Imperium Sine Fine

Call for Papers - Defining Classical Scholarship: The Research/Teaching Interface (CA2014)

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:06:00 +0000

How does your research influence how and what you teach? Does being an active researcher make you a better teacher? How important is it for lecturers and teachers to keep abreast of current scholarship?

Following on from the success of the 2013 Classical Association Conference, a call for papers for the 2014 Conference has been released by Nottingham University. I am interested in coordinating a panel entitled 'Defining Classical Scholarship: The Research/Teaching Interface'. The purpose of this panel will be to discuss the impact which research has on teaching and learning through case studies and suggestions for best practice. I hope that this panel will attract papers from across the educational sector including, but not limited to, Higher Education.

Abstracts of no more than 300 words will need to be submitted for consideration by the end of August. Please message/tweet/DM me if you would like to be involved.

Developing a Collaborative Classics e-learning Network

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:50:00 +0000

Last week witnessed the Classical Association 2013 conference at Reading University. I organised a panel on 'New Approaches to e-learning in Classics', which was split into two sessions. Both sessions were well attended and the source of useful debate and discussion. On a personal note, I would like to thank the speakers, student volunteers and conference organisers. I've blogged the abstracts of the presented papers in my last post. A useful summary of the panel has been posted over at Stoa.org. The Classical Association has storified a range of tweets from the conference here. There is no need to produce another summary of the papers, so I will therefore concentrate on reporting the main themes arising from the ensuing discussions.

Aside from my initial introductory paper, it was interesting to note that all of the papers dealt with Latin teaching and learning. Although the strategies discussed could also apply to Greek, the absence of papers specifically relating to innovative e-learning approaches to Ancient History and Classical Civilisation was noteworthy. This was not due to any bias in the selection of papers for the panel, as all of the responses to the call for papers were language based. I have no doubt that innovative work is taking place in these disciplines, which I hope will be showcased at later events.

It was clear from the points raised by a number of audience members that there is a common sense of frustration with the pace of change in the technology available for e-learning. In one memorable phrase relating to VLEs, our current approach to e-learning in Classics is 'broken' as it lags behind the technology available to students in their daily lives. Several speakers emphasised the need to ensure that the e-learning strategies we adopt are appropriate for our students. One size clearly does not fit all. Student engagement is becoming increasingly important for HE and is likely to become more pronounced across the educational sector. As part of this, I feel strongly that we must engage students in our approach to e-learning, through allowing them to contribute meaningfully to the design, operation and evaluation of new approaches to e-learning.

Audience members expressed a lack of confidence in understanding and utilising emerging technologies in an educational setting. In many cases, students will be more familiar with such technologies than their teachers. This lack of confidence is understandable. It was clear that many of those present had attended the panel to increase their confidence with the demonstrated approaches. Taking a risk in adopting new teaching and learning strategies often requires a leap of faith and the confidence to fail. Not all e-learning strategies are appropriate for every environment. The quantitative evidence presented at the conference indicated that the benefits of utilising e-learning approaches for Classical subjects are still not clear.

The success of the panel can be attributed to the enthusiasm of the speakers and attendees for the potential benefits presented by e-learning. Several individuals expressed the need to form a community of Classicists (composed of teachers, lecturers, researchers and students) interested in e-learning. This would allow members to share best practice, coach each other in the use of new technologies and discuss new approaches. The focus will be on enhancing teaching and learning - not Digital Classics in a wider sense, which is well catered for by a number of other projects. In my closing remarks I asked for anyone interested in being a part of any such community to email or message me via Twitter. The response to this has been very encouraging. It is worth stating that this community is not limited to those who attended the Classical Association conference.

The next step will be to identify how this e-learning community will operate. It seems to me that there are a number of possible approaches, including the use of social media, websites, conference panels, workshop events or an e-journal. Do let me know what you think!

Abstracts: New Approaches to e-learning in Classics (CA 2013)

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:07:00 +0000

Using VLEs to enhance Teaching and Learning in Classics

Jonathan Eaton

Virtual Learning Environments have the potential to radically enhance teaching and learning in Classical subjects by offering resources and opportunities for students beyond the traditional classroom. Platforms such as Moodle and Blackboard are being used widely at a range of educational levels to support the learning experience. This paper will explore the use of VLEs to teach Classical Civilisation and Ancient History by reflecting on my use of e-learning over the past few years and highlighting the successes and obstacles which I have encountered.

My students invariably have no previous experience of studying Classical subjects. The vast majority show a clear preference for accessing materials online rather than using library resources. I developed my VLE to providing support for four stages of the learning process. The first stage consists of preparing students for lectures and seminars. This invariably consists of providing reading and other study materials online. The second stage consists of consolidating learning. This is accomplished through the use of podcasts and YouTube videos. The third stage focuses on assessing learning through online tests. These provide a rapid method of assessing student performance and providing useful feedback. The final stage consists of extending learning, particularly for gifted and talented students. There are a range of online resources which can be successfully integrated into VLEs to challenge more advanced learners.

VLEs offer great potential for educating the next generation of Classicists. However, there are obstacles which need to be overcome for them to work successfully. My paper will conclude by assessing some of these problems and outlining potential solutions which can be applied to create effective Classical VLEs.

‘Using Web-Design to teach Latin Literature’

Alex Smith

This thesis is concerned with discovering the impact of using web design technology to improve the achievement of gifted students in a collaborative environment. The program ‘eXeLearning’ was used with a group of nineteen high ability Year 10 students. The students (in groups of three or four) had to design a website based on sections from the set lines of their Latin Prose Literature GCSE prescription. Before producing the website, the first half of the prescription was taught in a ‘traditional’ way in the classroom based around the teacher taking the students through the text by whole class instruction. Tests were administered after the ‘traditional’ teaching and ICT teaching stages along with questionnaires to see what impact the ICT intervention had and whether their perception of their own skills had altered after the two teaching sequences. The results then formed the basis of an interview with a group of six students in order to elicit further information. The questionnaires revealed that, although the students felt using computers made tasks easier and quicker, they did not feel they ought to be used in all contexts. The student test results showed a higher level of exam performance in Latin literature by 12 of the 18 students studied after the ICT intervention than after the ‘traditional’ teaching but the results of 6 students decreased, leaving the overall conclusion concerning achievement inconclusive. It was observed that involving web design in the teaching sequence made the students more aware of their skills in areas such as evaluation and collaboration. This research implies that further use of web design technology could enhance students’ learning of Latin literature (and potentially other topics) while also developing their wider skills.

Role-playing Latin: Operation LAPIS

Francesca Sapsford

When people talk about e-learning they are usually referring to ways of replicating the classroom experience online, or supporting classroom learning through VLEs, using vodcasts, podcasts and uploaded material. While some teachers are starting to use web tools in different ways to enhance learning and teaching, they still tend to follow traditional methods. However, we believe that Operation LAPIS uses online tools and e-learning to produce a completely different experience for students.

Practomimeis a new word for what stories, games, and many other kinds of works of art have in common: they all involve creative activity in a cultural zone regulated for play. In plain language, that means that the Iliad and the Odyssey are really the same kind of thing as some of the most popular video games today. We believe that we should probably be fighting to turn the classroom into a game – or, to be more precise, a practomime. Operation LAPIS is a two-year game-based (practomimetic) introductory course in the Latin language and in Roman culture. In Operation LAPIS, students are given the mission of discovering and subsequently translating the Lapis Saeculōrum (The Stone of the Ages) by a shadowy figure known only as the Demiurge. In accomplishing their “top secret” mission, the students will save western civilization as we know it.

Operation LAPIS is also an interactive adventure in which students performtheir learning as an extraordinarily effective and engaging way to develop and assess their growing skills. This is not only a game, but also a story, and an ongoing collaborative performance. Whereas traditional textbooks allow students to follow a story over the course of their Latin learning, Operation LAPIS allows them to play a story about ancient Rome, and, even more importantly, to integrate into their play-performances their growing skills in all the relevant domains. This is Latin-learning as experiential learning, project-based learning, and problem-based learning: students in Operation LAPIS learn Latin by playing Romans.

In this paper we will briefly explain the theoretical basis behind the course, and explain how it all started. We will then explore Operation LAPIS through the experiences of the students and the tutor for a cohort of US home school students who started Operation LAPIS in July 2012. Finally, we will look at the future plans for the expansion of Operation LAPIS.

‘Some IT Strategies for Active Latin Learning’

Ann Martin

I have been trialling an on-line Latin learning community as the introduction to Latin for my Year 7's and 8's. This course, which is being developed by another Latinist, Justin Schwamm, with my assistance, is entirely on line. Every reading is accompanied by a full recording and an illustration. The underlying idea is to make learning a co-operative activity in which all learners and teachers can contribute and feel that what they contribute is valued. They can suggest changes to the storyline, add their own stories, provide illustrations and videos, and join in discussions about cultural and historical issues. On-line exercises can check understanding.

In conjunction with this, I have established Wikispaces for all my Yr 7 and Yr 8 pupils. These are free for secondary education and can be set up so that no one can get access to them except those approved by the moderator (me). All homework and links can be posted there and I can see and comment on all pupil pages. They can respond to me or send me email through the Wiki which I check regularly. This means that I can work with students one-on-one outside the very limited time allotted in class and they can ask questions without fear of being thought “stupid”.

As something to link both to their home Wikispace and to Tres Columnae, I have helped the girls to create Latin stories with illustrations on Tarheel Readers (tarheelreader.net). I am the account holder, so I can make sure that they don't actually publish something until it is in acceptable form. When I do, people all over the world can read them, and they can see where our books are being read.

iVocab? Language learning on a laptop

Laila Tims

This paper aims to explore some of the ways in which the benefits of e-learning could be applied to language teaching in Classics at secondary schools, specifically looking at vocabulary acquisition. The research is focused on how the literature on educational IT use can be translated into concrete use in the classroom, connecting the strengths of IT (in areas such as differentiation, direct feedback, etc) with specific challenges encountered in the classroom. The problem of pupils being ineffective and poorly motivated when learning vocabulary was tackled by developing a website with a rich variety of exercises to acquire and practice vocabulary, where students were free to choose their own preferred exercises and encouraged to make independent decisions about their learning process. The exercises had to: vary in form, stimulate multiple intelligences, build up a context for learnt words, vary on a taxonomical level, repeat a large part of the vocabulary learnt and give students range of choices. Before and after the series of lessons students’ motivational levels were tested through a questionnaire, and to assess any improvement they were given vocabulary tests before and after the experiment. The results of these assessments showed a slight increase in motivation, and a significant improvement in test results for all students, leading to some recommendations to further improve the efficiency of this project. Pupils’ enthusiasm while working on the exercises was great and served to encourage further work on similar projects.

Roman Army School 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:59:00 +0000

Details of the programme for the Hadrianic Society Roman Army School 2013 are available here. It will be held at St Chad's College, Durham from 23 - 27 March. I will be speaking on the political role of legionary centurions.

Odysseus in America Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 17:18:00 +0000

The most popular series of articles on this blog have concerned the debate around the occurence of PTSD among veterans in the ancient world, which can be viewed here and here. Two of the most groundbreaking scholarly works on this theme are Jonathan Shay's 'Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character' and 'Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming'. Both books use the Homeric texts to understand the ordeal which soldiers face both during and after combat.

A documentary based on 'Odysseus in America' is currently under production. The website for the documentary film can be viewed here. The trailers are particularly moving, including one which directly uses quotes from Homer. These can be viewed here.

Consultation on Museum Funding Cuts

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 16:43:00 +0000

A consultation is currently being held on proposed funding cuts to museums in Tyne and Wear. These proposals include slashing funding for the Great North Museum in Newcastle by 100%. Readers of this blog will be aware that the Great North Museum houses one of the premier collections of Roman artefacts and inscriptions from Hadrian's Wall and the surrounding area. It also plays a crucial role in educating visitors about the Roman heritage of the region.

Details of the consultation here:

'There is a proposed reduction of 50% in Newcastle funding over the next three years to Discovery Museum, the Laing Art Gallery and Tyne & Wear Archives. There is a proposed reduction of 100% in Newcastle funding to the Great North Museum: Hancock and Hatton Gallery over the next two years. If implemented these reductions in funding will mean changes to the service that we can offer including reductions in opening hours at Discovery Museum and the Laing Art Gallery, reductions in learning and community programmes and charging for some services, although we are not planning to introduce charges for entry to the museums and galleries to see core collections and displays.

You can have your say on the proposals by emailing letstalk(at)newcastle.gov.uk by 1 February 2013.'

Call for Papers: Ancient Warfare Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:17:00 +0000

Via the Classicist email list, news of a workshop on ancient warfare to be held in September 2013 which may be of interest for readers of this blog:

Call For Papers: Ancient Warfare Workshop

This workshop is jointly supported by Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, and the University of Wales: Trinity Saint David. It will be held from the 18th of September to the 20th of September 2013, at Aberystwyth University.

Workshop Organsier: Geoff Lee (University of Wales : Trinity Saint David).

The workshop is aimed equally at postgraduate students, early career researchers and established academics.The intent is to facilitate a multi-disciplinary workshop and therefore researchers from any relevant discipline are encouraged to participate.

Papers on any aspect of Ancient Warfare are sought. These will be of thirty minutes duration with fifteen minutes for comments/questions.

The proceedings from the workshop will be published.

The deadline for submission of abstracts, which should be of c. 300 words, is February 28th 2013.

All participants will be required to pay the workshop fee which is £10:00 for current students and £15:00 for other participants.

Aberystwyth is easily accessible by rail.

Postgraduate students needing help with their travel costs are encouraged to apply to the Thomas Wiedemann Memorial Fund (http://www.thomaswiedemann.org.uk/).

Accomodation and meals will not be arranged for the workshop. However, as Aberystwyth is a popular seaside holiday resort there is an abundance of accomodation available. There are also several good places to eat within easy walking distance of the campus.

To submit an abstract or for more information please contact the workshop organiser at: geofflee101(at) yahoo.co.uk

A Long Expected Update

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 15:53:00 +0000

I have neglected this blog somewhat of late. There are a number of reasons for this. The main reason is a change in job from lecturing to a solely research role. This change has absorbed much of my time recently. It also means that I have been spending more time thinking about recent developments in HE rather than the ancient world. I expect that future blogposts will reflect this change. I plan to write more on Classics teaching and learning in particular.

Another explanation for the absence of blogging is that I have recently signed a contract for my first book, which will be aimed at a general audience. All being well, it should be published in 2014. Researching and writing accounts for most of my spare time at the moment. I hope that I will be able to use this blog as a forum for some of my thinking about the topics I will be covering.

Aside from the new job and book, 2013 looks set to be a busy year. I have a couple of conference papers in the pipeline and am organizing a panel for the Classical Association conference. I also have a couple of research trips planned linked to the book. In terms of this blog, I hope to cover a broad range of topics - and post more regularly!

Obituary for Dr Brian Dobson

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 19:30:00 +0000

An obituary of Dr Brian Dobson, the renowned scholar of Hadrian's Wall and the Roman army can be found here. This obituary was written by Professor David Breeze.

The Death of Cremutius Cordus

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 18:49:00 +0000

I have selected Tacitus' account of the trial and death of Cremutius Cordus (Annals 4.34-35) for the Classical Anthology. This website is a fantastic project offering selections from Greek and Latin literature. You can read my selection in full here.

Online Course in Greek & Roman Mythology

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:17:00 +0000

I have written previously on this blog about the need to widen access to the latest research on the ancient world through free educational courses in Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology. The success of our subjects at all levels depends upon attracting interested students from a broad swathe of society. In this difficult economic climate, it is absolutely essential that the study of the past is perceived to be of value. My previous post can be read here.

A recent trend in the provision of higher education courses has been the creation of free online courses utilising the latest developments in e-learning to widen access on a massive scale. Harvard and MIT were the main pioneers in this area, mainly for computer science courses. It seems clear that this trend is here to stay and it is clear that the model could be applied to ancient world courses.

Coursera are now offering a free online course on Greek and Roman mythology, taught by Professor Peter Struck. Further details are available here.

Roman Inscriptions from the Yorkshire Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 12:28:00 +0000

Earlier this week, I visited the Yorkshire Museum to examine some of the inscriptions from their collection. Some of these inscriptions form part of the OCR Classical Civilisation syllabus as prescribed material for the Roman Britain module.

This Roman tower can be seen in the gardens of the Yorkshire Museum. It formed part of the defensive perimeter of the city. It was possibly created on the orders of Septimius Severus or Constantine.

This stone head is believed to represent the emperor Constantine, who elevated to imperial power at York.

RIB I, 684: the tombstone of Corellia Optata. This tombstone must be one of the most poignant to have been recovered from Roman Britain. It reads 'To the spirits of the departed, Corellia Optata, aged 13. You secret spirits who inhabit the Acherusian realm of Pluto, and whom the meagre ashes and shade, the mere semblance of the body seek after the brief light of life. I, the father of an innocent daughter, the victim of unfair hope, pitiably bewail this her final end. Quintus Corellius Fortis, her father, had this set up.'

RIB I, 658: an inscription dedicated to Serapis. It reads: 'To the sacred god, Serapis, Claudius Hieronymianus, legate of the VI Victrix legion dedicated this shrine from the ground up.'

RIB I, 673: The tombstone of Duccius Rufinus the standard bearer. It depicts the deceased in his military role. It reads 'Lucius Duccius Rufinus, son of Lucius, of the Voltinian voting tribe, from Vienne, standard bearer (signifer) of the Ninth Legion, aged twenty eight, lies here.'

RIB I, 653: an inscription for the Mother Goddesses. This small altar was set up by a gubernator of the VI Legion. It reads 'To the Mother Goddesses of Africa, Italy and Gaul, Marcus Minucius Audens, soldier of the VI Victrix Legion, pilot of the VI Legion, gladly, willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow.'

New Approaches to e-learning in Classics

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:38:00 +0000

I am currently seeking submissions for a possible panel for the 2013 Classical Association conference on ‘New Approaches to e-learning in Classics’. I hope to include papers covering aspects of e-learning in Latin, Greek, Classical Civilisation and Ancient History from throughout the educational sector (primary, secondary and higher). It is a fantastic opportunity to discuss innovative approaches to e-learning – or problems you have encountered in doing so!

I understand that we would need to submit the abstracts of the proposed papers by 31^st August. If you are interested in presenting a paper for this panel, please message or tweet me.

Further details of the 2013 Classical Association conference can be found here.

5 Rules for Book Reviewers

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 17:51:00 +0000

There has been something of a hiatus in my writing for this blog due to a number of external commitments. With the Summer months stretching before me, I hope to update the blog more frequently in future. One of my commitments which draws me away from updating this blog consists of book reviewing, which I do quite frequently. In some quarters, book reviewing seems to be looked down upon, for reasons which escape me. Sadly, the days when writers could make a decent living solely from reviewing are long since past. Nevertheless, I consider book reviewing to be a fundamental aspect of any scholar's life for a number of reasons. It is an excellent way to keep abreast of latest developments in the field and engage with new writers and new ideas. Reviewing also offers an opportunity to practice my own writing style. A well written review can reach an audience beyond an academic readership. It also provides a chance to identify which of the latest volumes might be worth ordering for the library!

I don't claim to have a vast amount of experience as a book reviewer. However, I write reviews on a monthly basis - as well as reading countless reviews each week. I feel that there are five rules which good reviewers should follow. As ever, your comments and suggestions would be greatly received.

Rule 1: Respect Your Responsibility

Reviewing a book is a serious business. It is important to remember that your review will have a direct impact on others. Your responsibility is to provide guidance to the reader about whether they should expend their time and money in acquiring and reading this book. As we are all aware, we live in difficult financial times. Most hardback non-fiction seems to be retailing at around £20-25 at the moment. Volumes from academic presses retail for a far higher price. The reader of your review is trusting your judgement in making this decision. Your advice should be given honestly and prudently. Remember that your review will also have an impact on the author in terms of sales, royalties and - potentially - career advancement. Think carefully about how to frame your review.

Rule 2: Inform The Reader

One sort of book review infuriates me beyond all others. This sort of review can be seen in a variety of publication types and consists of a lengthy overview of the general subject of the book before turning to a judgement of the book's value in the last few sentences. The reader of your review will have at least some understanding of the topic. There is no need to outline Augustus' rise to power or the narrative of the Iliad. Focus on the key questions: is this book important? Does it say anything new? Does it offer a valuable contribution to the field? Is it reliable? Is it ultimately worth reading?

Rule 3: Judge The Book - Not The Name On The Cover

We all know academics that we admire (if not revere). These may be the leaders in their field, innovative thinkers or distinguished academic veterans. Likewise, I am sure that many of us know academics of whom we are less enamoured. Perhaps we think their research is shoddy needlessly controversial. Alternatively, we may be suspicious of the theoretical underpinnings of their work. Your review should concentrate on the content of the book and your opinion of the author. On occasion, the background of the author may be relevant. Readers may wish to know that the author has previously created a new paradigm or has published a number of studies relating to the book under review. Aside from this though, steer clear from presenting your personal adoration or animosity in the context of a review. Your credibility as a reviewer will otherwise certainly suffer.

Rule 4: Don't Write Your Book

It is unlikely that all of your reviews will be positive. You have a duty to your reader to pronounce a judgement on the value and reliability of the book. If the approach taken by the author is mistaken or misleading then you must explain in your review why this is the case. There is always a temptation to describe how the book should have been written and how you could improve upon it. This is a temptation which must be resisted at all costs. If necessary write your own book - don't force it upon the reader in the guise of a review.

Rule 5: Know The Audience

Every book has an audience. Part of your role as a reviewer is to identify the appropriate readership of the book in question. This recommendation will be based on a number of factors including the complexity of the text, assumed prior knowledge and cost. Some of your readers will move from reading your review to ordering the book online without seeing it in advance. In an academic context, it should be clear whether the book would serve as a course text or need only be ordered as a reference copy for the library. Don't underestimate the prior knowledge of the 'general reader'. Think synoptically about whom the book may interest. For example, a text on painting styles in Pompeii may appeal to a wide audience ranging from archaeologists to art historians to (perhaps) those with an interest in interior design.

Ultimately, the secret of a good book review lies in the knowledge of the reviewer, their engagement with the text and the quality of the judgement they give.

Concepts of the Hero in Greek Civilisation: Open Access Course

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Sat, 19 May 2012 16:18:00 +0000

The Centre for Hellenic Studies at Harvard University are offering open access course materials for 'Concepts of the Hero in Greek Civilisation' by Gregory Nagy. Full details can be found here.

Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar & The Genius of Leadership

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:23:00 +0000

An extract from Barry Strauss' new book on military leadership is now available on Scribd. You can read it here.

Classical Timeline

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:04:00 +0000

I have been appointed as Editor for Roman military history at a new digital humanities project entitled Classical Timeline. The site should develop into a fundamental research and study tool for students in Classics, Archaeology, Ancient History, Literature, Philosophy and Religious Studies. I look forward to working with my new colleagues in developing the project further. Please do recommend the site to your students to aid with their studies.

Teaching Pompeii: A Guide to Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:27:00 +0000

The study of Pompeii is one of the highlights of my teaching year. Pompeii offers so much for the student of the ancient world, from politics to business, religion to art, daily life to natural disaster. It also provides the opportunity to examine a very ordinary Roman city, much like many other settlements across the Empire. In contrast to the monuments and grandeur of Rome where the lives of 'ordinary' people can disappear (although see Mary Beard's recent documentary series on this topic), Pompeii reflects the lives of people like you and I. The purpose of this post is to outline some of the resources I have found useful in planning and delivering courses on Pompeii. For obvious reasons, this cannot be an exhaustive list and I hope that readers will feel free to add feedback and suggestions below.

Pompeii is well served by a range of suitable academic works. Professor Mary Beard's superlative 'Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town' offers a fundamental reconstruction of life in Pompeii. It is required reading for anyone with an interest in Pompeii, and Roman life in general. I also like 'Pompeii: The Living City' by Alex Butterworth and Ray Laurence. This text is particularly useful for the dramatic reconstructions it offers of particular places and individuals, which can be invaluable for inspiring student interest within a specific topic. 'Cities of Roman Italy' by Guy de la Bedoyere acts as an overview of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Ostia. It is particularly suitable for A Level students, although it could also be used profitably by undergraduates.'The Complete Pompeii' by Joanne Berry presents a comprehensive overview of the town and is made particularly attractive by the excellent illustrations and photographs throughout. Moving beyond general introductions to the site, there are a number of rigorous academic treatments of specific aspects of Pompeii. The definitive source book for Pompeii should be used for the epigraphic evidence from the site. 'Roman Pompeii: Space and Society' by Ray Laurence examines the connections between the fabric of Pompeii and the society of the city. Anyone with an interest in housing in Pompeii should read 'Houses and Society in Pompeii and Herculaneum' by Professor Anthony Wallace-Hadrill. Paul Zanker's 'Pompeii: Public and Private Life' is a sweeping analytical treatment suitable for more advanced students. Finally, the collection of essays in 'The World of Pompeii' cover most aspects of the ancient city.

A number of documentaries are useful for introducing students to the study of Pompeii. The BBC documentary accompanying Mary Beard's book has the distinction of being both learned and approachable. The BBC docu-drama 'The Last Day of Pompeii' is useful for the end of the city, although it is difficult to find nowadays. It does an admirable job of using the archaeological evidence to explain the destruction of Pompeii, meaning that the drama element is underpinned by suitable references to actual finds from the site. Pliny's recollections of the eruptions also feature prominently. I heartily recommend Guy de la Bedoyere's YouTube videos of sites from Pompeii. These are an excellent method of introducing students to particular buildings within the city.

A recent article in World Archaeology magazine is an accessible overview of recent work in Pompeii. Similarly, an article in a recent edition of the Journal of Classics Teaching by Dr Penny Goodman highlights recent archaeological research taking place in the city. Articles such as these serve to demonstrate to students that there is still much to be learnt from Pompeii. The latest news on Pompeii can be followed over at Blogging Pompeii, which forms a valuable forum for researchers interested in the ancient city. Access to a vast range of photographs of the city can be found at Pompeii in Pictures. An overview of the Forum can be found at the Pompeii Forum Project.

The resources outlined above form only a brief overview of the range of material which is available to support the teaching of Pompeii. It is a subject which, in my experience, continues to fascinate students and forms a perfect introduction to the study of the Roman world.

Peter Connolly

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:52:00 +0000

It is sad to hear that Peter Connolly, the esteemed author and illustrator of the Roman army has recently passed away. I was fortunate to meet him in person a couple of times at conferences and talks. I still have copies of Connolly's books which inspired me as a child. In particular, his books 'The Legionary' and 'The Cavalryman' present a comprehensive overview of their subjects which nevertheless are accessible to children. His illustrations of the Roman army are, in my opinion, some of the best archaeological reconstruction drawings ever created. Connolly was also an experimental archaeologist with an interest in cavalry saddles. His article on Roman cavalry saddles (co-authored with Carol Van Driel-Murray) published in Britannia is available on JSTOR.

Some of Connolly's image can be seen here. A range of Connolly's books can be found here.

Review: Caligula by Aloys Winterling

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 11:17:00 +0000

My review of Caligula: A Biography by Aloys Winterling has been published by BMCR. You can read my review here.

Review: Disgraceful Archaeology (Paul Bahn & Bill Tidy)

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Since the 19th Century, the view which the general public has been presented concerning the ancient world has been censored. The history of sexuality, in particularly, was thought unsuitable for a broad audience. Early museums stored their more explicit artefacts behind closed doors, out of sight of impressionable eyes. As the title suggests, this book aims to expose the range of archaeological evidence for the bawdy, scatological and downright inappropriate.

Paul Bahn is a leading archaeologist who is best known for his co-authorship of the leading textbook for archaeological theory and practice. Bahn's mastery of his field is evident from the range of artefacts and anecdotes that he describes in admirable detail. Bill Tidy is a prolific cartoonist. His cartoons are worth the cost of the text alone.

There is clearly an enthusiastic audience for uncensored archaeology. No one who visits the Jorvik Viking Centre can forget the authentic smells of the Viking city. The authors of this book note the popularity of scratch and sniff postcards in the Jorvik gift shop! I understand that an accurate reproduction of the largest piece of human excrement to have been found from Viking York is a real hit with schoolchildren at the York Archaeological Trust's Dig centre. The popular Horrible Histories books and CBBC series also focus on the bizarre aspects of history. Such enthusiasm is not limited to the United Kingdom. Visitors to Pompeii are inevitably directed to the remains of the Roman brothel, scenes from which are sold in vast quantities by the traders outside of the city walls.

Disgraceful Archaeology ranges over a broad selection of topics, from sex to bizarre deaths to underpants and bizarre medical treatments employed in the past. The examples used are drawn from a wide geographical and chronological range. It is a work of admirable learning, particularly as so little has been published on this topic as a whole before.

I would strongly recommend this book as a gift for anyone with an interest in the more 'human' aspects of archaeology. Short chapters with a generous spread of cartoons mean it is perfect for dipping in and out of. My only word of warning would be that the adult nature of some of the topics would make this unsuitable for younger readers. Nevertheless, the authors and publisher should be congratulated on producing such an innovative and entertaining book. Bahn notes in the Introduction that they hope to produce another volume on similar lines. I trust we will not be waiting too long for the sequel to this marvellous text.

Review: Invisible Romans by Robert Knapp

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:53:00 +0000

Robert Knapp's book aims to give a voice to those Romans who are often rendered invisible by their relative obscurity in the Classical sources. Most Classical courses focus on the elites of the Roman world. Indeed, it is difficult to avoid this emphasis on the upper classes. Inscriptions, literary sources and archaeological evidence tend to represent the elite of Roman society whilst obscuring the ordinary Romans who made up the majority of their society.

Knapp concentrates on nine categories of invisible Romans: ordinary men, women, the poor, slaves, freedmen, soldiers, prostitutes, gladiators and bandits. Not all of these should perhaps be categorised as 'invisible'. After all, there are a number of treatments of the lives of gladiators and soldiers in particular. Nevertheless, it is interesting to read them within the context of the lower strata of Roman society. It is a valuable reminder that the Roman world was a vibrant, rich and thriving society.

There is some repetition within the text involving case studies which are relevant to two separate categories (e.g. slaves and freedmen). It is a shame that these repetitions could not have been removed during the editing process. There also seems to be a mistake in the caption of the first plate. The scene shows the remains of a Roman street which is cited as having come from Pompeii. However, a close examination of the image suggests that it was instead taken in Herculaneum. The House of Opus Craticium can be seen on the left of the street. These are small errors in an otherwise valuable and insightful text.

This book would work well as a course text for a module on Roman society. It is filled with a range of epigraphic evidence to illuminate the text with real case studies. This is a work of profound scholarship and demonstrates a confident mastery of the relevant sources. It could be profitably read by everyone with an interest in the realities of the Roman world.

Review: The Frontiers of Imperial Rome by David Breeze

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:54:00 +0000

The Frontiers of Imperial Rome by David Breeze (Pen & Sword, 2011)

"In fact, in order to understand frontiers, it is essential to visit them and see the position of frontiers, forts and towers in the landscape; there is no alternative, the surviving remains and the topography within which they sit have to be observed in person."

There are some books which every Roman historian should have on their bookshelf. Millar's The Emperor in the Roman World, Syme's Roman Revolution and Matthews' Roman Empire of Ammianus all spring to mind. Professor David Breeze's new book should also find a place on the same bookshelf.

Breeze begins his study by noting the lack of syntheses of archaeological and historical evidence in treatments of the Roman frontiers. Many recent works on frontiers have focussed predominantly on the historical and epigraphic sources. There is clearly a need for a synoptic overview of all that is known about Roman frontiers across the empire. Breeze is certainly well qualified to produce such a study and has a lifetime of experience in dealing with Roman frontier sites across Europe and beyond.

The strength of this study lies in Breeze's breadth of knowledge. He covers a range of themes from the deployment of troops across the imperial frontiers to the various treaties and regulations which governed Roman relations with their neighbours. Breeze presents a masterful summary of the epigraphic, historical and archaeological material. It is rare to read a work which is as comfortable with archaeological sites as it is with Classical texts. It is hard to see how this study will be bettered in future years.

Breeze argues that the purposes of Roman frontiers systems operated on a number of levels. Their primary purpose of defence cannot be denied. Yet the Roman army preferred to engage the enemy in the open, rather than behind a wall. There is considerable variation in the nature and scale of frontier systems across the empire. Most Roman frontier systems follow local topography. Variations in the design of frontier installations suggest considerable flexibility in the decision making process, although whether this was the responsibility of the emperor or the senior officers on the ground is unclear. Frontiers limited the movement of individuals. This would limit the impact of brigands (although not completely successfully). Perhaps more importantly, frontier systems allowed the Roman army to monitor the movement of goods and merchants both in and out of imperial territory. This economic role seems to be well evidenced in the historical sources. More impressive barriers also potentially had a symbolic role as a demonstration of imperial power.

This book deserves the widest possible readership. It represents the broadest treatment of Roman frontier systems to have been published in recent years. It is important not only for the frontiers themselves, but also for topics relating to the army, imperial administration and diplomatic relations.

Vindolanda Writing Tablets (Tabulae Vindolandenses IV Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:38:00 +0000

The 2011 volume of Britannia contains the latest publication of the tablets from Vindolanda found during excavations in 2001 - 2003. Most tablets are fragmentary, although there are a range of names and titles covered in the material under discussion. The article is available free for download here:

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayFulltext?type=1&pdftype=1&fid=8411613&jid=BRI&volumeId=42&issueId=-1&aid=8411611

Edward Luttwak on the Iliad

noreply@blogger.com (Dr Jonathan Eaton) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Excellent article on the importance of the Iliad by Edward Luttwak published in the London Review of Books. The full article can be read here:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v34/n04/edward-luttwak/homer-inc