Research – Page 3

Research

Carro cura carere

Posted on August 25, 2021May 20, 2022by Discentes

Carro cura carere
Re-evaluating the Roman Carrus
By David Picker-Kille

I. Introduction
As an aspiring classical archaeologist with an interest in Roman land transport, the recent groundbreaking discovery of the four-wheeled “chariot” at the Villa Giuliana north of Pompeii has highlighted for me the presence of an issue of translation between English and Italian that parallels a phenomenon of increasing influence and focus within my research of ancient Roman vehicle types and their corresponding Latin terminology…

Research

Aphrodisias

Posted on May 6, 2021May 20, 2022by Discentes

Aphrodisias
A Case Study in Costing Late Antique Circuits
By Christopher Williams

I. Introduction
Throughout Late Antiquity, spoliated material became a more common feature in many building projects across the Roman Empire. While it is often assumed that this increase in spolia is linked with economic degradation, this may not be the case…

Research

Athens: Cruel Imperial Power or Falsely Maligned?

Posted on March 20, 2021May 20, 2022by Discentes

Athens: Cruel Imperial Power or Falsely Maligned?
An Analysis of Greek Perceptions of Athenian Hegemonic Behavior
By Andrew Liu

I. Introduction
The Greek victory over the Persians at the Battle of Plataea is read by many as a clear repudiation of tyranny and empire—the victory of free peoples against a foreign behemoth intent on the subjugation of all as vassals of the Great King in Persia. The Athenians played a leading role in this defeat of the Persians, and the unpopularity of the Spartan leader Pausanias helped position Athens as the leading city-state taking the war to Persia (Rhodes 24)…

Research

Acting Onstage and Off

Posted on February 24, 2021May 20, 2022by Discentes

Acting Onstage and Off
An Analysis of the Role Theatrical Performances Played in Nero’s Popularity
By Lily Nesvold

I. Introduction
Tyrant, murderer, debauchee, monster, rapist—just a small selection of the dreadful words that have been used for thousands of years to characterize Nero and his controversial reign. There is no doubt that Nero committed some truly horrific acts, of which perhaps the most unconscionable was the assassination of his mother, Agrippina. But has Nero been unfairly deemed a bad emperor, detested by all in his time…

Research

Statues that Speak

Posted on January 11, 2021May 20, 2022by Discentes

Statues that Speak
5th-Century Greek Sculpture as Symbolism for Classical Age Ethos
By Millie Huang

I. Introduction
The Classical Age in Greece (510-323 BC) witnessed many monumental changes in Greek society, including the end of aristocratic culture and the spread of democracy in Athens. Qualities such as egalitarianism, rationality, and austerity became prevalent, and it is said that much of Western artistic thought, on such topics like politics, philosophy, and literature, were derived from this age…

Research

Constantine as Liberator

Posted on November 27, 2020May 20, 2022by Discentes

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…

Research

The Indo-European Hero

Posted on October 7, 2020May 20, 2022by Discentes

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…

Research

Two Approaches to Examining Slave Presence in the Plautine Audience

Posted on September 30, 2020May 20, 2022by Discentes

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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Research

Blood, Lead, and Tears: The Cult of Cybele as a Means of Addressing Ancient Roman Issues of Fertility

Posted on August 28, 2020May 20, 2022by Discentes

Blood, Lead, and Tears: The Cult of Cybele as a Means of Addressing Ancient Roman Issues of Fertility
By Jordan Reece Tayeh

Divinity has many faces in the Ancient Roman world, none more intriguing than the garland-wearing, lionhearted Phrygian mother-goddess Cybele. Whereas other Phrygian gods and goddesses were left behind, Cybele and a select few others remained alive in the Roman world. But why?

Research

“A Widow in the Halls”

Posted on July 24, 2020May 20, 2022by Discentes

An Examination of the Lamentations of Hector in the Iliad
By Abhinav Suri

Classical epics share many characteristics, among which is an expression of loss: lamentation. From a literal perspective, a lamentation is an expression of sorrow or mourning. However, in the context of the epic, it takes on a far greater meaning in the storyline. As Murnaghan puts it, “Lament … confers praise … on the actions of heroes, and more particularly of dead heroes who have earned their right to be praised through the manner of their deaths” (Murnaghan 1999)…