Contact
Biography
I studied at Nottingham for both my MA and PhD (the latter with funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and under the supervision of Judith Mossman and Patrick Finglass). Previously, I was an undergraduate at Trinity College, Oxford, and gained a PGCE in Classics from Homerton College, Cambridge.
I am part-time: my usual days of work at the university are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Mondays and Fridays I teach adult education courses in Leicester.
Expertise Summary
My main interests lie in Greek literature, particularly that of the 'Second Sophistic' and its responses to the Homeric epics. But I also have broader interests in literature, especially ancient humour, as well as in Latin and Greek language and linguistics (including Medieval and Neo-Latin), which is the main focus of my teaching. I am currently working on a project to develop a wider range of assessment types for classical languages.
Teaching Summary
Since 2002 I have been teaching on a range of Classics modules at Nottingham. I mostly teach Latin and Greek language, not only introducing beginners to the basics that will be the foundation for… read more
Research Summary
My PhD thesis was on the use of Homeric quotation, allusion, parody and cento across the work of the satirical author Lucian of Samosata (who wrote in Greek in the 2nd century AD). I am currently… read more
Recent Publications
Since 2002 I have been teaching on a range of Classics modules at Nottingham. I mostly teach Latin and Greek language, not only introducing beginners to the basics that will be the foundation for future study but also helping students to read and analyse ancient texts in the original language at more advanced levels. In addition I have contributed to modules on literature and mythology and recently convened an in-depth module focusing solely on the extensive and varied writings of Lucian.
Beyond the department of Classics & Archaeology, I teach Medieval Latin to History MA students, helping them to develop the skills needed to read various types of documents. In the past I have run a reading group on post-classical Latin, and have led seminars as part of the Foundation Year. While I was a PhD student my teaching received a Highly Commended award from the Graduate School.
In addition to this teaching for the university, I have run Adult Education courses in Leicester on Latin and Greek, the origins of English words, and aspects of ancient history, literature and philosophy. These have included courses that form part of a programme specifically for adults with mental health problems.
With this wide experience I am always keen to explore ways in which such different types of teaching can inform each other.
Current Research
My PhD thesis was on the use of Homeric quotation, allusion, parody and cento across the work of the satirical author Lucian of Samosata (who wrote in Greek in the 2nd century AD). I am currently revisiting this material in more depth; in particular I have already published a chapter on Lucian's comic version of the Judgement of Paris. I have also been exploring his enigmatic text 'Macrobioi' ('Long-Lived Persons'), which has generally been considered spurious.