Choosing can seem daunting, especially when you don’t yet feel you know enough to ask the right questions. One way to do so is to set up a zoom meeting with your instructor to discuss interests and options. I highly recommend this. Nervous about a one on one meeting? We can do it in pairs if you like!
I also have lots of experience knowing what is feasible and fruitful for investigation.
If you have a strong interest and growing knowledge base in another area other than the ancient wold this can be a good choice:
mad-libs style
The reception of _____{1}_____ in _____{2}______: Consideration of _____{3}______.
{1} – fill in something from the ancient world: the name of a work of literature, or type of art or architecture, famous archaeological site, famous historical figure, mythical character or narrative, almost anything
{2} – fill in something you already know something about it could be a culture (modern Pakistan?), or a historical period (industrial revolution?), or a genre (19th cent. Gothic novels?), or a type of art ( early modern fashion trends? early 20th cent photography?)
{3} fill in one of the following phrases or a similar one: ideals of motherhood, views of marriage, the masculine ideal, same sex desires, power dynamics in sexual relationships, the (ideal) female body, desire, resistance, and coercion
No, not all combination will work, but many will. If you fill in 2 and 3 I can help recommend a 1 or if you have a 1 and 3 I can help find a 2.
If you’ve already taken some classics courses and want to build on existing knowledge.
Ask yourself: what type of evidence do I most enjoy learning about? What periods of the ancient world do I want to know more? What geographical haven’t I studied yet that might be interesting? This is your chance to really design your own project. I can help you narrow it down and ensure it has a sex and gender focus.
If you want a sure bet, you can choose from this list:
These are very broad, your final paper will be on a much narrower topic.
How did religion engender space in the lives of ancient Athenian women?
What can the Pandora narratives from antiquity tell us about perceptions of masculinity? OR What can images of Pandora from antiquity tell us about perceptions of masculinity? You can substitute many other mythical females for Pandora in this question.
How and why is ancient Greek pederasty discussed modern popular culture?
What other female poets’ work survives from antiquity besides Sappho? is there a template for the ‘female’ poet in antiquity?
What forms of ‘birth control’ were available in the ancient world?
Where does ancient medicine intersect with religion OR magic with regard to gendered health concerns?
How has the Greek and Roman medical tradition influenced views of sexuality and gender in later European medical practice?
Is sacred prostitution myth or historical reality?
What are the economics of ancient sex work?
How is the character of the prostitute used in ancient drama?
Explore the primary evidence for depicting either Ganymede or Leda, paying particular attention to cultural and chronological context.
How did gender limit the types of freedom that were possible for slaves to obtain?
What is the function of erotic art in Roman private OR public spaces?
To what extent was the Roman arena a sexualized space?
What does the abolishment of debt-bondage at Rome tell us about the intersection of slavery and sexuality in the Roman mind?
Gender & Sexuality 