A Romanist in Athens...

I first found out that I was the recipient of the Neda and Franz Leipen Fellowship during an excursion to the British Museum with the Institut für Klassische Archäologie München. I had come to see Munich as the perfect fit for me, both personally and professionally, and I was honestly worried about finding the same sense of purpose or belonging elsewhere. Turns out that I was wrong to worry, because moving to Athens has undoubtedly been one of the best decisions of my life. By taking up residence at the Canadian Institute in Greece (CIG) – one of seventeen foreign archaeological institutes in Athens – I have had the privilege to become part of an active and inspiring community of international scholars, and in this respect alone, there is never a shortage of things to see or do. Whether attending a lecture by a renowned scholar, visiting a museum or archaeological site with fellow enthusiasts, or even just heading to the Red Lion for ‘darts night’, I feel that my time in this academic community has so far been both rewarding and fun. The atmosphere in Athens is incredible and the Greeks I have met warm-hearted and generous, and I look forward to integrating myself more into the local culture.

I would like to share here a little bit about my academic work and experiences since September. Having just barely acquainted myself with Athens, I already needed to return to Germany for the Darmstädter Diskussionen: 7. Interdisziplinäres Doktorandenkolloquium zu antiken Kulturen, where I presented on executions of condemned criminals staged as mythological dramas in the Roman arena. Such executions are of interest to me as a parallel, but contrasting phenomenon to the mythological portraiture I am researching for my dissertation. In the talk, I wanted to focus on a certain paradox in mythological executions: that the condemned were cast not merely as monstrous or reviled figures, but even as some of the most revered heroes in the Roman world. Overall, I argued that whenever the condemned is cast as a ‘hero’, the mythological narrative is supplied with a striking an unorthodox plot twist which has the effect of ‘distancing’ the malefactors from this virtuous mythic identity. Figures such as Orpheus, Daedalus and Hercules, for instance, all have certain divinely-sanctioned rights which allow them to exceed the normal bounds for human behaviour, to even stare death in the face and yet survive unscathed, but which are of course denied to the average mortal. The condemned “actors’” inevitable failure to exercise these same rights, and to fulfill their dramatic roles, can only result in their death. Overall, the manner in which the condemned are executed symbolizes that they are by no means exempt from human and divine laws, and so must suffer for their transgressions accordingly. I found the conference in Darmstadt a unique and laid-back venue for doctoral students to discuss their research and receive feedback, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Of course, I could not resist stopping at the Oktoberfest to drink a Maß (or three) on my way back to Athens…

I have been focused on several academic and personal goals since returning to Greece. As a PhD student specializing in visual culture from Rome and its environs – something which I often get flack for in Athens, even if jokingly – I want to use this opportunity to broaden my horizons. Despite my seemingly incurable case of wanderlust, I am actually exploring numerous of Greece’s major archaeological sites and museums for the first time. Whether heading to Sounion to check out the temple of Poseidon and then sleeping under the stars, or to Epidaurus to visit the sanctuary of Asklepios and then testing the acoustics of the theatre, I feel that I am finally acquiring a firsthand understanding of the monuments and topography of Greece. I have also travelled to Eleusis, Brauron, Thebes, Eleon, Napflio, Mycenae, Delphi, Meteora, Aegina, and Santorini… but the most memorable moment for me was in Thessaloniki, when I saw the Derveni Krater. This exquisite volute krater is adorned with scenes of Dionysos and Ariadne, along with satyrs and maenads in ecstatic frenzy.

Another personal goal I have set for myself this year is to learn some (Modern) Greek. I have therefore been taking lessons at the Athens Centre, with the wonderful Eleni as my instructor. Although I have a long way to go, so far learning Greek has been an interesting and rewarding experience for me. My time at the CIG has also allowed me to familiarize myself with the day-to-day operations of this research institute, and with the Canadian projects in Greece which the CIG endeavours to support. In addition to assisting in the library, I have been working on the ‘Portal to the Past’, which is a digital archive of our archaeological projects and research.

Most notably, the Neda and Franz Leipen Fellowship allows me to conduct research at world-renowned institutes for classical studies, such as the British School Library and the Blegen Library of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. Since coming to Athens, I feel that I have able to focus and refine the research questions and methodologies for my dissertation “Portraits of Romans as Hercules and Omphale”, which has opened up some new avenues of inquiry for me. I suppose that the crux of my overall argument, so far at least, is this. Since the ancient textual sources invariably offer Hercules and Omphale as a negative exemplum for male and female behaviour, scholars tend to interpret images of Hercules and Omphale in a negative light, or even as Augustan counter-propaganda against Marcus Antonius and Kleopatra. I prefer, rather, to situate images of Hercules and Omphale within the Hellenistic iconographic tradition of “disarming love”, as yet another expression of the power of Eros. In terms of the mythological portraiture, Hercules and Omphale – as a symbol for 'the power of eros’ – were suitable models for spouses in an era which witnessed first of all a positive re-evaluation of eros in marriage, and secondly of andreia (i.e. ‘manliness’) in women, both of which contributed to harmonia between husband and wife. There were, however, clear limits to this identification; there is a deliberate avoidance of connotations seen to undermine Roman patriarchal values, and – in the end– a socially acceptable iconography for the portraiture was never adequately formulated. Portraits of men and women as Hercules and Omphale therefore remained exceptional in Roman visual culture as a whole.

I feel extremely fortunate to receive this fellowship and to experience so much in these short few months in Athens. I cannot neglect to mention the people at the CIG who have made me feel so welcome here. I would like to thank David for all his support, and for generally “putting up with me” (haha); Jonathan for making the office an enjoyable place to work, and for introducing us to the Red Lion and Excalibur (because a medieval castle with a dragon is always cool); and Tony for his endless encouragement (and fresh oranges of course). I would especially like to thank Vicki and Lauren for their friendship and for all our crazy adventures together – Athens will not be the same without them in the New Year, but I look forward to the times to come at the CIG!

Sarah Nash
Leipen Fellow, CIG