Associate professor, Department of Classics and Religious Studies
What is your area of specialization?
Ancient Greek and Roman drama
Why did you choose Classics as your profession?
I've always loved the ancient world and reading, so reading, writing, and teaching about the ancient world seemed like a dream job!
What is your favorite course to teach?
It's hard to pick one, but I really love teaching language courses. Introducing students to Latin or ancient Greek, helping them get oriented in the way a foreign language structures itself and the world, and then reflecting back on how we use English -- it's very exciting. And then getting to read ancient literature in the original language feels like you've been given the keys to a whole new world.
What are you currently researching?
I'm finishing a book on theater and tyranny in the ancient world. It looks at the way kings are depicted in Greek and Roman tragedy, and sets that alongside the way that real historical rulers used drama to support their regimes: certain historical rulers are clearly influenced by famous kings in tragedy, and certain tragic characters in later drama start to look like particular historical rulers.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?
I enjoy spending time with my family. My children are old enough now that we can do some traveling, and introducing them to places I've been, or exploring new places with them, is wonderful.
