This year we are pleased to offer a mix of on-site presentations and “remote” visits: a virtual “in-person” presentation or a pre-recorded presentation tailored to your group.

To order a presentation use the online form.

Featured: Presentations suitable for STEM Classes (and everyone else!)

PLAGUES AND PANDEMICS [our most popular presentation!]
In-person or virtual
Michelle Lessard, Sydney Kennedy or Alex Bullock, PhD Students
We are currently living in a global pandemic, but pandemics are nothing new. This presentation explores the evidence for ancient diseases and how people responded to them. We will look at the descriptions of pandemics written by eyewitnesses and compare them to osteoarcheological remains (ancient skeletons!) to see how scholars can study the effects of pandemics within different societies.

HOW ERATOSTHENES MEASURED THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE EARTH
In-person or virtual
Austin Hattori, PhD Student
How do you measure the size of Earth without satellite technology or circling the globe yourself? More than 2,200 years ago, the philosopher/scientist Eratosthenes did just that. This presentation discusses Eratosthenes' method of calculation of Earth's circumference as well as his life and times, and students will gain not only insight into Eratosthenes' discovery but also the scientific and mathematical developments connected to the famed Library of Alexandria. Versions of this presentation geared to either middle or high school audiences are available.

ANCIENT GREEK MEDICAL EXPERIMENTS
In-person or virtual
Michelle Lessard, PhD Student
Ancient Greek doctors had some unusual ideas about how the body functioned. In the Hippocratic corpus, a series of medical treatises from the 4th and 5th centuries BCE, some doctors used analogies and experiments to support their theories and reveal the mysterious inner workings of the body. In this presentation, we will explore some of the notable experiments from these texts and consider what these experiments tell us about Greek medicine and the development of scientific thought.

ANCIENT STORIES IN THE STARS
In-person or virtual
Luiza dos Santos Souza, PhD Student
Human curiosity about the stars has existed for a very long time. The era of space exploration--the race to the Moon, sci-fi series, and the search for life on Mars--in fact, started millennia ago with the attentive observation of the heavenly bodies. Many stories from Greek Mythology deal with the existence of constellations which frequently memorialize heroes, heroines, and creatures in the sky. In this presentation we will discuss some of these stories, learn about the Zodiac constellations and the movements of the stars, and explore how the setting and rising of some stars was essential to the daily lives of the Ancient Greeks, from farming to sea voyages.

“PLINY" OF FISH IN THE SEA: MARINE BIOLOGY IN ANCIENT ROME-NEW
In-person or virtual
Michelle Lessard, Ph.D. Student
Have you ever wondered what the Romans knew about fish? You can find the answer to this question and hundreds more in the Natural History, an encyclopedia written by Pliny the Elder in the first century CE. The Natural Historyreveals what the Romans did (and didn't) understand about the natural world and is filled with quotes and anecdotes that expand our understanding of life in the Roman empire. This presentation is a tour of Pliny's marine biology, complete with fantastic creatures, luxury fashions, invasive species, and some surprising beliefs about dolphins and frogs.

Featured: Presentations suitable for Civics or History Classes (and everyone else!)

LIVIA: ROME'S FIRST EMPRESS - NEW!
In-person or virtual
Ted Boivin, Ph.D. Student
Caesar. Augustus. Caligula. Nero. History loves to remember the “big” men of Rome’s transition from Republic to Empire, but what about the women of Roman history? This presentation explores the history of Livia, Augustus’ empress, and the powerful women who surrounded her. From her participation in the rebellion of Antony’s wife, Fulvia, against her future husband, to her efforts to secure the empire for her own son, Tiberius, to her feud with Augustus’ granddaughter, Agrippina, explore the legacy of the woman who shaped a dynasty—and how the historians who came after her shaped her own story to their views of history. (On request, this presentation can be modified to explore what we know of less famous women in the Roman world, as well.) 

POMPEII: LIFE FROM THE ASHES
In-person or virtual
Cleo Elizabeth-Robertson or Michelle Lessard, Ph.D. Students
Walk with ancient Romans! This presentation will take students on a behind-the-scenes tour of Pompeii, a Roman city buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Tour stops will include the town forum, an elite house, a “fast food joint,” the theatre district, the amphitheater, and the cemeteries outside the city walls. And did you know that Cincinnati has been digging up Pompeii for over a decade? In fact it’s the largest area of Pompeii to be excavated in the past 200 years! We’ll show you what we’ve been discovering and learning about an entire neighborhood of the city. This presentation can be modified to include more on volcanology.

MASSACRE IN THE WOODLANDS: A 2000 YEAR OLD ROMAN COLD CASE
In-person or virtual
Alessandro Battaglia, Ph.D. Student
In the Summer of 9 AD, three Roman legions marching into the German woodlands were ambushed by German warriors and slaughtered almost to a man. The Romans lost up to 20,000 men in one of their most dramatic defeats, stopping any further Roman expansion into Germany. For centuries archaeologists and historians looked for the battle site identified with the battle of Teutoburg, looking into the Roman historians' accounts to find a suitable location. Finally, the combined efforts of archaeologists and historians yielded a possible site in the late 80's: the hill of Kalkriese. Together, we will investigate the battlefield at Kalkriese and the history of its discovery. Together, we will decide whether this archaeological site in the woodlands of Northern Germany fits the profile of the battle of Teutoburg. In our in-depth investigation, we will examine the weapons, tools, and everyday objects of both Romans and Germans, and see what the battlefield at Kalkriese can tell us about the battle that took place there 2000 years ago. 

THE ROMAN ARMY: THE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT YOU THE ROMAN EMPIRE
In-person or virtual
Alessandro Battaglia, Ph.D. Student
Everyone knows the Roman army was a powerful military force, but did you know it did much more than fight wars? It developed the road network that tied the empire together, brought men from around the Mediterranean to defend the borders, and took Rome from a village on the banks of a modest Italian river to unrivaled mastery. Along the way, it brought fame and power to Cincinnatus, Julius Caesar, and Constantine—to name just a few! This talk will explore the life and times of the Roman army—how it fought, what it looked like, and what its soldiers were up to when they weren’t at war. You’ll get a sense of the wealth of surviving evidence: from literature and fine sculpture to the letters soldiers wrote, the shoes they wore, and the tombstones they designed for themselves.

AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!: A DAY AT THE GLADIATORIAL GAMES
In-person or virtual
Luiza dos Santos Souza, Haley Bertram, or Cinzia Presti, Ph.D. Students
We’ve all seen Hollywood’s depictions of gladiatorial combat, but what was a day at the games really like? Through the eyes of the Roman citizen Marcus, you’ll experience the full program of events at the spectacle that defined the Roman Empire and literally set the stage for many of today’s entertainments, including mixed-martial arts events and Spanish bullfights. Enjoy the history of the Colosseum, the greatest amphitheater of the Roman world, and watch as the action pits man against beast in the venationes. Hear about the training of the fighters, learn to tell the difference between types of gladiators based on their armor, and cheer on your favorite fighter in a final battle as an experienced retiarius attempts to win his freedom. Finally, exiting the amphitheater, you will discover the true meaning of what the Romans referred to as a vomitorium!

THE ORIGINAL DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS: CONSTITUTIONS OF ANCIENT ATHENS AND ROME
In-Person
Patrick O’Callahan, Ph.D. student
We often hear about how much our American system of government owes to Greece and Rome, but what were the realities of the Athenian and Roman constitutions that inspired America's Founding Fathers? This presentation will explore where our principles of democracy come from, what the Roman Senate looked like, and how checks and balances worked in ancient constitutions. But it will also cover some of the stark differences between the ancient world and the modern, like the Athenian practice of exiling politicians who got too popular, or the Roman ability to legally replace their government with a dictator--but only for six months!

THE WORLD OF WOMEN IN HOMER’S ODYSSEY [Now with Classical music!]
In-person or virtual
Kelsey Schalo, Ph.D. Student
Homer’s Odyssey has fascinated audiences for thousands of years thanks to the incredible and captivating adventures of its main character, Odysseus. But Homer’s world is populated with fascinating women at every stage of the hero’s troubled journey. This presentation will take us into the world of four mythological women, all different from one another, yet all crucial to Odysseus’ tale: Calypso, the powerful, loving nymph; Nausicaa, a young girl growing up; Circe, the enigmatic witch; and Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, his perfect match in skill and cunning. Together we will explore the world of these mythological women and their differences. We will also combine each woman to a specific score the talented musicians of our Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra will provide us. These four pieces will better capture their emotions during Odysseus' quest, as we turn the spotlight from the hero to their female companions. (This presentation can be tailored to coincide with a unit on the Homeric poems or so that outside knowledge of the Odyssey is not necessary.)

Past Meets Present: The Afterlife of Vergil’s Aeneid [new!]
Ted Boivin, Ph.D. Student
Vergil’s celebrated Latin epic, the Aeneid, celebrates the foundation of Rome within the epic world of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, but also commemorates Rome’s “refoundation” under the first emperor, Augustus, after decades of intermittent civil wars. And just as Vergil turned to Homer for inspiration, so too have others—for two thousand years!—fitted Vergil to their own times in art, poetry, and music inspired by the Aeneid. From later Roman poets like Lucan to Dante’s Divine Comedy, from the English Reformation to our present day, explore the afterlife of the Aeneid and its ongoing relevance even down to today.

PASSION, MADNESS AND LOVE: WOMEN IN ANCIENT MYTH [Now with Classical music]
In-person or virtual
Kelsey Schalo, Ph.D. Student
Adaptable for modules on women in the Iliad and Aeneid 
We usually associate Greek mythology with heroes, such as Achilles, Jason, or Hercules. What about the women? Greek society often left them in the background, as secondary characters in the male sagas. Mythology, however, is a different story. Women in myth are active and resolute: they are no longer wives and daughters happy to live quietly inside the house. Through this presentation, we will focus on women whose strong agency and determination still fascinates us. Together we will explore the stories of tragic characters (such as Medea and Phaedra), and the volition of young women (as Antigone and Electra). We can also look at the Trojan War from the perspective of all the women it affected. Helen and Clytemnestra are not so different from Hecuba, Andromache and Cassandra: beyond their status, they are all reacting to the same chain of destruction. The performance of evocative scores by our Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra will help us appreciate the different emotions animating each character. 

MAGIC AND MALICE: WITCHES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD
In-person or virtual
Kelsey Schalo, Ph.D. student
The literary ancient witch was one of monstrous and malicious intent. From roaming graveyards to slaughtering children for love potions, the ancient witch struck fear into the hearts of men, and their horrific descriptions challenged even the most horrific of monsters. Yet, the majority of real-life 'spell-casters' were men. Why this fear? Why women? In this presentation, we will explore the terror and hatred that fueled descriptions of the ancient witch, and examine the divine power that rivals even the gods. Note: contains graphic descriptions but is available in a PG version.

DIGGING UP HOMER
In-person or virtual
Jacob Engstrom, Graham Braun, Ph.D. Students
Did the Trojan War really happen? This presentation is designed to give the audience an introduction to the archaeological evidence for one of the most gripping stories of the ancient world, Homer’s Iliad. Discussion focuses on archaeological excavations at Bronze Age palaces in Greece including those of Agamemnon and Nestor at Mycenae and Pylos, and from the citadel at Troy. Different forms of archaeological evidence including ceramics, fortifications, weapons, wall paintings, bones, and bathtubs paint a varied and dynamic picture of an ancient way of life. But is this enough to prove Homer’s tale? To answer this tantalizing question, this presentation looks at the problems involved when Homer and archaeology are brought together and what archaeologists are doing to figure out the best ways to determine if “X” truly marks the spot.

WHAT DO ARCHAEOLOGISTS DO, ANYWAY?
In-person or virtual
Rebecca Kerns, or Molly Katkin and Sydney Kennedy, Ph.D. Students
This presentation explores the work of archaeologists and our place in society. The word “archaeologist” usually brings up images of Indiana Jones, treasure-hunting, or reanimated mummies. Real archaeology is not usually so Hollywood-friendly, but the field is full of both dangers and rewards. We will first discuss the goals of archaeology and how this discipline has contributed to our understanding of human history. We will then consider exactly what archaeologists do, including excavation, laboratory work, and experiments. We will look at a typical day on an excavation, including work, meals, accommodations, and recreation. Finally we will explore the role of archaeologists as advocates for the protection of our past.

CINCINNATI IN THE AEGEAN: GREEK ARTIFACTS IN CINCINNATI
In-person or virtual
Christine Weber or Jacob Engstrom, Ph.D. Students
Did you know that archaeologists from Cincinnati have been digging in the lands around the Mediterranean since the 1920s? Using objects from the departmental Classics Study Collection, this talk presents the history of Greek archaeology at the University of Cincinnati. In particular, the great characters of Cincinnati Classical archaeology - Carl Blegen, Jack Caskey, Marion Rawson - and their amazing discoveries about the prehistory of the Aegean Sea region are presented alongside some of the objects found on their digs. Together with these pioneers, we will explore the sites at Troy, Pylos and many others.

SHERD NERDS: HOW BROKEN POTS TEACH US ABOUT ANCIENT LIFE
In-person or virtual
Maura Brennan or Callie Todhunter, Ph.D. Students
When you open your kitchen cupboard, what do you see? What would an archaeologist find 2000 years in the future? The majority of artifacts that archaeologists discover are broken pieces of cups and bowls, just like the ones in your cupboards. But how do archaeologists study these broken pieces? Together, we will learn how ancient Greeks and Romans made, moved, and used pottery. We will discuss how archaeologists dig up this material, study it, and use it to learn about various aspects of the ancient world, from trade routes to how people ate and drank. Find out what pottery can tell us about people who lived 2000 years ago!