, and modern times — even in contemporary classical scholarship?

We welcome submissions from classical studies and related fields, including art history, history, philosophy, comparative literature, etc. Abstracts should be one page in length and submitted anonymously to:

Athanassios Vergados
University of Virginia
Department of Classics
P.O. Box 400788
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4788
434-924-3008
Fax: 434-924-3062
E-mail: <av5j@virginia.edu>

Submissions by e-mail are encouraged. These should take the form of an anonymous attachment: the body of the e-mail should include your name, address, and the title of your paper. Abstracts should be submitted by December 31, 2005 and all applicants will be informed of their status by February 15, 2006. Questions may be directed to Dan Barber (dtb3t@virginia.edu). This announcement and updates may be found at the colloquium website (http://www.virginia.edu/classics/colloquium2006/).

 

Summer Study

The Vergilian Society Tours 2006
(http://vergil.clarku.edu/cumae.htm)

Libya and Tunisia
(June 27 - July 9: KARL GALINSKY, DARIUS ARYA)

Roman North Africa was one of the most significant components of the Roman Empire, home of the Severans, Apuleius, Tertullian, and Augustine. Sites to be visited include: Tripoli, Sabratha, Leptis Magna, Benghasi, Apollonia, Cyrene, Carthage, Thurburbo, Dugga, Bulla Regia, Kairouan (the Great Mosque), El-Djem, and Sousse (Hadrumetum).

Cumae I: Romanizing Campania
(July 1-8: JOHN WONDER)

This week-long tour of the beautiful Bay of Naples provides a fascinating glimpse of the culture, archaeology, history, and lives of ancient Greeks, Etruscans, Oscans and Romans. Sites to be visited include: Herculaneum, Baia, Pozzuoli, Paestum, Saepinum, Cumae, Naples, Pompeii, Stabia, Villa di Oplontis, Capri, and Capua.

Cumae II: Magna Graecia
(July 10-22: BEVERLY BERG)

"Our Villa at Cumae is situated beside the remains of the earliest Greek colony on the Italian mainland, inspiring this program's theme of Magna Graecia. As we survey the remains we'll be walking in the footsteps and discussing the thoughts of Presocratic philosophers who came West, including Xenophanes, Pythagoras, and Parmenides." Sites to be visited include: Naples, Ischia, Cumae, Pozzuoli, Baia, Herculaneum, Stabia, Velia, Pompeii, Villa di Oplontis, Paestum, Metaponto, Taranto, Bari, Bitonto, Ruvo, and Trani.

Villas and Gardens of Roman Britain
(July 14-25: PHIL STANLEY, GEORGE PERKO)

This tour of Roman Britain traces culture, art, and history of this province and includes visits to several gardens with a Roman theme. Sites to be visited include: London, Verulamium, Bignor Villa, Canterbury, Lympne Gardens, Portchester, Fishbourne Villa, Maiden Castle, Stourhead Gardens, Stonehenge, Bath, Chedworth Villa, Caewent, Cheltenhan, Hidcote Gardens, Lunt Roman Fort, Lincoln, Hadrian's Wall, Cawfields Roman Fort, York, and Colchester.

Cumae III: Naples Bay as Melting Pot
(July 31 - August 12: ANN KOLOSKI-OSTROW, STEVEN OSTROW)

This session will focus on the social history of ancient Greeks and Romans along Naples Bay, exploring the everyday life of the freeborn, freedmen, and slaves. Sites to be visited include: Terracina, Sperlonga, Cumae, Pozzuoli, Pompeii, Naples, Amalfi, Herculaneum, Vesuvius, Saepinum, Capri, Oplontis, Paestum, Capua, Beneventum, Baia, Bacoli, and Misenum.

For tour or scholarship information, and for application forms, please consult our website, http://vergil.clarku.edu, or contact Holly Lorencz, Secretary, Vergilian Society, <vergsoc@yahoo.com>, tel. (314) 993-4040 x341 c/o John Burroughs School, 755 S. Price Road, St. Louis MO 63124.

 

Varia

Research/Sabbatical/Vacation Housing

Available Jan 4-April 30, 2006 and Aug. 1, 2006-May 30, 2007. Longer term rentals (two weeks or more) preferred. Child friendly. Newly renovated apartment in Lucca, Tuscany, Italy. 880 square feet with 400-square-foot terrace. Two bedrooms and studio or three bedrooms, depending on use, plus spacious kitchen/living room and bathroom. Ideally equipped for researchers (high-speed internet, voltage transformers, etc.). Air conditioned with dishwasher and washing machine. Tenants entitled to 10% discount on Italian language courses.

For more information, photos, and prices see: http://www.film.queensu.ca/Burke/Lucca.html.

Prices are for single or double occupancy.

Email contacts: Frank Burke at <burkef@post.queensu.ca>, Annette Burfoot at <burfoota@post.queensu.ca>.