Greek literature
The department has a number of leading experts in the field of ancient Greek literature, including Dr George Gazis, Professor Edith Hall, Dr Lucy Jackson, and Dr Chiara Palladino. Staff with complementary expertise in ancient Greek philosophy, poetry, and history include Dr Giulia Bonasio, Dr Chris De Lisle, Professor Philip Horky, Professor Polly Low, and Professor Edmund Richardson.
Our research expertise is concentrated in the field of ancient Greek tragedy, comedy, and satyr play, and examines how these plays were produced and continued to live on and off stage for over two thousand five hundred years. We also specialise in the ancient Greek epic poems of Homer, and their relationship with older poems from the ‘Near East’ such as Gilgamesh.
Current research activity is focused around Professor Edith Hall’s groundbreaking study of Aristotle’s works as pieces of literature. This project, which has been funded by the European Research Council, includes significant pubic engagement and outreach activities in schools and prisons in the North East of England.
Political Choruses
PI: Dr Lucy Jackson
Political Choruses looks to the Greek dramatic chorus as a productive site for political and democratic theorisation. Beyond articulating how the dramatic chorus might already be an active, albeit covert, agent in political theorisations of democracy and tyranny, ancient and modern, Political Choruses explores how the chorus might be both a location of, and incitement to, generative disorder in politics and in democratic thought and action.
Staff working in this research area
Learn more about our colleagues who work in the area of Classical Reception.
Dr Giulia Bonasio
Dr Karl Dahm
Dr George Gazis
Dr Andrea Giannotti
Prof. Edith Hall
Prof. Philip Horky
Dr Lucy Jackson
Dr Kostas Lygouris
Dr Sarah Miles
Dr James Oakley
Prof. Alberto Rigolio
Dr Alessandro Vatri
Prof. Ioannis Ziogas
Transformative Classics
Classics at Durham explores the myriad cultures and contexts of the ancient Mediterranean world, from ancient Greek philosophy to Latin linguistics. We engage in collaborations across the humanities, sciences, and social sciences to develop innovative research methods and techniques.
Transformative Humanities
Discover the Faculty of Arts and Humanities' new Transformative Humanities framework which brings together distinctive approaches to humanities research and education within the academy and across a wide range of partners and communities.
Find out more
Publications
Read the latest books written and edited by colleagues in our department.
Meet our staff
Learn more about the work and research specialisms of our colleagues.
Postdoctoral research funding
Find out about fellowship and scholarship opportunities to undertake research at Durham.
Events and seminars
View our events calendar for the latest research seminars and workshops.