Audiences of Three

Project summary

Welcome to the orientation page for the Three audiences project! 

Dr. Lynn Fotheringham is running this voluntary research study on readers’ attitudes to fictional representations of ancient Greece, and specifically to the graphic novel, Three. The research is part of a wider study of whether, why, and in what ways modern audiences continue to be interested in the ancient Greek world. 

Find out more about the project and how you can get involved and share your views on the graphic novel below. 

Project details

This audience-research is being conducted by Lynn Fotheringham in conjunction with the 2020 Sparta Live! webinar series.

Lynn works on modern responses to the ancient world and has published analyses of both Three and the earlier graphic novel 300 by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, source of the 2006 film. Her current project shifts from analysing narrative structures to focus on readers' reactions – and so she needs your help! 

Three is a graphic novel, written by Kieron Gillen and Ryan Kelly. It is set in ancient Sparta and was created with historical advice from members of of the Department of Classics & Archaeology here at the University of Nottingham. 

Lynn wants to hear from a wide range of readers about their experiences of reading the novel. She is interested in how much readers know about the ancient Greek world; how they know it; and how this knowledge affects their opinions of individual works, such as Three.

It doesn't matter whether you are an ancient history enthusiast or newly interested, and you could be a regular comics-reader or new to the medium - Lynn would love to hear your views! 

How to get involved

If you have read Three, or are interested in reading Three, there are three ways you can share your views on the novel with Lynn:

1. Complete an online questionnaire
2. Join an online reading-group via Twitter
3. Participation in a focus-group discussion 

More information on each of these options is shared below. There are also links in the right-hand bar to places where you can get hold of Three.

Please ensure that you read the project's privacy notice before taking part in any of these activities. 

Questionnaire

The questionnaire will be available online until at least the end of August 2020. 

• Link to questionnaire in English 
• Link to questionnaire in Greek 

Twitter reading group

Lynn will be tweeting thoughts and questions from the @uonclassics account. Tweet your thoughts on Three using the hashtag #3helots according to the following schedule: 

• Chapter/issue 1: 4th-10th July
• Chapter/issue 2: 11th-17th July
• Chapter/issue 3: 18th-24th July
• Chapter/issue 4: 25th-31st July
• Chapter/issue 5: 1st-7th August 

Please note that Lynn may choose to refer to or quote opinions expressed in tweets in her published research. 

Focus groups

Please submit your e-mail if you would like to be contacted about participating in a focus-group discussing Three, and ancient Greece in popular culture more generally. 

Submit your email here.