Author: Discentes

A Conversation with Professor Kate Meng Brassel
Dec 7

A Conversation with Professor Kate Meng Brassel

A Conversation with Professor Kate Meng Brassel
By Elizabeth Vo-Phamhi

This fall, Professor Kate Meng Brassel joined Penn’s Department of Classics as a visiting assistant professor of classical studies. I was excited to get to know her, so we arranged to meet over Zoom for a Friday morning chat.

Professor Brassel received her B.A. from Columbia University, M.A. from Princeton University, M.Phil from the University of Cambridge, and her Ph.D. in Classics from Columbia University in 2018…

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Discentes’ Spring 2021 Course Guide
Dec 2

Discentes’ Spring 2021 Course Guide

Discentes Course Reviews
Our guide to Classical Studies and Ancient History course offerings this spring
By Sara Chopra

To give our classmates a better understanding of each course beyond its prospectus, syllabus, and PennInTouch description, we asked several members of our staff to reflect upon their past experiences with several of this year’s offerings. Read below to hear their thoughts, whether you’re a seasoned Classics major, considering a minor, or simply looking for an exciting course to fill a gap in your schedule…

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Constantine as Liberator
Nov 27

Constantine as Liberator

Constantine as Liberator
An Evaluation of the Self Representations of the Emperor through Eusebius’ Life of Constantine and the Arch of Constantine
By James Nycz

I. The Conversion of the First Christian Emperor…?
The Western Roman emperor is lying on his deathbed. The previous emperor, Diocletian, had famously split the highest office among four with two senior and two junior emperors to ensure a political balance. But this balance is threatened by the impending power vacuum given that the current emperor in the west, Constantius, is approaching his final hours…

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Haunted by the Past: Pompeii’s “Curse” and the Supernatural
Nov 23

Haunted by the Past: Pompeii’s “Curse” and the Supernatural

Haunted by the Past: Pompeii’s “Curse” and the Supernatural
By Vikram Balasubramanian

In 79 AD, ash rained on Pompeii, burying the city. Pliny the Younger describes the catastrophe as white ash billowing miles into the air, hoards of country people unsure whether to leave their homes and run for the seas, and smoke casting a black shade over the sky…

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Turpis Fausta
Oct 28

Turpis Fausta

Turpis Fausta
By Lily Nesvold

Composed in dactylic hexameter, “Turpis Fausta” is an original work of poetry inspired by a few of Catullus’ pieces: Poem 41 about Mamurra’s ugly mistress; Poem 83, in which Catullus hurls invective at Lesbia’s husband; and Poem 51, showcasing Catullus’ great envy of a mystery man for his ability to capture Lesbia’s attention…

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A Semester at Pembroke College, Cambridge – Studying Classics Abroad
Oct 19

A Semester at Pembroke College, Cambridge – Studying Classics Abroad

Supervisions at Cambridge
By James Nycz

Studying abroad had been a goal of mine before I even arrived at Penn, but through my Classics courses I realized that studying abroad in Europe would allow me to explore a whole new experience of Classics. Not only would I actually be able to live in and visit the same places where the boundaries of Rome once extended, but I would also be able to witness and understand the long tradition of Classical scholarship that still exists in places like Britain…

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The Indo-European Hero
Oct 7

The Indo-European Hero

A Comparative Study of the Aeneid and the Mahabharata
By Kushal Modi

The cultures of Ancient Rome and Ancient India are descendants of a common Indo-European culture that flourished in the steppes of the Caucasus several thousand years ago. As several world cultures developed from this proto-culture, they retained certain shared Indo-European cultural and linguistic characteristics…

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Two Approaches to Examining Slave Presence in the Plautine Audience
Sep 30

Two Approaches to Examining Slave Presence in the Plautine Audience

Reviewing Brown and Richlin in Conjunction & Comparison
By Sara J. Chopra

I. Background
To the people of ancient Rome, spectacle was an immense aspect of daily life. Whether it be chariot races, festivals, or city-wide processions, these events collectively contributed to Roman arts and performance culture. One significant medium through which this culture developed was drama…

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Antiquity’s Influence on Cutting-Edge Runway
Sep 29

Antiquity’s Influence on Cutting-Edge Runway

Antiquity’s Influence on Cutting-Edge Runway
By Anna Fighera

Most accept classical influence as the sort which informs our present philosophical, political and legal fields. What would modern law, policy, and philosophy be without the guidance and inspiration of ancient thinkers? Despite acknowledgement of such relevance, many think classical influence ends there…

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The Hive
Sep 23

The Hive

The Hive
By Cate Simons

During quarantine, I’ve spent much of my time outdoors. Outside, surrounded by nature, I’m able to slow down and separate myself from some of the anxiety I’ve lately felt about the general state of the world. In the last few months, this passage from Vergil’s Georgics has been very much on my mind, and I’m especially drawn to Vergil’s efforts to portray bees in human terms…

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