Event to explore how to fight and die like a Greek woman
Ancient Greek depictions of female fighters will be explored at a free public lecture on Tuesday 15 November.
The lecture, ‘Falling with Style: How to Fight and Die like a Greek Woman’, which will be delivered by Dr Jane Masséglia from our University’s School of Archaeology and Ancient History, investigates the mythology and reality of women in combat in ancient Greece.
Drawing on art, literature and inscriptions, the lecture will ask what we can learn about the Greeks from their depictions of female fighters and violent deaths.
Dr Masséglia said: “Not all Greek men were warlike, and not all Greek women were passive. We have lots of stories about women, both real and fictional, who fought, killed and died for a cause. Some of them are inspiring, and others are terrifying – but I think it’s good to be reminded that not all ancient Greek women were the same.”
The talk is the 16th lecture in the annual Dorothy Buchan Memorial Lecture Series at the University of Leicester.
Mrs Dorothy Buchan (1931–2000) was head of Leicester High School for Girls. After her retirement she studied Ancient History and Archaeology at the University of Leicester, culminating in her 1995 BA dissertation 'Women of power or counters of value? A study of four hellenistic queens'.
After her untimely passing, her family, friends, and colleagues contributed generously to a fund in her memory, which supports an annual lecture and an Ancient History dissertation prize also named after Mrs Buchan.
The free public lecture takes place on Tuesday 15 November at 5.30pm in Ken Edwards Lecture Theatre 3 at the University of Leicester. It will be followed by a drinks reception in the School of Archaeology and Ancient History between 6:30-7:30pm.