Essays
The essays collected here reflect a conviction that research should not remain confined to the university. As antiquity profoundly shapes contemporary culture, politics, and society, I believe it is important to include reflection on classical receptions in our public debate. My writings are intended to further that goal.
The essays focus on the reception of the classical world in modern media and popular culture. They explore how our understanding of antiquity is continually reimagined through new contexts and perspectives.
These pieces have previously appeared in outlets such as His et Nunc and Hermeneus.
Lawrence Alma Tadema - Phidias Showing the Frieze of the Parthenon to his Friends (1868). Source: Wikimedia Commons
The fact that classical statues and buildings were brightly painted still comes as a surprise to many. That is quite bizarre: science has long known that the classics were colorful. Yet somehow it never really sank in. Recently, that has been changing in series, games, and fantasy that feature colorful classics. Why (now)?
Logan Roy (Jeremy Strong) in Succession season 2, episode 10. Warner Bros. Discovery. Photograph by Zach Dilgard
Succession, the HBO series about the ruthless dynamics of a media empire, has been hailed as one of the defining television dramas of recent years. Part of what gives the series its depth is its subtle usage of classical references. But how should we understand these allusions to antiquity – and what do they add to its portrayal of power, politics, and family?
Available for talks, interviews, and collaborations.
Contact
Location
Utrecht
k.vacano@uu.nl