Ancient Office Hours

Two-time Grammy winning composer Christopher Tin joins Lexie to discuss the evolution of film music, particularly the transition from lush orchestral scores of the past to the more atmospheric and synth-driven scores of contemporary composers, his experiences scoring for the Civilization game series and Old World, and the intersection of music, history, & creativity. So tuck in your togas and...

Dr. Carolyn Willekes, an equine archaeologist and professor of Ancient History at Mount Royal University in Canada, joins Lexie to discuss her moving from STEM/veterinary science to Classics, how being a “horse girl” drew her to Macedonian cavalry and the role of horses in the ancient world, the complexities of the human-horse relationship, and the legendary relationship between Alexander the Grea...

Dr. Alexandra Schultz, a professor of Classics at Dartmouth, joins Lexie to discuss her journey from working at Microsoft into Classics, the role of feminist theory in understanding ancient texts and libraries, insights on the Library of Alexandria, the accessibility of ancient libraries, and what modern libraries can learn from their ancient counterparts. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trir...

Dr. Grace Erny, a professor of Classics at the University of California - Berkeley, joins Lexie to discuss getting into Classics via extensive fieldwork and summer programs, her work on settlement pattern, economic & social transformations and Minoan artifacts in ancient Crete, and the importance of communal dining practices and the militaristic aspects of Cretan society. So tuck in your...

Dr. Jane Draycott, a Roman historian, archaeologist, and lecturer at the University of Glasgow, joins Lexie to discuss her work on ancient medical practices looking at the evolution of skincare and assistive technologies like prosthetics, the complexities of studying classical reception in video games, ethical concerns with game studios, and writing her book Cleopatra’s Daughter. So tuck in your t...

Dr. Richard Cole, a lecturer in Digital Classics at the University of Bristol, joins Lexie to discuss challenges to merging the ancient world with contemporary digital mediums, his work on the Virtual Reality Oracle project, the significance of storytelling in both ancient and modern contexts, and the future of VR in education, particularly its application in classrooms. So tuck in your togas and...

Robin Pierson, host of The History of Byzantium podcast, joins Lexie to discuss creating The History of Byzantium, the challenges and joys of podcasting about such a complex and often misunderstood period of history, how his perspectives have shifted through research, and the lack of representation of Byzantine history in popular media. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this...

Dr. Mario Telò, a professor of rhetoric, comparative literature, and Ancient Greek and Roman studies at the University of California, Berkeley, joins Lexie to discuss the educational emphasis in Italy focusing on language and grammar, his research interest in the literary qualities and the timeless themes that resonate across generations, and the application of various critical theories, including...

Dr. Natalie Swain, a professor of Classics at the University of Acadia, joins Lexie to discuss the impact of having inspiring professors who ignited our interests in Classics, how video games are a rich area for exploring classical themes, and the significance of examining video games as cultural artifacts. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exciting odyssey!&nbsp...

Dr. Jacques Bailly, a professor of Classics at the University of Vermont, joins Lexie to discuss the complexities of teaching ancient philosophy and literature and how to make abstract ideas accessible to students, Diodorus Cronus' Master Argument about determinism and free will, and how how he came to be the official pronouncer for the National Spelling Bee. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard T...

Lindsay Allason-Jones, a Roman archaeologist and museum professional, joins Lexie to discuss the importance of artifacts in understanding the lives of people from the past (particularly women in Roman Britain), the cultural diversity of Roman Britain, the purpose and functionality of Hadrian’s Wall, and consulting on “The Eagle” film. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this w...

Dr. Julia Troche, an Egyptologist and professor at Missouri State University, joins Lexie to discuss the importance of connecting ancient history to modern issues, role of religion in everyday life in ancient Egypt, particularly through the lens of social history, and the complexities of reception studies in Egyptology. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exciting...

Returning guest Dr. Christian Casey, an Egyptologist and researcher at Freie Universität Berlin, joins Lexie for the first time since 2020 to discuss his work on the Zodiac Project, the new co-authored book with Michael Hoffen, and the challenges of academic writing versus creating accessible trade books. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exciting odyssey! D...

In this thought-provoking panel discussion, three distinguished scholars delve into the complexities of ancient medicine, ethics, and the enduring influence of the Hippocratic Oath. Dr. Brooke Holmes (Princeton University), Dr. Jennifer Stager (Johns Hopkins), and Dr. Joseph Fins (Weill Cornell Medical College) engage in a fascinating discussion on the history of the body, the intersection of anci...

Dr. Anthony Kaldellis, a professor of Classics at the University of Chicago, joins Lexie to discuss how we define the Byzantine Empire, the multiple reinventions and conceptions of “Rome” over time, the importance of analyzing historical figures and their choices in their proper historical contexts, and the media reception of the East Roman Empire. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Tran...

Dr. Emily Wilson, a professor of Classics at UPenn, joins Lexie to discuss the process of choosing translation projects, addressing scholarly disagreements over different translations of ancient works, other texts that might or might not merit future translations, and how politicisation of the ancient world complicates reception studies. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for thi...

Dr. Melissa Funke, a professor of Classics at the University of Winnipeg, joins Lexie to discuss the fragmentary nature of history, her new book Phryne, favourite ancient Greek tragedies, what to do with the chorus in tragedies, and her work as a content creator with Peopling the Past. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exciting odyssey! Don't forget to follo...

Dr. Annetta Alexandridis, a professor of Art History at Cornell, joins Lexie to discuss her experience working on a Roman villa and navigating different archaeological sites, the benefits of working with casts/material culture, defining ‘archaeology’, how the field has changed, and determining who gets to define its meaning. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exci...

Dr. Athena Kirk, a professor of Classics at Cornell, joins Lexie to discuss working on Plutarch/other favourite texts, differentiating text & object from ‘text-objects’, and media reception and misconceptions of ancient works. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exciting odyssey! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter , Facebook & Instagram or visit our...

Actress Melissanthi Mahut, (voice of Kassandra in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey!), joins Lexie to chat about her favourite myths/stories from growing up in Greece, acting preferences between history & mythology, her experience playing Kassandra in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and assessing the impact of the game in academia. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exciting...

Actor Michael Antonakos, (voice of Alexios in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey!), joins Lexie to chat about getting into acting, his fascination with the Minoans and telling lesser known stories, a deep dive into his experience working on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and a fun behind the scenes story from making Odysseus Voyage to the Underworld. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this...

Dr. Astrid Van Oyen, a Roman archaeologist and professor at Radbound University, joins Lexie to discuss her focus on the agrarian experience in the ancient world, the development of rural economies, examining practices of gift exchange, pottery, & storage, and media adaptations of rural Roman daily life. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exciting odyssey!&nbs...

Darby McDevitt, a game developer and writer, best known for his work on the Assassin’s Creed series, joins Lexie to discuss curating a love of writing/history via his Irish heritage & Ulysses, writing for multiple games in the Assassin’s Creed series, navigating anachronistic inclusions and non-historical concessions in AC games, and his thoughts on AC’s Discovery Tour mode. So tuck in your to...

Dr. Alex Dressler, a professor of Classics at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, joins Lexie to discuss his favourite Roman poets and Sappho’s legacy, queer theory and its relationship to Classics, and issues of politics, death, and Christianity in the ancient world. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week’s exciting odyssey! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter...

Amanda McLoughlin, co-host of Spirits podcast and CEO of Multitude, a podcast collective and consulting company, joins Lexie to discuss her journey starting Spirits podcast with her friend and co-host Julia, her favourite myths and urban legends, handling real history vs. delving into ancient conspiracy theories, and great advice for entering the podcasting space. So tuck in your togas and hop abo...