Dr Alex McAuley

A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, I grew up in Ontario and outside of Washington DC before returning to French Canada to pursue an undergraduate degree in Canadian History & Ancient History at McGill University, followed by a Masters in Classics at the University of Edinburgh and a Doctorate in Ancient History at McGill. I am now Lecturer in Hellenistic History at Cardiff, after having taught at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and McGill University in Montreal.

My primary research interest is the society and culture of the Hellenistic World in the Greek Mainland with an eye to determining whether the local life of the Mainland Greeks was marked more by continuity and rupture. I seek to better understand the ancient dynamics of what we now call 'globalism' by determining whether small corners of the Greek Mainland really did adopt and adapt new cultural elements from the broader Hellenistic Arena, or whether life simply went on as before. In addition to this, I also work on the dynastic ideology and practices of the Seleucid and Ptolemaic Dynasties, with particular interest in the place and role of their royal women.

How the legacy of Antiquity has been shaped and re-shaped over the millenia that followed is my last main area of research, and I examine how the Ancient World is revived in 'popular culture' - films, television shows, video games, and the like. In the process I try to see how modern events cast their shadow over Antiquity, 

In addition to my other ongoing projects, Professor Llewellyn-Jones and I are currently working on a monograph entitled Sister-Queens in the High Hellenistic Period: Kleopatra III and Kleopatra Thea, and I am chipping away at a monograph on the impact of 9/11 and the 'War on Terror' on popular and academic views of Antiquity. 

I am an avid guitar player, a fan of all things musical (especially the history of Jazz), a die-hard supporter of the Ottawa Senators, and a proud Franco-Ontarian. 

Education and Qualifications:

• PhD in Ancient History, McGill University
• M.Sc (Dist.) in Classics, University of Edinburgh
• B.A. (Hons.) in Canadian History and Ancient History, McGill University

Career Overview:

• Lecturer in Hellenistic History, Cardiff University. 2016-present
• Lecturer in Classics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus, 2015-2016
• Sessional Lecturer in Latin and Ancient History, McGill University, 2011-2015

Anrhydeddau a Dyfarniadau

Teaching Awards:

• Dean's Letter of Recognition for Excellence in Teaching, awarded to top 10% of teaching faculty in the Faculty of Arts, University of British Columbia, 2016
• AUS Excellence in Teaching Nomination, Arts Undergraduate Society, McGill University, Montreal, 2014.

Graduate Fellowships:

• Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Doctoral Fellowship, valued at $35,000 per annum for three years.
• Graduate Excellence Fellowship, McGill University, Montreal. Value: $20,000 per annum
• Solvay Fellowship, McGill University, 2011. Value: $10,000, non-renewable.
• Principal’s Career Development Scholarship, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. Value: £14,500 per annum for three years

Research and Travel Fellowships:

• Bourse d’études de l’École Française d’Athènes, valeur de €960,00 École Française d’Athènes, Grèce
• Paul F McCullough Fellowship in Classics, McGill University. 

• SSHRC Connect Grant for Seleucid Study Day 4 and publication of Seleucid Royal Women. Value: $35,000

Safleoedd academaidd blaenorol

• Lecturer in Hellenistic History, Cardiff University. 2016-present
• Lecturer in Classics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus, 2015-2016
• Sessional Lecturer in Latin and Ancient History, McGill University, 2011-2015

Ymrwymiadau siarad cyhoeddus

2016:

• ‘From the Cradle: The Ephebeia and Civic Culture in Hellenistic Megara’, Megarian Moments: An International Symposium, McGill University, Montreal. 6 May, 2016.
• ‘Very Bad Alexanders: Casting and Re-Casting Alexander the Great’, part of the Archaeology of Stardom panel,organised by Monica Cyrino (UNM). CA Annual Meeting, University of Edinburgh, 6-9 April, 2016.
• ‘Using Digital Platforms for Research’, From Stone to Screen Instruction Skills Workshop, 10 March, 2015.University of British Columbia.
• ‘Globalism or Localism? The Curious Case of Hellenistic Euboea’, CNERS Departmental Research Seminar,University of British Columbia, Vancouver. 14 January, 2016

2015:

• ‘A Globalized Greek World? Mainland Greece in the Hellenistic Period’, Pharos Society Invited Lecture, Vancouver, Canada. 30 November, 2015.
• ‘Shadows of Antiquity: 9/11 and the Ancient World’, Langara College Invited Lecture, Vancouver.  19 November 2015.
• ‘Hollywood’s Flawed Heroes: The Biopic as laudatio funebris.’ Ancient Heroes on Screen Conference, European Cultural Centre of Delphi, Delfi, June 2015. 
•  ‘Argos as ethnos state?’ Ethnos States in the Classical Greek World Conference, European Cultural Centre of Delphi, Delfi, May 2015.
• With Tanja Beck (McGill), ‘The Benefits of UDL for Students and Course Instructors: Applying UDL Principles to a Large Mid-Level History Class’, Universal Design for Learning: Canadian Perpsectives Conference, McGill University, Montreal. May 21, 2015. 
• ‘Digital Approaches to Ancient Genealogy: Methods and Impact’, CICAS Panel, Centre for InterdisciplinaryCollaboration in the Arts and Sciences, Nipissing University, Nipissing, Ontario, 21 January 2015.

2014:

• ‘Ancient Drugs, Modern Culture ‘ CCSA Invited Lecture, Concordia University, 23 November 2014.
• ‘comment dénouer un nœud artificiel : la mythologie d’Antioche et la politique de sa fondation’ dans le cadre du IXème colloque franco-britannique des sciences de l’antiquité, Édimbourg, 25-28 juin 2014 
• With Anna Foka (Umea University), ‘Blood in the Digital Sands: The Ancient Origins of Modern Gaming Fictions,’ From I Claudius to Private Eyes: The Ancient World and Popular Fiction, Bar-Ilan University, Tel Aviv, Israel, 16-18 June 2014. 
• ‘Arch-Traitor or Advocate? The Attalids in Asia Minor after Apameia’ 2014 Annual Meeting of the ClassicalAssociation of Canada, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, 7-9 May 2014.
•  ‘The New Fog of War: Screening Ancient Warfare in post-9/11 Cinema’ part of the Screening Roman Britain panel organised by Dr. Tony Keen, CA Annual Meeting 2014, University of Nottingham, 11-14 April 2014.
• ‘Seeing through the Gendered Fog: Digital Approaches to Identifying Ancient Women,’ Digital Gender Theory, Methodology, and Practice, workshop in HUMLab, University of Umea, Sweden. 12-14 March, 2014. 
• With Charles Bartlett (Harvard), ‘The Beginning of the End? Rome and the Aegean World after Apameia’Invited seminar as part of Harvard’s Discovering the Classical World Series. Harvard University, Cambridge MA, 5 February, 2014.
• ‘Paradigm Shift: September 11th and the Ancient World’, CCSA Invited Lecture, Concordia University,Montréal, Québec, 29 January, 2014.
• ‘Fighting Cleopatrai? Late Ptolemaic Princesses and their Military Dowries’ Women in the Military, panel of the Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America convened by Dr. Beth Greene (University of Western Ontario), Chicago, 3-6 January, 2014.

2013:

•  “Changing the Flag: Ariarathes IV of Cappadocia, the Seleucids, and Rome” Interconnectivity in the Pontic and Mediterranean Worlds, Romanian Institute, Museum of Constanta, Romania. 8-12 July, 2013. Funded by the Romanian Academy.
•  ‘Divus Imperator: The Emperor in Virgil and in Warhammer 40k,’ The Science Fiction Foundation Conference 2013, Liverpool, UK, 28 June – 1 July, 2013.
• ‘Ancient Requiem for a Modern Dream: Drug Use in Contemporary Depictions of the Roman Elite,’ Beauty, Bravery, Blood, and Glory: Ancient Virtues and Vices in Modern Popular Culture, Bar-Ilan University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, 10-11 June, 2013. 
• With Monica D’Agostini (Milan/Bologna), ‘The Teenage Queen: Berenice II in Cyrene’ Israeli Society for the Promotion of Classical Studies Conference, Tel Aviv, Israel, 13 July 2013.
• ‘The Values and Limitations of Digital Scholarship: The Case of www.seleucid-genealogy.com,’ Classical Association Annual Meeting 2013, University of Reading, 4-6 April, 2013. Reading, UK.
• “Princess and Tigress : Apama of Cyrene’ Seleucid Study Day IV : Seleucid Royal Women, McGill University, Montreal, 20-22 February, 2013.
•  “All the Other Girls: The Forgotten Princesses of the Hellenistic World,” CCSA Invited Lecture:28 January, 2013. Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec.

2012:

• “Prometheus Red: Promethean Allusions in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis,” Film and History Conference2012: Film and Myth. 26-30 September, 2012. Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
• With Monica D’Agostini (Milan/Bologna), “The House of Achaeus: The Missing Piece of the Anatolian Puzzle,” Seleucid Study Day III, panel of the Celtic Conference 2012, 8 September, 2012, Université de Bordeaux III, France.
• “Historicising Foundation Mythology: The Case of Antioch.” Classical Association Conference 2012, 12 April 2012, University of Exeter, UK.
•  “Late Antiquity in Post-9/11 Cinema: Classics, Religion, and Extremism in Alejandro Amenábar’s Agora.” Visualizing Antiquity Conference, The Classical Association of the Canadian West, 16 March, 2012. University of Victoria, British Columbia.

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I am currently lecturing or leading seminars in the following modules for 2016-2017:

• HS3101: Introduction to Ancient Greek History
• HS3103: Investigating the Ancient World
• HS3104: The Ancient World in 20 Objects
• HS4336 Pots, Poems and Pictures: Using Evidence for Ancient History
• HST900: Skills and Methods for Postrgraduate Study

I am also supervising a variety of undergraduate dissertations on Hellenistic and Roman History, and welcome any interested postgraduate students in Hellenistic History, the Roman Republic, or the Reception of Antiquity.

Previous modules taught:

at UBC:

• LATN 101: Introduction to Latin, T1 2015 (2 sections)
• LATN 101: Introduction to Latin T2 2015
• CLST 333: Greek Religion, T1 2016
• LATN 102: Introduction to Latin
• CLST 334: Roman Religion
• CLST 311: Women in the Greek World

 at McGill University

• CLAS 314: Intermediate Latin (Historians), Winter Term 2015
• HIST 205: Ancient Mediterranean History, Fall Term 2014
• CLAS 206: Classics in Modern Media, July Summer Term 2013
• CLAS 206: Classics and Modern Media, May Summer Term 2013
• CLAS 210 Introductory Latin, Summer Term 2012
• CLAS 314: Intermediate Latin: Historians of the Late Republic. Winter Term 2012