History

Julius Caesar was perhaps the most fascinating and controversial personality of western antiquity. Pacifier of Gaul, military genius, and political revolutionary, Caesar, with undeniable aspirations of dictatorship, presided over the last years of the Republic in an attempt to address the long-standing civil turmoil that had plagued Rome for half a century. His reforms were largely realized by his successor and heir, Octavian, the future Augustus. We invite you to hear Caesar hold forth on his military and political career, particularly his justification for embarking on a decisive path of one-man rule, a course of action that defied all sacred Roman traditions and prompted his murder by senatorial conspirators. William Cumiford, Ph. D., Associate Professor of History will be portraying Caesar.

Abigail and John Adams lived through some of the most tumultuous times in American History. Beginning their marriage on a Massachusetts farm in British Colonial America, they participated in the revolution that led to independence, traveled to Europe to advance the interests of the new nation, and returned to the United States where John served as the nation's first Vice President and second President. You are invited to listen to the letters that attest to their fascinating life together that spanned 54 years. The letters will be read by Dr. Elizabeth Eastman, Assistant Professor of Political Science who also teaches in the History Department. Dr. John C. Eastman is the Henry Salvatori Professor of Law and Community Service and the former Dean of Chapman Law School.

Italian poet, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker, Dante Alighieri is probably best known for his most famous work, the Divine Comedy, but he was also a person of profound passions and deep idiosyncrasies. He was exiled from Florence for political reasons, yet he lived a creative and remarkable life wandering the streets of Italy while his impossible love, Beatrice, became the center of his universe. We invite you to join Dante's ineffable experience: the journey of a poet, a man and a lover. The Department of Languages- Instructor of Italian and Latin, William D'Alonzo, is Dante for the night and gives an unforgettable performance.

Exactly 200 years since the publication of "Sense and Sensibility," Jane Austen visits Chapman University and confronts the legacy of her writing. Learn how her romantic novels transcend from the 19th century to today through film and adaptation.