Ancient Studies Week

October 10-15, 2016

Monday, Oct. 10, 12:00p-12:50p, 132 Performing Arts and Humanities Bldg. Lecture by Dr. James Romm, Bard College, “The Mythology of Ocean,” the river thought to encircle the earth in antiquity. Dr. Romm is an expert how Greeks and Romans imagined the ends of the earth.

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 10:00a-6:00p, near the University Center and the Forum outside the Performing Arts and Humanities Bldg.—Marathon Reading of Vergil’s Aeneid.

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 4:00p-5:00p, Gallery of A. O. Kuhn Library: ANCS Week Keynote Lecture by Dr. Josiah Ober, who will lecture on “Democracy, Legitimacy, and Civic Engagement.” Dr. Ober holds the Mitsotakis Chair in Classics and Political Science at Stanford University. A reception will follow the talk.

Thursday, Oct. 13, 7:00p-9:00p, 132 Performing Arts and Humanities Bldg.: concert reading of Aristophanes’ Knights. Contact Dr. Rosenbloom (dsrose@umbc.edu) if you are interested in reading.

Friday, Oct. 14, 12:00p-12:50p 234 Performing Arts and Humanities Bldg.: "Scribe School 2: Secrets of the Mycenae." Contact Riley (asarah1@umbc.edu) to register. 

Saturday, Oct. 15, 2:00p-5:30p, 7^th Floor A. O. Kuhn Library, ANCS Reunion Celebration of the UMBC’s 50^th Anniversary. Come see emeriti Professors Sherwin, Freyman, and Koehler as well as the current faculty and generations of ANCS alumni. Featured speaker is Dr. Joe Howley, 2005 ANCS graduate and Assistant Professor at Columbia University. The cost is $30 per person. Currently enrolled majors and minors can attend free of charge. Contact Domonique Pitts to register (dpitts@umbc.edu). Because the event is being catered, registration is required for attendance.

The UMBC Ancient Studies Department will conduct its 51^st annual study tour in Spain March 17-26, 2017. The price of $3,400.00 (based on a group of 30) includes all air and land travel, twin-share accommodation for eight nights at four-star hotels, eight buffet breakfasts, three dinners, two lunches, and entrance to all archaeological sites and museums on the itinerary. Single rooms are available at an additional cost. ANCS majors and minors, UMBC students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the community are invited to join us. The trip can be taken as a three-credit course in the Winter 2017 term (ANCS 301; winter semester tuition applies). Scholarships are available to Ancient Studies majors taking the course for credit. Places are limited, so reserve yours today! An initial deposit of $350.00 is due with your registration.

The tour begins with four nights in Barcelona. We will visit the City Museum of Barcelona, the Roman Walls and Carrer del Pardis (four columns from a temple of Augustus), the Plaça Vila de Madrid (Roman Necropolis) and the fabulous Picasso Museum. After a free day (all museums and sites are closed on Monday), we will make a day trip to nearby Tarragona to explore the remains of the city’s Roman infrastructure and to tour the museum. The following day we hit the road for Zaragoza (ancient Caesaraugusta), where we will visit the Museum of the Forum of Caesaraugusta and the Museum of the Public Baths. The next day we travel to Madrid for a tour of the incomparable National Archaeological Museum of Spain. Then we travel to the colonial town of Mérida (ancient Merita Augusta) to explore the Moorish palace and fortification Alcazaba before ending the day at the Mérida National Museum of Roman Art. The final day of the trip is devoted to a thorough exploration of Mérida, which became the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania, and has a wealth of Roman remains.

This is a wonderful opportunity to see Spain in the off season in fine spring weather. Drop off your registration form and deposit with Domonique Pitts at dpitts@umbc.edu or at 410-455-6265 (5-6265 from campus).