Public lectures and debates

Institute of Classical Studies Public Lecture

Date

8 May, 5pm

Location

Woburn Suite, Senate House

Details

Elizabeth Pender and Emma Stafford (University of Leeds): Celebrating the elite or just elitism? The Ancient Olympics and contemporary academic values

Public Lecture

Date

22 May, 6.30pm

Location

Gustav Tuck Lecture Theatre, UCL

Details

Speaker

Martin Polley, sports historian and author of The British Olympics

Olimpick, Olympic, and Olympian: British re-imaginings between Zeus and Coubertin

Followed by a reception

Sponsor

With the generous support of the UCL Leventis Fund

Classical Association - North Staffs Branch

Date

24 May, 7.30pm

Location

Drama Studio, Clayton Business & Language College, Newcastle, Staffs ST5 3DN

Details

Jason Konig (St Andrews): The Ancient Olympics in the Roman Empire and Beyond: a look at past Olympics in the light of the 2012 London Games

Hellenic Society Annual General Meeting

Date

9 June, 2pm

Location

Senate Room, Senate House

Details

Speaker

Dr Michael Scott: Where Eagles Meet: Highs and Lows at the Centre of the Ancient World.

Followed by SPHS AGM & wine reception

John Barron Memorial Lecture

Date

13 June, 6pm

Location

Institute of Classical Studies, Senate House

Details

Speaker

Professor Panos Valavanis (University of Athens): Athletics and Politics in the ancient Greek games

Public lecture followed by a wine reception

Sponsor

Greek Archaeological Committee

Evening Lectures

Date

15 June

Location

British Museum, BP Lecture Theatre

Details

Two mini lectures by distinguished Cambridge academics will explore aspects of the ancient and modern competition. 

Tickets are free, but booking is required. A flyer with further information is available.

Speakers

Dr Nigel Spivey: Olympia: the fruits of excavation

Professor Mary Beard: More than a mascot? Much Wenlock and the Greeks

The lectures will be followed by a wine reception.

Sponsor

This event is supported by the Joint Association of Classical Teachers.

Roman Society Annual General Meeting

Debate: Fit Bodies

Date

19 June, 6.30-7.30pm (doors open at 6pm)

Location

Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL, Malet Place

Details

A debate around the Fit Bodies exhibition at the Petrie Museum. Details and guest speakers will be announced nearer the time. 

Classics in our Lunchtimes

Date

28 June, 1.15-1.45

Location

Leeds City Museum

Details

Speaker

Emma Stafford (University of Leeds): Olympic Beginnings: preparing for the Games, then and now
A talk focusing on the similarities and differences between preparation for the ancient and modern Olympics

Part of the monthly "Classics in Our Lunchtimes" talks series run jointly by Leeds City Museum and the Classics Department, University of Leeds. All talks are free of charge and open to the general public.

For information about the talks series and to listen to the talks as podcasts, please go to:

http://classicstalks.wordpress.com/museum/

The Pursuit of Olympic Ideals - physical, neural and aesthetic

Date

28 June, 6.30-9pm

Location

Cruciform Lecture Theatre 1, UCL

Details

What were the ideals surrounding the ancient Greek Olympic games? Professor Chris Carey (UCL Greek and Latin) will be in dialogue with Professor Semir Zeki (UCL Neuroesthetics) to discuss how these ideals integrated into the more general Greek ideals of beauty, achievement and politics. What can we say today about what constitutes ideals in neural terms, and how ideals are formed and transformed in the brain?

Lecture followed by drinks reception

For more details and to book free tickets, see:

http://events.ucl.ac.uk/event/event:mbw-gzfl71ea-9k9txm/

Classics in our Lunchtimes

Date

26 July, 1.15-1.45

Location

Leeds City Museum

Details

Speaker

Elizabeth Pender (University of Leeds): Olympic Ideals and the Ancient Greek Philosophers
A talk focusing on the continuity of ideals from the ancient to the modern Olympics

Part of the monthly "Classics in Our Lunchtimes" talks series run jointly by Leeds City Museum and the Classics Department, University of Leeds. All talks are free of charge and open to the general public.

For information about the talks series and to listen to the talks as podcasts, please go to:

http://classicstalks.wordpress.com/museum/

Athletes and Ideals

Date

14 August, 2.30pm

Location

The Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh

Details

Panellists will be Douglas Cairns (Professor of Classics, University of Edinburgh), runner and writer Robin Harvie, and Angus Farquhar, Creative Director of NVA’s Speed of Light.

The panel will explore the significance of sport today and the values of the classical Greek athlete, and will be chaired by Louise Martin, Vice Chair of the Organising Committee of Commonwealth Games Scotland.