by Jacqui Meredith
Here in Southampton we
have a busy programme of events and social occasions throughout the year,
including a Saturnalia in January and
a Prandium in July, both hosted by
members. We also run an annual Latin and Greek Reading Competition for schools,
including a Minimus category. Our
membership spans beyond Southampton itself, incorporating Winchester, Portsmouth
and even eastern Dorset, as well as much of surrounding Hampshire.
We have six lectures
over the year and have been lucky to entertain a variety of excellent speakers, including Professor Michael Scott, Charlotte Higgins and the late James
Morwood. This last year our programme began with Dr Eoghan Moloney of the
University of Winchester, who delivered an engaging argument on the ways in
which Classical Greek authors and modern scholars have interpreted the
Macedonians and their leaders. We also
welcomed Harry Sidebottom, author and academic, who led us with great gusto
through ‘The Third Century Crisis of Rome’, which provides the background to
his Warrior of Rome and Throne of the Caesars novels. Dr Will Wootton of King’s College London then
gave a highly informative and very different lecture on ‘Making Ancient
Mosaics, from Hellenistic to Roman’, taking us on a visual trek around the
Roman world. There followed ‘Stesichorus and
the Reshaping of Homeric Myth’ given by Professor
Patrick Finglass of the University of Bristol, which presented an
attractive picture of the poet in his time and place. The year was rounded-off
with an erudite and thought-provoking look at ‘The Many and the One: Oedipus,
Dionysus, Democracy and Tragedy’ by Professor Barbara Goff from the University
of Reading.
We have an exciting
programme lined up for 2018-19, including lectures by Professor Armand
d’Angour, Daisy Dunn and Dr Emma Aston. In November we are organising a
Classics Conference for Schools. This will include a day of lectures for older
pupils, to be given by Professor Edith Hall, Dr John Pearce and Professor Paul
Cartledge, and a morning of workshops on the Romans and Greeks for younger
students, including a literacy workshop with the author Maz Evans. We are
delighted to have the University of Southampton on board to help with workshops
and stalls.
Anyone is welcome to
come along to our meetings and details can be found on our programme at https://thesouthamptonbranchoftheclassicalassociation.wordpress.com/. Events are also posted on the calendar on the CA website.
Jacqui Meredith
Honorary Secretary
of the Southampton branch of the Classical Association
