insight4me Classical Civilisation – The Epics of Homer With University of East Anglia & The University of Edinburgh

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• University of East Anglia: Dr Jo Poppleton is Associate Professor in Literature in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing. In the introduction to her recent translation of The Odyssey (2018), Emily Wilson argues that in Ancient Greek culture the ‘laws of hospitality’ (guest-friendship, or xenia) work to ‘stave off a world where men kill those who are different from themselves’. We will examine several examples of xenia in Homer’s epic, analyse the rituals through which the bonds of guest-friendship are formed, and ask how these rituals might work to temper the potential threat of strangers and diminish the likelihood of violence and aggression.

• The University of Edinburgh: Dr Calum Maciver, Senior Lecturer in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology, presents Alternative ‘Achilles Stories’ in Homer’s Iliad. Did you know that ‘Achilles versus Hector’ was not the most famous duel of the Trojan War? Homer’s ancient audience would have recognised a number of motifs in Achilles’ story in the Iliad from other oral, pre-Homeric stories about Achilles, especially his encounter with the Ethiopian warrior Memnon. This talk will introduce the idea of ‘neoanalysis’ and discuss its usefulness as a tool to interpret the characterisation of Achilles in Homer’s Iliad.

In this insight4me Classical Civilisation online event for schools and colleges, University of East Anglia and The University of Edinburgh will each have roughly 30 minutes to deliver a punchy, interactive topic based ‘micro’ talk. Within an overall session theme of The Epics of Homer, the universities have the freedom to choose their own focus and use the time to convey the key points of the case studies for the students.

insight4me is a series of subject specific webinars for Key Stage 5 students, and equivalent. The sessions directly support students’ current studies by giving an insight into particular curriculum areas whilst affording an understanding of how these subjects continue beyond A-levels, T-levels, IB, BTEC and equivalent qualifications, and how they vary between universities.

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. This means that sessions will continue irrespective of possible school closures.

As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.

Suitable for: Key Stage 5 students (and equivalent) studying, or with a possible interest in studying, Classical Civilisation and related disciplines. Student groups, and individual students and teachers are very welcome to join us.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the 2 topics and discuss some of the key elements in advance. Students can also think about questions they have about studying at university level.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Zoom and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the university via typed comments and questions or via a microphone if preferred. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below:

Register here