Podcast appearances and mentions of heather sebo

Dr. Heather Sebo begins by discussing the proposal in the parabasis of Aristophanes Frogs that clemency be extended to citizens exiled for their involvement in the oligarchic coup of 411 BCE. An instance of Aristophanes’ immersion in the issues and debates of his times is the way he alludes to the debasing of the coinage (discussed in a previous lecture), using it as a metaphor for the idea that good citizens are in exile while slaves become citizens. Also revealing of contemporary attitudes is the shift in Dionysos’ initial intention to bring Euripides back from Hades because he finds his poetry thrilling and stimulating to his ultimate decision for Aeschylus as the poet most likely to encourage patriotism and unquestioning self-sacrifice in the current military emergency. Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Dr. Heather Sebo begins by discussing the proposal in the parabasis of Aristophanes Frogs that clemency be extended to citizens exiled for their involvement in the oligarchic coup of 411 BCE. An instance of Aristophanes’ immersion in the issues and debates of his times is the way he alludes to the debasing of the coinage (discussed in a previous lecture), using it as a metaphor for the idea that good citizens are in exile while slaves become citizens. Also revealing of contemporary attitudes is the shift in Dionysos’ initial intention to bring Euripides back from Hades because he finds his poetry thrilling and stimulating to his ultimate decision for Aeschylus as the poet most likely to encourage patriotism and unquestioning self-sacrifice in the current military emergency. Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

For the ancients, the consequences of defeat in war were that every man, women and child became the property of the victors, to be disposed of in whatever way they saw fit. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo shows that the anxieties and implications of this terrible possibility were expressed on the Athenian stage, particularly in the Trojan War plays of Euripides. Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

For the ancients, the consequences of defeat in war were that every man, women and child became the property of the victors, to be disposed of in whatever way they saw fit. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo shows that the anxieties and implications of this terrible possibility were expressed on the Athenian stage, particularly in the Trojan War plays of Euripides. 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.

Dr Heather Sebo contrasts the traditions of women’s lament with the public orations associated with the communal burial of the war dead. It contrasts the traditional focus on personal grief and the irreplaceable uniqueness of the deceased individual with the political view of the dead as interchangeable and replaceable, as hero citizens who have done their duty in dying for the city but who will be replaced by others who will do the same. Sophocles’ Antigone (442 BCE) is very relevant to this issue in that it explores the psychological cost of suppressing the emotional expression of mourning and anticipates and the “replaceability argument”, especially as it will later be expressed in Perikles’ funeral oration (Thucydides 2.44.3). Copyright 2014 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Dr Heather Sebo contrasts the traditions of women’s lament with the public orations associated with the communal burial of the war dead. It contrasts the traditional focus on personal grief and the irreplaceable uniqueness of the deceased individual with the political view of the dead as interchangeable and replaceable, as hero citizens who have done their duty in dying for the city but who will be replaced by others who will do the same. Sophocles’ Antigone (442 BCE) is very relevant to this issue in that it explores the psychological cost of suppressing the emotional expression of mourning and anticipates and the “replaceability argument”, especially as it will later be expressed in Perikles’ funeral oration (Thucydides 2.44.3). Copyright 2014 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.

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.

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.

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.

Set in the aftermath of the Trojan War, Euripides’ Trojan Women is a lament for the fallen city and the fate of its women, destined for slavery. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo examines one of the darkest of all Greek plays, where tragedy upon tragedy is piled upon the women and children who have survived the sack of Troy – a poignant commentary on the futility of war and the plight of the weak and defenceless. Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Set in the aftermath of the Trojan War, Euripides’ Trojan Women is a lament for the fallen city and the fate of its women, destined for slavery. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo examines one of the darkest of all Greek plays, where tragedy upon tragedy is piled upon the women and children who have survived the sack of Troy – a poignant commentary on the futility of war and the plight of the weak and defenceless. Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Staged not long after the disastrous defeat of the Athenians at Syracuse during the Peloponnesian War, the seriousness of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata would not have been lost on its audience, despite it being a comedy laden with sexual humour. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo looks at the very real messages about the futility of war, the parlous state of Athens and the position of women in Athenian society in Aristophanes’ comedy of a sex strike orchestrated by women to bring their men to their knees… Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Staged not long after the disastrous defeat of the Athenians at Syracuse during the Peloponnesian War, the seriousness of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata would not have been lost on its audience, despite it being a comedy laden with sexual humour. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo looks at the very real messages about the futility of war, the parlous state of Athens and the position of women in Athenian society in Aristophanes’ comedy of a sex strike orchestrated by women to bring their men to their knees… Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Sophocles’ Ajax is one of our earliest surviving Greek plays, produced in c. 440 BC. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo examines Sophocles’ treatment of the theme of a changing world which posed new challenges and required new skills for coping – an issue only too familiar to contemporary 5th century Athenians. The ability of the adherents of the old order to cope with a new environment – or their lack of ability – is explored through the tragic figure of the hero Ajax. Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Sophocles’ Ajax is one of our earliest surviving Greek plays, produced in c. 440 BC. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo examines Sophocles’ treatment of the theme of a changing world which posed new challenges and required new skills for coping – an issue only too familiar to contemporary 5th century Athenians. The ability of the adherents of the old order to cope with a new environment – or their lack of ability – is explored through the tragic figure of the hero Ajax. Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Performed in Athens in the last years of the Peloponnesian War and when Athens had a democracy, Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis is appropriately a play about decision-making. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo traces the dramatic events in Iphigenia in Aulis leading up to the departure of the Greek fleet for Troy. Although based on a myth, Euripides’ play has never ceased to be relevant in terms of its examination of the dilemmas and circumstances in which human beings become enmeshed. Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Performed in Athens in the last years of the Peloponnesian War and when Athens had a democracy, Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis is appropriately a play about decision-making. In this lecture Dr Heather Sebo traces the dramatic events in Iphigenia in Aulis leading up to the departure of the Greek fleet for Troy. Although based on a myth, Euripides’ play has never ceased to be relevant in terms of its examination of the dilemmas and circumstances in which human beings become enmeshed. Copyright 2013 Gillian Shepherd / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.