Ancient Office Hours

Dr. Naomi Weiss, a Professor of Classics at Harvard, joins Lexie to discuss the nuances and wonders of Greek tragedies, especially works by Euripides and Aeschylus, the complexities of modern adaptations, narrative vs. performance elements, and the potential of transforming these ancient stories into contemporary performances, like a musical adaptation of Greek tragedies. So tuck in your togas and...

Dr. Lindsey Mazurek, an Associate Professor of Classics at Indiana University Bloomington, joins Lexie to discuss her evolving interests from Greek civilization to Roman provincial archaeology, the complexities of ancient migration, and the implications of migration on social and political dynamics in ancient civilizations. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s excit...

Dr. David Parnell, a professor of history at Indiana University Northwest, joins Lexie to discuss the challenges and gaps in academic offerings in late antiquity, his work on significant Byzantine figures like Justinian, Theodora, and Belisarius, the potential for more historical media content, and the impact of digital records on future historical studies. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Tri...

Dr. Eduardo García-Molina, an Assistant Professor of Classics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, joins Lexie to discuss his journey from being inspired by the video game 'Rome Total War' to specializing in the Seleucid Empire in his academic career, insights from his research, including the challenges of working with limited historical records, and his course on the intersection of...

Emmy Award winning casting director Suzanne Smith discusses the intricacies of casting for film and television, particularly in historical and period dramas. She shares her unplanned journey into casting, experiences with projects like Band of Brothers, Outlander, and Reign, and the unique challenges of casting roles that span different time periods. The episode explores the importance of historic...

Dr. Alyson Melzer, an Assistant Professor of Classics at Indiana University Bloomington, joins Lexie to discuss the emotional resonance of Greek tragedies and specific elements that make these ancient works distinctively Greek, the challenges of interpreting and performing these plays in modern times, balancing authenticity and modern adaptation, and the timeless themes found in Greek tragedies an...

Dr. Christopher Baron, an Associate Professor of Classics at the University of Notre Dame, joins Lexie to discuss his interest in both Roman and Greek history, particularly focusing on the historiography of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic period, how information spread in Alexander’s time, the significance of classical education, and the modern portrayal of ancient history in media. So tuc...

Dr. Chance Bonar, an Advising Fellow at the University of Virginia, joins Lexie to discuss how his interest in early Christianity led to critical inquiries into texts outside the New Testament and broader socio-political-religious contexts, the complex legacy of slavery in ancient texts, and the modern implications and interpretations of religious and cultural history. So tuck in your togas and ho...

Dr. Aisha Dad, a Research Affiliate at the Carolina Asia Center and Director of the Classics Gaming Collaborative, joins Lexie to discuss her move from medicine to falling in love with literature and classics, her work in reception studies, particularly in how ancient stories are retold in modern contexts such as video games and literature, the challenges of being a person of color in the field an...

Lexie chats with Troy Baker, the voice of Joel in the popular video game series 'The Last of Us.' The conversation explores a range of topics, from childhood narratives and their impact on personal growth to the philosophical and historical influences that shape storytelling. Troy dives deep into his own nostalgic triggers, the importance of simple yet profound narratives, and the experience of lo...

Dr. Christian Langer, a trained Egyptologist and professor in the Classics department at the University of Georgia, joins Lexie to discuss his interest in ancient Egypt's political economy, forced migration, and the nuanced interplay between Egyptian and Nubian relations, contemporary issues of decolonizing academic fields such as Egyptology, and the ongoing challenges of integrating diverse persp...

Dr. Johanna Hanink, a professor of Classics at Brown University, joins Lexie for a podcast centric episode, in which we dive into the origins and inspirations that led to the creation of her podcast Lesche. Our conversation covers the inspirations she took from other podcasts like Byzantium and Friends, the challenges of balancing academic rigor with creating accessible content, to her approach to...

Dr. Dunstan Lowe, a senior lecturer in Latin Literature at the University of Kent, joins Lexie to discuss his journey into the field of classical studies, driven by an early fascination with Roman history and mythology, the nuanced differences between Greek and Roman literature, particularly the works of Virgil and Ovid, and his fascination with archaeogaming and its relevance today. So tuck in yo...

Dr. Christopher Zeichmann, a New Testament scholar and lecturer at Toronto Metropolitan University, joins Lexie to discuss his new book focused on radical groups in antiquity. Dr. Zeichmann, a scholar specializing in early Christianity and the Roman military, explains his research background and the genesis of his book, 'Radical Antiquity: Free Love, Zoroastrian Farming Pirates, and Ancient Uprisi...

Dr. Caroline Arbuckle MacLeod, an Egyptologist and professor of Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology at the University of Saskatchewan, joins Lexie to discuss her path through near Eastern archeology, and how the Syrian conflict led her to fall in love with ancient Egypt, the unique interest in daily life, beliefs, and preservation of ancient Egyptian sites, her focus on woodworking in ancient E...

Dr. Carolyn Willekes, an equine archaeologist and professor of Ancient History at Mount Royal University in Canada, joins Lexie to discuss how horses were used for sport & spectacle in the Roman Empire & other fun horsey tidbits like using saddles (or the lack thereof) and the Byzantine factions. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exciting odyssey! Don't f...

Dr. Tom Horne, an archaeologist, author, podcaster, and communications manager for the Govan Stones museum, joins Lexie to discuss his early inspirations from Glasgow's public museums into academia, the Viking economy, trade networks, and use of bullion economies, and the intersection of academia and media considering his experiences in television, film, and podcasts. So tuck in your togas and hop...

Dr. Damián Fernández, a historian of Late Antiquity and Associate Professor at Northern Illinois University, joins Lexie to discuss the complexities of Visigoth identity and their kingdom in Spain, the importance of learning languages like Spanish and Portuguese for a deeper understanding of Visigothic sites, and his work on a monograph on rebellion in the Visigothic Kingdom which explores how reb...

Dr. Tom Morcom, an associate lecturer in Old Norse Language and Literature at University College London, joins Lexie to discuss his journey into academia, emphasizing his fascination with the depth and richness of Old Norse saga literature and narrative theory, the uniqueness of medieval Icelandic society, how Old Norse literature compares to classical works, and modern reception of Norse culture...

Actor Magnus Bruun, (voice of male Eivor in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla!), joins Lexie to chat about his love for storytelling and the rich history and mythology of Scandinavia that shaped his artistic vision, playing Cnut in "The Last Kingdom”, the challenges of portraying characters in both television and video games, and share some behind-the-scenes stories from working on Assassin’s Creed Valhal...

Dr. Christian Rollinger, a Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Trier, joins Lexie to discuss his experience navigating the German academic system, evolution from focusing on modern history to becoming a scholar of ancient Rome, interest in the historical importance of monarchy, work on reception of classics in video games, and the growing acceptance of video game studies in aca...

Dr. Joel Christensen, a professor of Classics at Brandeis University, joins Lexie to discuss how his childhood in rural Maine and frequent library visits led to a passion for classics, finding parallels between Homeric themes and modern narratives, and re-analyzed Joseph Campbell's 'Hero of a Thousand Faces,' critiquing its limitations while highlighting its impact on modern storytelling. So tuck...

Dr. Clare Downham, a professor of Medieval History and Celtic Studies at the University of Liverpool, joins Lexie to discuss her personal journey into Medieval History and Celtic Studies, the distinct ways Viking activities influenced Ireland compared to the UK, being a historical consultant for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and debunking popular misconceptions about the Vikings and iconic figures li...

Dr. Hannah Čulík-Baird, a professor of Classics at UCLA, joins Lexie to discuss the intersections of her personal identity (growing up in Scotland) with her academic pursuits, the importance of addressing historical inequities within the field, the relevance of ancient texts like those of Cicero, and the modern challenges of teaching classics in a diverse and evolving academic landscape. So tuck i...

Dr. Hans Bork, a professor of Classics at Stanford, joins Lexie to discuss his formative experiences with Indo-European linguistics before Classics, the siloed nature of language study, which is typically categorized with literature rather than with its scientific and mathematical aspects, and humor in ancient Rome, particularly the works of Plautus and Cicero. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard...