Uploaded May 2013 | Updated September 2026, 20 minutes ago
In the second interview recorded in April at the Classical Association conference in Reading Dr Lisa Maurice of Bar Ilan University talks with CC's Anastasia Bakogianni about her twin passions: children's literature and the portrayal of Jews in films about antiquity.
In this vodcast she talks about the popularity of the classical world in children's literature and its impact on how ancient Rome is perceived in the modern world. At this year's CA there were two panels devoted to the subject, testifying to the vibrancy of research in this area. Lisa discusses how the portrayal of Romans in fiction for children and young adults has changed over time. In the 1950s the Romans were seen as the great civilizers, but more recently they have become the villains. In the second half of the interview Lisa talks about her work exploring what it means to be Jewish in ancient Rome with particular reference to two televisions series: Masada (1981) and Rome (2005-7). The shifting portrayal of Jewish and Roman identity on the small screen allows us to reflect on our own understanding of both ancient and modern and the on-going dialogue between the two.
Lisa is pursuing her interests at the upcoming conference she has organised: Beauty, Bravery, Blood and Glory: Ancient Virtues and Vices in Modern Popular Culture (10-11 June 2013).
In the second interview recorded in April at the Classical Association conference in Reading Dr Lisa Maurice of Bar Ilan University talks with CC's Anastasia Bakogianni about her twin passions: children's literature and the portrayal of Jews in films about antiquity.
In this vodcast she talks about the popularity of the classical world in children's literature and its impact on how ancient Rome is perceived in the modern world. At this year's CA there were two panels devoted to the subject, testifying to the vibrancy of research in this area. Lisa discusses how the portrayal of Romans in fiction for children and young adults has changed over time. In the 1950s the Romans were seen as the great civilizers, but more recently they have become the villains. In the second half of the interview Lisa talks about her work exploring what it means to be Jewish in ancient Rome with particular reference to two televisions series: Masada (1981) and Rome (2005-7). The shifting portrayal of Jewish and Roman identity on the small screen allows us to reflect on our own understanding of both ancient and modern and the on-going dialogue between the two.
Lisa is pursuing her interests at the upcoming conference she has organised: Beauty, Bravery, Blood and Glory: Ancient Virtues and Vices in Modern Popular Culture (10-11 June 2013).
