On Friday, November 1 (3:00 PM: Maybank 100), Professor Darryl Phillips, as part of the Honors College Faculty Lecture Series, will present a lecture entitled, “What was Agrippa’s Pantheon?”.

“The Pantheon is the best preserved ancient building in Rome and one of the most well-known. Nevertheless, the history of the building has confounded scholars for centuries, and we still don’t have a firm understanding of how the building was actually used by the people who built it. This talk will examine theories about the function of Agrippa’s Pantheon, and explore the ways that scholars go about reconstructing the use of buildings in the ancient Roman World.”

The Classics Club will meet on Wednesday, October 23 at 5:00 pm (Randolph Hall 301A). Dr. Allsion Sterret-Krause will be giving a “hands-on” demonstration of Roman materials, featuring her work with ancient glass.

Dr. Noelle Zeiner-Carmichael’s new book, Roman Letters: An Anthology (Wiley-Blackwell, September 16, 2013) ISBN 978-1444339512, is now available.

Roman Letters offers a diverse and rich selection of original translations of ancient Roman letters spanning from the 1^st century BCE to the 2^nd century CE. The wide range of selections includes translations of prose and verse letters, letters sent and received, canonical epistolary authors such as Cicero, Ovid, Pliny the Younger, and less familiar texts including papyrus letters from Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, and wood leaf tablets from the Vindolanda fort in Britain. In addition, the volume contains representative New Testament letters and some illustrative excerpts from ancient epistolary theorists.

 A valuable introduction includes discussion of the letter as a genre, as well as the practical issues of letter-writing materials and letter delivery in the ancient world, and includes maps to help readers visualize the distance many letters traveled, and an index of authors and topics. An accompanying website offers additional, complementary letters.

 “With translations that are  both true to the intent of the original and entirely accessible to the modern reader, Zeiner-Carmichael has created an engaging survey of Roman epistolography, from the most practical of daily missives to highly refined literature.” Jacqueline M. Carlon, University of Massachusetts Boston

“Lost in Translation: Finding the Words for Roman Letters”

Dr. Zeiner-Carmichael’s talk will focus on her latest book project, Roman Letters: An Anthology, a collection of original translations of letters dating from the 1st c. BCE – 2nd c. CE. She will address the challenges associated with producing contemporary, accessible translations for texts involving a broad range of epistolary type and originating from diverse cultural contexts. Additionally, Dr. Zeiner-Carmichael will consider Roman translation theory as a point of comparison in prioritizing liberal over literal (verbum pro verbo) translation practices.  

There will be a meeting of the Classics Club this Wednesday at 5PM in Randolph Hall 301B. Come join the fun, and learn about this semester’s upcoming events.

The first meeting of the Classics Club for the fall semester 2013 will be this Wednesday, September 4 at 4:30 PM in Randolph Hall 301B. All students are invited to attend. See you there!

Latin Summer is a two-week summer academic enrichment program, sponsored by the Classics Department and held at the College of Charleston, that provides students a unique chance to learn about Latin and the classical world. Over the past fourteen years, Latin Summer has introduced Latin and the classics to elementary and middle-aged students from our community. This year nearly 30 young students explored Latin, mythology, Roman culture, and more! Also several of our own Latin students from the College served as teaching interns during the two-week program.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a grant in the amount of $50,000 to the College of Charleston to support the Foundation’s initiative in “Scholarly Communication and Information Technology.” The grant will be a twelve month project related to the imaging, analysis, and publication of the Linear B Tablets from Pylos, Greece. This project is a collaborative effort between the College, the University of Toronto (Dr. Dimitri Nakassis), the University of Texas, Clemson University, and Mississippi State University. The College of Charleston serves as the site for developing and serving the informatics component of the project. Dr. Jim Newhard, an associate professor of Classics and Director of the College’s Archaeology Program, and Dr. Kevin Pluta, recently an adjunct in Classics at the College of Charleston and the newly named Interim Director of the Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory at the University of Texas, serve as co-PIs for the grant. Congratulations to Kevin and Jim.

 This year we are pleased to welcome three new faculty members to our department. They are a talented group, and each will enhance our programming and are excited to begin the semester. Look for them in class, or better yet stop by their offices in Randolph Hall 306-308 and introduce yourself. They would enjoy meeting you.

Dr. Allison Sterrett Krause (Ph.D. University of Cincinnati, 2012) Visiting Assistant Professor • Interests: the art and architecture of Greece and Rome; ancient topography and urban development; ancient technology and craft production; Latin language, literature, and epigraphy; Roman social history; Roman North Africa; gender in antiquity  •Upcoming Select Courses: Images of Women in Classical Antiquity; Ancient Homes and Households

Megan Alwine (M.A. University of Florida, 2007) Adjunct • Interests: Latin language and pedagogy •Upcoming Course: Medical Terminology in Greek and Latin

Dr. James Lohmar (Ph.D. University of Florida, 2013) Adjunct • Interests: Greek and Latin epic poetry; violence, aesthetics, and the reception of Classical literature; Roman material culture •Upcoming Select Courses: Latin language courses

On behalf of all the Classics faculty, we are looking forward to welcoming or welcoming you back for the 2013-2014 academic year. It will be an exciting time learning together — interesting classes, speakers, and other events, some traditional and some new.

Two updates you will immediately notice:  The Cast Museum is being renovated and expanded with additional displays. Also our classrooms in Randoplh Hall (301A and B) have undergone a technology renovation, including full digital projection capability in both rooms, as well as lighting, sound, and a technology station.

Again, it promises to be an exciting year, and when you arrive on campus feel free to stop by our offices and update us on your summer and plans for the year.