N.B. RSVP deadline for the MCA Spring Meeting on May 3rd is April 17th! We hope to see you there.
Also happening on April 17th: the release of Emily Hauser’s Mythica: A New History of Homer’s World, Through the Women Written Out of It. To stay up-to-date with the release or even pre-order, check out Hauser’s website here.
Two other noteworthy April events for AP teachers:
- April 15th: A Bolchazy-Carducci Webinar on the updated Vergil texts for the 2026 AP Latin exam led by New Englanders Barbara Weiden Boyd and Katherine Bradley.
- April 29th: A Bolchazy-Carducci Webinar led by David Pellegrino on his Pliny and Vergil LUMINA book – an online and guided practice workbook for the AP Latin exam.
Register for either or both of these webinars here.
As April (snow)showers are upon us, I am reminded of the upcoming April eco-focused days of observance – Arbor Day and Earth Day. After the dark season of Maine winter, during which we may feel less than benevolent towards Mother Nature, these days help refocus our attention to the natural world and how, good or bad, we can and do affect it. And it leads me to ask myself: what environmental lessons can we learn from the ancient world?
Perhaps you are familiar with the Latin word spolia – “spoils”. In architecture, spolia refers to the reuse of building materials and decorative elements between buildings (old to new). Perhaps you can see where I am already going. Spoliation, while previously frowned upon by historians due to the visually incoherent appearance it produces, is getting a second chance as a model for recycling and sustainability for the building sector. Read more about how adopting the policy of architectural reuse can diminish both the economic and environmental impacts of modern construction here.
Thinking of the environment is an important charge to us humans. For Classicists, archaeologists, historians, linguists, educators and learners, it is also important for us to look at environments. Whether it be political, social, cultural, or some other “al”, our understanding of the past, and therefore our understanding of ourselves, relies on not just an isolated piece of history but on the environment, the context of that piece of history. A new study, published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology, by Dr. Cecilie Brøns argues that statues in the Greco-Roman world were not just visual experiences but most likely were also supposed to engage an observer’s nasal experience. The evidence? For one, literary sources that provide insight in the context of these statues and mention various acts of anointing. And two, just as modern technology has shed light on the wonderful world of pigments in the ancient world, so too can it help analyze statue surfaces for possible perfume ingredients. Read a more-detailed summary of the study here.
Speaking of art, two almost life-size sculptures were discovered during the excavation of a tomb in Pompeii. How does one city hold so many secrets? More details here.
To return to the subject of lessons from the past, there was a recent New York Times article discussing a view of Rome, its history, and the example it offers taken up often by certain circles of political conservatism – that Rome “failed” because Romans neglected how to be Romans, so make sure America and Americans don’t do the same. In analyzing this stance, the author takes us back to that previous mentioned idea of “environment”. In what is this idea rooted? Which ancient voices support this view? What modern voices perpetuate it? Read more here.
Thank you for reading – and for sending us your RSVP to the Spring Meeting (hint hint)! With Earth Day coming up, make sure to check in with your local community on how you can help.