CLASSICAL ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND
The Long March: from Shannonside to the Euphrates The Limerick Post newspaper (28 Jan. 2006) reported under the heading “Limerickman traces steps of ancient Greek army” an interview with Shane Brennan, a native of Caherdavin in the city, on his epic journey on foot in the trail of Xenophon’s Anabasis of 401 BC. When the journey came to the attention of our classical languages group, local interest naturally demanded further investigation, particularly since by happy coincidence, we were, and still are, busily engaged in reading the very same Anabasis at Limerick Education Centre! Shane told the Post: “I didn’t reflect much on the hardships at the time, as I was so occupied on simply surviving and on where the next meal was coming from. People generally wouldn’t talk about Saddam Hussein and the regime (the journey was undertaken in 2000, before the fall of Saddam), but by their silence it was evident that they were too afraid to mention his name. I steered away from politics as far as possible, because I was there for my own project and didn’t want to draw attention to myself for all the wrong reasons”. His account of the project, entitled In the Tracks of the Ten Thousand, is published by Hale (London, 2005). Shane tells how his interest was sparked when his father, who had studied Classics at Multyfarnham College, occupied his time on a wet day during a family holiday by telling the story of the ten thousand Greeks who went up country with Cyrus the Younger. He writes: In walking the route I had little expectation of shedding light on the more obscure locations of the march. I wasn’t seeking to do this, but rather to discover what remains, and to try to see the world through the eyes of the soldiers. Quite early in the journey I noticed that I was developing an ability to read the landscape – a gradual shift from an aesthetic to a practical appreciation of natural features. Dr Shane Brennan is now Assistant Professor of World Cultures at the American University in Dubai and has just published an entry on the Anabasis in the Literary Encyclopaedia; also forthcoming is the Landmark Xenophon’s Anabasis (Pantheon Books, 2019) of which he is co-editor. We in Limerick are pleased to announce that Shane has accepted an invitation to lecture to our group when he comes home for the summer. 6
May 2018 We will inform the Branches and associate groups when arrangements are in place for this fascinating and unique opportunity to hear of his long march up country. Patrick J. Ryan
The Eithne Ryan Lecture in Classics given by Professor Lynda Mulvin
‘Brilliant!’ was the resounding response from the critics after the Eithne Ryan Lecture in Classics on 12 April at Alexandra College, Dublin. Professor Lynda Mulvin’s lecture, entitled ‘More Than Pomp (Pumpe) and Circumstance: The Women of Pompeii and Herculaneum’, was an undoubtedly enjoyable experience. We all gained great insights into the lives of powerful women who lived in the ‘time capsules’ of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Unfortunately, the majority of surviving history presents us with a male-dominated world; we were very lucky to get the chance to see the valuable contributions made by women in the ancient Roman Empire, most notably their additions to surviving art and architecture, such as the domus of Julia Felix, buildings in the Forum commissioned by women, and ornate tombs, which show the extent of wealth and influence possessed by great women of the time. It was incredible to learn about the powerful women who are so often overlooked in the study of Imperial Roman history. The lecture concluded with an entertaining quiz and great prizes. It’s safe to say that, as always, the Eithne Ryan Classics Lecture was a huge success! Rachel Kavanagh and Ariane Natin