Podcast appearances and mentions of gillian shepherd

Rhiannon Evans, Caillan Davenport, Gillian Shepherd and Matt Smith each share three items of Roman interest for three minutes! You will hear: - Silius Italicus and his unbearable bunion - Pomponius Mela and the wonders of the Nile - Snarky soldiers at the Vindolanda fort - Legacy hunters and the jewels of Matidia - Unusual dedications to the gods - Early sources for the great fire of Rome - The effectiveness of Roman concrete - How Rome dealt with mass burial of the poor - Sea monsters - Curse tablets and sporting fanatics - Vedius Pollio throws a clumsy slave to the lamprey - The rare instances of Romans sacrificing people Guests: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University) Assoc. Professor Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University/Humboldt Research Fellow, Goethe University, Frankfurt) Dr Gillian Shepherd (Director, Trendall Centre, La Trobe University)

One of the seven hills of Rome, the Palatine is associated the mythical origins of the city and the very wealthy elite. It was here, starting with Augustus, that the Emperors made their home, looking down on the city they ruled over for hundreds of years. Here’s Gillian Shepherd. Guest: Dr Gillian Shepherd (Trendall Centre, La Trobe University)

Recorded Thursday 7 September 2017. The Shrine of Remembrance was inspired by classical architecture, especially the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Although the Mausoleum did not house the war dead, its decoration depicted scenes of mythical combat common throughout the ancient Greek world, particularly in Athens—where special arrangements were made for the commemoration of the war dead, especially those who fell at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. This talk looks at the ancient origins of our modern commemoration. To find out more about upcoming talks at the Shrine of Remembrance, visit shrine.org.au/bookings

Having looked at some practical issues regarding ancient Greek slavery, in this second lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd examines some of the attitudes of the ancient Greeks towards their slaves – including terminology, approaches to treating slaves, “rights” of slaves, debates about the justification and morality of slavery, and the notion of the “natural slave”. Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Having looked at some practical issues regarding ancient Greek slavery, in this second lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd examines some of the attitudes of the ancient Greeks towards their slaves – including terminology, approaches to treating slaves, “rights” of slaves, debates about the justification and morality of slavery, and the notion of the “natural slave”. Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In the first of two lectures on Ancient Greek slavery, Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at two important slave systems – chattel slavery in Athens and the helots of Sparta – and how they might have come into being. Concentrating on Athenian slavery, the lecture goes on to examine some essential features of ancient Greek slavery, including sources and numbers of slaves, the work undertaken my slaves and their role in the ancient economy. Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In the first of two lectures on Ancient Greek slavery, Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at two important slave systems – chattel slavery in Athens and the helots of Sparta – and how they might have come into being. Concentrating on Athenian slavery, the lecture goes on to examine some essential features of ancient Greek slavery, including sources and numbers of slaves, the work undertaken my slaves and their role in the ancient economy. Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Athens was a wealthy and prosperous place in the classical period. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd takes a closer look at the Athenian economy by examining the nature of coinage in ancient Greece and one major source of Athenian wealth – the silver mines of Laurion, which provided the famous “Owl” coins of Athens. Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Athens was a wealthy and prosperous place in the classical period. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd takes a closer look at the Athenian economy by examining the nature of coinage in ancient Greece and one major source of Athenian wealth – the silver mines of Laurion, which provided the famous “Owl” coins of Athens. Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Greek art is full of images of “others”, both historical (such as the Persians and Scythians) and mythological (such as centaurs and Amazons). In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd examines how non-Greek groups were represented visually, how they appear in relation to Greeks, and the role of such imagery in defining Greek culture and making reference, albeit obliquely, to recent historical events. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Greek art is full of images of “others”, both historical (such as the Persians and Scythians) and mythological (such as centaurs and Amazons). In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd examines how non-Greek groups were represented visually, how they appear in relation to Greeks, and the role of such imagery in defining Greek culture and making reference, albeit obliquely, to recent historical events. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

One of the best sources of evidence for understanding an ancient society is burials. Ancient cemeteries can provide evidence for population, diet, social divisions, religious beliefs and cultural practices, and changes in funerary method can signal changes in social and cultural attitudes and priorities. However, the evidence needs to be treated carefully, since cemeteries do not necessarily provide direct reflections of ancient populations and can represent idealised social identities. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at patterns, shifts and changes in classical Athenian burial customs and explores their possible explanations. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

One of the best sources of evidence for understanding an ancient society is burials. Ancient cemeteries can provide evidence for population, diet, social divisions, religious beliefs and cultural practices, and changes in funerary method can signal changes in social and cultural attitudes and priorities. However, the evidence needs to be treated carefully, since cemeteries do not necessarily provide direct reflections of ancient populations and can represent idealised social identities. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at patterns, shifts and changes in classical Athenian burial customs and explores their possible explanations. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

One of the preoccupations of the ancient Greeks, especially in the fifth century BC, was the idea of the barbarian “other” – people who were barbaros (ie did not speak Greek) and had customs and cultures which contrasted with the practices of the Greeks. The fifth century BC historian Herodotus was particularly interested in such “ethnography” and provides detailed accounts of other groups like the Egyptians, Scythians, the Amazons and the Persians. In this lecture Dr Rhiannon Evans looks at Herodotus’ ideas of other peoples and how in fact they might shed more light on the Greeks than the “others”. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

One of the preoccupations of the ancient Greeks, especially in the fifth century BC, was the idea of the barbarian “other” – people who were barbaros (ie did not speak Greek) and had customs and cultures which contrasted with the practices of the Greeks. The fifth century BC historian Herodotus was particularly interested in such “ethnography” and provides detailed accounts of other groups like the Egyptians, Scythians, the Amazons and the Persians. In this lecture Dr Rhiannon Evans looks at Herodotus’ ideas of other peoples and how in fact they might shed more light on the Greeks than the “others”. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd takes a closer look at the ancient Greek symposion – the ritualised, male and often elite drinking party which could also be the context for sexual encounters beyond the institution of marriage – such as with hetairai (courtesans) or pederasty, the socially condoned erotic relationship between a man and an adolescent boy. Archaeological evidence – especially in the form of recognisable dining facilities and symposion-related imagery on vases – combined with a range of ancient texts provides intriguing insight into this ancient cultural practice. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd takes a closer look at the ancient Greek symposion – the ritualised, male and often elite drinking party which could also be the context for sexual encounters beyond the institution of marriage – such as with hetairai (courtesans) or pederasty, the socially condoned erotic relationship between a man and an adolescent boy. Archaeological evidence – especially in the form of recognisable dining facilities and symposion-related imagery on vases – combined with a range of ancient texts provides intriguing insight into this ancient cultural practice. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Buried under the ash from the cataclysmic eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in AD 79, Pompeii and other sites around the Bay of Naples provide extraordinary insights into a Roman town –not just what it looked liked, but how it functioned also. This lecture looks at some of the main public buildings of Pompeii, and especially the development of Pompeii immediately after it was made a Roman colony, and then later in the early Imperial period. What emerges is the role of architecture and other urban adorment in the promotion of individual careers in Pompeii – also reflected in the homes of Pompeiians. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Buried under the ash from the cataclysmic eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in AD 79, Pompeii and other sites around the Bay of Naples provide extraordinary insights into a Roman town –not just what it looked liked, but how it functioned also. This lecture looks at some of the main public buildings of Pompeii, and especially the development of Pompeii immediately after it was made a Roman colony, and then later in the early Imperial period. What emerges is the role of architecture and other urban adorment in the promotion of individual careers in Pompeii – also reflected in the homes of Pompeiians. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Greek ideas of male sexuality differed from modern Western ones; rather than defining their sexual orientation one way or another, Greek men could indulge in both hetero- and homosexual relationships, although the latter seems to have been socially condoned only in the context of the relationship between an adolescent and an older man. In this lecture Dr Rhiannon Evans explores one of the great philosophical discussions of (male) love and sexuality – Plato’s Symposium, which describes a conversation between some of the leading thinkers of late fifth century Athens. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Greek ideas of male sexuality differed from modern Western ones; rather than defining their sexual orientation one way or another, Greek men could indulge in both hetero- and homosexual relationships, although the latter seems to have been socially condoned only in the context of the relationship between an adolescent and an older man. In this lecture Dr Rhiannon Evans explores one of the great philosophical discussions of (male) love and sexuality – Plato’s Symposium, which describes a conversation between some of the leading thinkers of late fifth century Athens. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Nearly all the textual sources for ancient Greece were written by elite men – and very often Athenian men. One important exception to this is the lyric poetry of Sappho, a woman from the island of Lesbos who was born in the later 7th century BC. In this lecture Dr Rhiannon Evans analyses the poetry of Sappho, in which love for individuals of both sexes is prominent, and sets in the context of differing attitudes to sexuality in the ancient world. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Nearly all the textual sources for ancient Greece were written by elite men – and very often Athenian men. One important exception to this is the lyric poetry of Sappho, a woman from the island of Lesbos who was born in the later 7th century BC. In this lecture Dr Rhiannon Evans analyses the poetry of Sappho, in which love for individuals of both sexes is prominent, and sets in the context of differing attitudes to sexuality in the ancient world. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Augustus continued the late Republican trend of utilising public building as a propagandist tool, to promote himself and his regime. However, Augustan monuments are also notable for their elevation of the emperor's dynasty and their portrayal of women and children – a first in Roman public art. These buildings are therefore useful tools for popularising Augustus' regime and preparing the way for his succession, as well as further cementing his family values in ahighly public way. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Athenian tragedies of the 5th century BC provide an extra dimension to our impressions of women and attitudes to women in ancient Greece. Here, women can be strong, powerful and commit (under provocation!) heinous crimes; the men, in comparison, often seem vain, weak and too ready to break important social codes. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo looks at three tragic plays which revolve around women – Aeschylos’ Agamemnon, Sophocles’ Antigone and Euripides’ Medea – and examines their exploration of women and their place in society. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Athenian tragedies of the 5th century BC provide an extra dimension to our impressions of women and attitudes to women in ancient Greece. Here, women can be strong, powerful and commit (under provocation!) heinous crimes; the men, in comparison, often seem vain, weak and too ready to break important social codes. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo looks at three tragic plays which revolve around women – Aeschylos’ Agamemnon, Sophocles’ Antigone and Euripides’ Medea – and examines their exploration of women and their place in society. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

While texts which deal with the lives of women in ancient Greece are relatively few and limited, images of women abound, especially on Athenian red-figured pottery of the 5th century BC. Like the texts, however, these images need to be considered carefully: do they conform to the impressions gained from the textual evidence? Expand upon them? Or even confound them? In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd takes a closer look at images of ancient Greek women. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

While texts which deal with the lives of women in ancient Greece are relatively few and limited, images of women abound, especially on Athenian red-figured pottery of the 5th century BC. Like the texts, however, these images need to be considered carefully: do they conform to the impressions gained from the textual evidence? Expand upon them? Or even confound them? In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd takes a closer look at images of ancient Greek women. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

One of the most intriguing problems in investigating ancient Greece is reconstructing the lives of women. In the first of several lectures on women in this lecture series, Dr Heather Sebo explores some of the ideology, legislation and cultural practices surrounding and integral to the lives of women in ancient Greece. As usual, most of the evidence comes from Athens – with the added problem here that it was largely generated by men and the agency of women is hard to detect. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

One of the most intriguing problems in investigating ancient Greece is reconstructing the lives of women. In the first of several lectures on women in this lecture series, Dr Heather Sebo explores some of the ideology, legislation and cultural practices surrounding and integral to the lives of women in ancient Greece. As usual, most of the evidence comes from Athens – with the added problem here that it was largely generated by men and the agency of women is hard to detect. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Herakles and Theseus were two of the great Athenian heroes – renowned for their feats of strength and bravery in myth as they rid the world of monsters and other threats. Yet these myths were far from set in stone, and could be manipulated to reflect the priorities of the contemporary world in 6th century and also democratic Athens. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo examines the role of Herakles and Theseus in Athenian thought and culture. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Herakles and Theseus were two of the great Athenian heroes – renowned for their feats of strength and bravery in myth as they rid the world of monsters and other threats. Yet these myths were far from set in stone, and could be manipulated to reflect the priorities of the contemporary world in 6th century and also democratic Athens. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo examines the role of Herakles and Theseus in Athenian thought and culture. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In addition to the Panathenaia, Athens had another great festival: the Dionysia. This was a festival celebrated in spring in honour of the god Dionysos, with a dramatic competition as its centrepiece – going to the theatre was part of a religious festival. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo looks at the structure of the festival, the nature of dramatic performances in Athens, and the links between the dramatic festival and Athenian society, democracy and politics. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In addition to the Panathenaia, Athens had another great festival: the Dionysia. This was a festival celebrated in spring in honour of the god Dionysos, with a dramatic competition as its centrepiece – going to the theatre was part of a religious festival. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo looks at the structure of the festival, the nature of dramatic performances in Athens, and the links between the dramatic festival and Athenian society, democracy and politics. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

The ancient Greek year was underpinned by a series of festivals. These religious events were fundamental to the structure of Greek society: state festivals punctuated the year and citizens were required to participate; other cults were devoted to more private types of religion. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo looks at one of the great Athenian state festivals, the Panathenaia in honour of the city goddess Athena, and compares it with the mystery cult of Demeter, based at Eleusis. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

The ancient Greek year was underpinned by a series of festivals. These religious events were fundamental to the structure of Greek society: state festivals punctuated the year and citizens were required to participate; other cults were devoted to more private types of religion. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo looks at one of the great Athenian state festivals, the Panathenaia in honour of the city goddess Athena, and compares it with the mystery cult of Demeter, based at Eleusis. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

An essential feature of Athenian democracy was its system of litigation; here not only private cases were tried, but points of civic legislation put to the test. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at Athenian law courts and the legal system as well as archaeological evidence for selecting the huge juries and conducting trials, together with some other important features of Athenian life and culture as revealed by the Agora. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

An essential feature of Athenian democracy was its system of litigation; here not only private cases were tried, but points of civic legislation put to the test. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at Athenian law courts and the legal system as well as archaeological evidence for selecting the huge juries and conducting trials, together with some other important features of Athenian life and culture as revealed by the Agora. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Over the course of the 7th and 6th centuries BC, major changes occurred in Athens which laid the foundations for the prosperous and powerful state of classical Athens. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd traces some of these important developments. A critical area of the city – the agora, the public square which was the administrative and commercial heart of the Athenian state – seems to have been designated in this period and the first civic buildings erected around it. After the social tensions of the 7th century, three major political upheavals occurred in the 6th century: the reforms of the lawmaker Solon, the tyranny of Peisistratos and, at the very of the century, the rise of Athenian democracy – the subject of the next lecture. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd picks up from where the last left off: with the fall of the Peisistratid tyranny and the rise of democracy in Athens. With the reforms of Kleisthenes, the Athenian political landscape was radically altered and old channels of power broken. The Agora and other areas of Athens such as the Pnyx provide important evidence for the new form of government – and while Athenian democracy differs in many respects from modern democracy and was more restricted, nevertheless in no other Greek state did such a wide section of the population hold power. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Over the course of the 7th and 6th centuries BC, major changes occurred in Athens which laid the foundations for the prosperous and powerful state of classical Athens. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd traces some of these important developments. A critical area of the city – the agora, the public square which was the administrative and commercial heart of the Athenian state – seems to have been designated in this period and the first civic buildings erected around it. After the social tensions of the 7th century, three major political upheavals occurred in the 6th century: the reforms of the lawmaker Solon, the tyranny of Peisistratos and, at the very of the century, the rise of Athenian democracy – the subject of the next lecture. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd picks up from where the last left off: with the fall of the Peisistratid tyranny and the rise of democracy in Athens. With the reforms of Kleisthenes, the Athenian political landscape was radically altered and old channels of power broken. The Agora and other areas of Athens such as the Pnyx provide important evidence for the new form of government – and while Athenian democracy differs in many respects from modern democracy and was more restricted, nevertheless in no other Greek state did such a wide section of the population hold power. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

The period between the fall of the Mycenaean civilisation and the 8th century BC is conventionally known as the “Dark Ages” of ancient Greece because of a relative dearth of evidence: Greece appears to be a more isolated and impoverished place, and some technological skills and also literacy appear to have been lost. In the 8th century, however, we see significant changes afoot not only in the archaeological record but also in overseas contact and the development of a Greek alphabet. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd examines some of the extraordinary developments which have led to the 8th century being dubbed “The Greek Renaissance”. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

The period between the fall of the Mycenaean civilisation and the 8th century BC is conventionally known as the “Dark Ages” of ancient Greece because of a relative dearth of evidence: Greece appears to be a more isolated and impoverished place, and some technological skills and also literacy appear to have been lost. In the 8th century, however, we see significant changes afoot not only in the archaeological record but also in overseas contact and the development of a Greek alphabet. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd examines some of the extraordinary developments which have led to the 8th century being dubbed “The Greek Renaissance”. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In this second lecture on sources for ancient Greece, Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at some of the practicalities surrounding the study of material culture (such as the dating of objects) and also at issues of survival, excavation and the methodological issues to bear in mind when assessing the significance of archaeological evidence. She goes on to describe two “success stories” where archaeological and textual evidence have been successfully combined to reconstruct two features of the Athenian navy which was so critical to Athenian prosperity: the Arsenal at Pireaus, the monumental building where the rigging for the ships was stored, and the trireme Olympias, a modern reconstruction of an ancient warship. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In this second lecture on sources for ancient Greece, Dr Gillian Shepherd looks at some of the practicalities surrounding the study of material culture (such as the dating of objects) and also at issues of survival, excavation and the methodological issues to bear in mind when assessing the significance of archaeological evidence. She goes on to describe two “success stories” where archaeological and textual evidence have been successfully combined to reconstruct two features of the Athenian navy which was so critical to Athenian prosperity: the Arsenal at Pireaus, the monumental building where the rigging for the ships was stored, and the trireme Olympias, a modern reconstruction of an ancient warship. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Two main categories of evidence are essential to the study of ancient Greece: texts and archaeological material. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd examines the first category, taking a look at two major historical writers of the 5th century BC, Herodotus and Thucydides, and flags up some of the methodological issues associated with the use of textual evidence in reconstructing ancient Greek history and culture. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Two main categories of evidence are essential to the study of ancient Greece: texts and archaeological material. In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd examines the first category, taking a look at two major historical writers of the 5th century BC, Herodotus and Thucydides, and flags up some of the methodological issues associated with the use of textual evidence in reconstructing ancient Greek history and culture. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd describes the basic background of ancient Greece – geography, resources, main political structures, chronology and modern terminology – setting the scene for this series of lectures on city and society in the ancient Greek world. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

In this lecture Dr Gillian Shepherd describes the basic background of ancient Greece – geography, resources, main political structures, chronology and modern terminology – setting the scene for this series of lectures on city and society in the ancient Greek world. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.