The Archaeological Institute of America Oberlin-Wooster chapter presents Barbara Burrell, Associate Professor of Roman Archaeology in the Department of Classics at the University of Cincinnati, will present a lecture entitled “Archaeology and Ancient Texts: Friends or Enemies?” 

In Classics departments of the US and Canada, extreme divisions are sometimes made between philology, focusing on ancient literary texts in Greek and Latin, and archaeology, which studies the material culture and monuments of the Greek and Roman world. Presenting specific examples from around the Mediterranean, from the archaic period to the later Roman Empire, this lecture argues for a more mixed approach in both research and teaching, which may reverse what members of the audience think they know about well-known rulers and literary figures. By using the two disciplines to the full extent of their strengths, and by understanding their weaknesses, we may achieve a fully nuanced and more complete picture of the actions and thoughts of the ancient people in question. 

Register in advance.