Event Details
The funeral oration, a tradition observed almost annually for classical Athenians fallen in war, underwent a significant reinterpretation nearly four decades ago by Nicole Loraux. In her seminal work, The Invention of Athens, Loraux shed light on the crucial role of this genre in shaping Athenian identity. She demonstrated how each iteration of the speech contributed to maintaining a consistent self-identity for over a century. However, Loraux's exploration had its limitations. By minimizing the focus on authorship, she neglected crucial questions surrounding individual speeches.
Pritchard, explaining his involvement in a comprehensive project aimed at expanding on The Invention of Athens, stated, "Project members convened initially in Strasbourg in 2018, followed by a subsequent meeting in Lyon in 2020. Our efforts culminated in an edited volume comprising 19 chapters, soon to be published by Cambridge University Press."
In his lecture, "The Athenian Funeral Oration: After Nicole Loraux," Professor Pritchard aims to address the significant questions overlooked by Loraux and to provide the intertextual analysis lacking in The Invention of Athens. This examination reveals a deeper political impact of the funeral oration than previously acknowledged.
About Associate Professor David M. Pritchard
David M. Pritchard holds the position of Associate Professor of Greek History at the University of Queensland, Australia, where he has chaired the Department of Classics and Ancient History. With 15 research fellowships across Australia, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, including a term as a research fellow at the Nantes Institute for Advanced Study (France) in 2022-3, Pritchard has established himself as a prolific scholar.
He is the author of several influential works, including Athenian Democracy at War (Cambridge University Press 2019), Sport, Democracy and War in Classical Athens (Cambridge University Press 2013), and Public Spending and Democracy in Classical Athens (University of Texas Press 2015). Additionally, he has edited The Athenian Funeral Oration: After Nicole Loraux (Cambridge University Press 2024) and War, Democracy and Culture in Classical Athens (Cambridge University Press 2010), among others. Pritchard's extensive publication record includes 65 journal articles and book chapters, with an h-index of 19 and over 1300 citations. Associate Professor Pritchard frequently contributes to public discourse through radio appearances and op-eds in international newspapers such as Die Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany), Le Monde (France), Le Figaro (France), Kathimerini (Greece), The Age (Australia), The Australian, and Politike (Brazil). He earned his PhD in Ancient History from Macquarie University (Australia).
How to Participate
This is an online-only event, so please join us on YouTube or Facebook.
You don't need an account with either of these services to just watch the event, but you do need one if you want to participate in the Live Q&A.
At the end of the lecturer's presentation, we ask our viewers to submit their written questions through the comment or chat function of Facebook or YouTube (you'll need to have an account with that service to be allowed to comment).
We then select and submit a number of your questions to our guest.
We look forward to your insightful participation.
Sponsors
We thank Joseph Tsalanidis for the kind donation that made this seminar possible..
During the course of the year considerable expenses are incurred in staging the seminars. In order to mitigate these costs individuals or organisations are invited to donate against a lecture of their choice.
You too can donate for one or more seminars and (optionally) let your name or brand be known as a patron of culture to our members, visitors and followers, as well as the broader artistic and cultural community of Melbourne. Please email: info@greekcommunity.com.au or call 03 9662 2722.
We thank the following corporate sponsors:
Delphi Accounting, Symposiarch Wines and the Kastellorizian Association of Victoria
About Greek History and Culture Seminars 2024
This event belongs to the series, Greek History and Culture Seminars 2024.
The Greek Community of Melbourne hosts a wide range of events, from intimate gatherings to large functions, and celebrates cultural diversity with vibrant festivals, performances, and exhibitions.
SERIES DATES: Thursday, 07/03/2024 – Thursday, 26/09/2024
See all Greek History and Culture Seminars 2024 published events.
- LANGUAGE English
- CATEGORY Education
- EVENT SERIES Seminars > Greek History and Culture Seminars 2024
- SERIES DATES Thursday, 07/03/2024 – Thursday, 26/09/2024
- PRESENTED BY The Greek Community of Melbourne
- FEATURING Associate Professor David M. Pritchard
- M.C. Nick Dallas
- MAJOR DONORS Delphi Accounting, Symposiarch Wines and the Kastellorizian Association of Victoria
- MINOR DONORS Joseph Tsalanidis
- PLACE Online (YouTube, Facebook)
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