Reception, Susception, Acception—The Use and Re-use of Classical Studies

Aug 21, 2026

This document is the program for a conference titled "Reception, Susception, Acception—The Use and Re-use of Classical Studies," held on December 1st and 2nd at the ANU Research School of Social Sciences Auditorium. The conference features a series of presentations exploring various facets of classical reception across different historical periods and cultural contexts. Topics range from the eroticization of the Australian landscape and feminist approaches to classical reception to the influence of classical figures like Livia and Ascanius in Tudor and Stuart England. Later sessions delve into contemporary war narratives inspired by Homer, the appropriation of Roman identity in Italian political propaganda, and the use of Cypriot antiquities in forging national identity. The program also includes discussions on colonial classicism, the visual representation of classical themes, and the impact of Virgil's Georgics on environmental discourse. The final day of the conference broadens the scope to include classical reception in Maori literature, the scientific underpinnings of Classics as a discipline, and the presence of Classics in modern Sri Lanka and at Howard University. The program concludes with explorations of classical themes in 20th-century film and historiographical representations of ancient Britons.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Thursday December 1

09:30–10:30 Marguerite Johnson

11:00–12:30 Catherine Walsh

13:30–15:00 Madeleine Dale

15:30–17:00 Jonathan Wallis

17:30–18:30 Alastair Blanshard

Friday December 2

09:00–10:00 Simon Perris

10:00–11:30 Ross Davis

12:00–13:00 Joan Stivala

FAQs

What is the main theme of the conference?

The conference explores the multifaceted use and re-use of classical studies across various historical periods and cultural contexts.

When and where is the conference taking place?

The conference is being held on December 1st and 2nd at the Auditorium, Research School of Social Sciences, ANU.

What are some of the diverse topics covered in the presentations?

Topics range from the eroticization of landscapes, feminist classical receptions, and the influence of classical figures in literature and propaganda, to classical studies in modern cultures and their representation in film and historiography.

Aug 21, 2026

Upload by Bill Black