Classics Faculty Share Expertise in Varied Channels
Faculty members from the Department of Classics showcase their research and expertise by presenting at and co-organizing conferences, crafting insightful articles, and engaging in academic dialogues and professional exchanges. Following are a few recent examples.
Assistant Professor Charles Kuper presented a paper on the text and image in the Menologion of Basil II at a double-panel during the October 2024 Byzantine Studies Conference in New York City. He and his co-organizer won funding for the papers from the Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture.
Associate Professor Justin Arft was a respondent to one of four papers on new computational approaches to the study of Homer and ancient Greek texts. Arft makes his appearance starting at about the 1:40 mark in the video from the Homer and Artificial Intelligence Workshop.
Assistant Professor Sam Blankenship wrote a response for the online Herodotus Helpline, an organization based in Scotland and devoted to the study of the historian Herodotus of Halicarnassus. Blankenship answered the question, “How did Herodotus know so much about what was happening in Persia?”
Department welcomes Golubović
The University of Tennessee’s Department of Classics is excited to welcome lecturer, Nikola Golubović. Nikola specializes in Latin literature of the first three centuries AD, with a particular focus on rhetorical education. In his research, he explores how Roman students learned public speaking, a crucial skill for participation in political and civic life at the time. He is also interested in the lives and careers of people who taught in Roman schools. These individuals often came from outside Rome.
Nikola’s own journey into Classics was influenced by teachers and professors; despite knowing little about the ancient world, after taking Latin in high school, he quickly became interested in Classics and decided to pursue a career in the field. While here at UTK, Nikola is looking forward to teaching Latin, Ancient Greek, and a broad array of courses on ancient literature and culture, as well as connecting with students.
Look for Nikola’s article on the ancient use and transmission of a collection of Roman school exercises that will soon appear in the journal Classical Philology. He has also recently written about Horace’s Satires for a publication in his native Serbian.
Learn more about our newest lecturer by visiting his department profile.
Shannon Receives 2024 Commission for Disability Undergraduate Student Award
Evan Shannon is a fourth-year Classics and Religious Studies student. His research interests include disability studies in classical reception, ancient views of disability, and religious hegemony.
Department co-hosts Translation Symposium
The department of Classics and World Languages and Cultures co-hosted the first Translation Symposium in April. This event was open to the public and brought together Professor Richard Armstrong of the University of Houston and Professor Lawrence Venuti of Temple University as the keynote speakers. During the symposium, participants were invited to attend workshops and panel discussions related to the power of translation.
Before the symposium began, the keynote speakers were invited to give an interview to WUOT 91.9, about the evolution of literary translation. The interview is available on the WUOT website.
Even Latin translation can be a friendly competition!
Each year, The Classical Association of the Middle West and South invites students to compete in its Latin Translation Exam for college/university students. During the 2023-2024 exam, 9 University of Tennessee Students did above average in the exam in one of the two categories: Intermediate College Exam (students with up to 2 years of Latin) or Advanced College Exam (3+ years of Latin).
The exam is open to any Latin student and each year alternates from translating prose or poem to English, within a the time frame of one hour.
The Department of Classics would like to congratulate the following for their success in this year’s competition: Grant Williams, Alexander Wyrick, Joshua Adedokun, Noah Hornback, Lela Flowers, Lauren Shinn, Houston Boyd, Kaitlyn Emler, and Henry Green!
For more information on The Classical Association of the Middle West and South click here.
Cyrus Yoshimoto Named Schwarzman Scholar
Cyrus is a May 2022 graduate with a degree in honors Classics.