
Dr Maria Fragoulaki
Senior Lecturer in Ancient Greek History, FHEA
School of History, Archaeology and Religion
- fragoulakim@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2087 0558
- 5.01, John Percival Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff, CF10 3EU
- Media commentator
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I am an historian of ancient Greece, specialising in Thucydides, Herodotus, and Greek historiography. I have a special interest in the relationship between history and literature. I studied classical philology (BA) at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece (EKPA). After an interval of ten years during which I studied acting and worked in the acting profession in Greece, I studied for an MA Classics in Education at King’s College London and a PhD in Classics at University College London (2010). My monograph Kinship in Thucydides: Intercommunal Ties and Historical Narrative, 2013, Oxford University Press, based on my PhD, examines the role of colonial ties and other forms of connections in Thucydides and ancient Greek history more broadly.
I work and publish on Thucydides, Herodotus and their relationship with other texts, especially Homer, collective memory in ancient Greece, Athenian cleruchies, tragedy, and Thucydides’ theatrical performance, as a form of its modern reception. I am collaborating with theatrical and educational organisations in Greece as academic advisor in theatrical productions of Thucydides and other historical texts.
Biography
- PhD Classics, University College London
- MA Classics in Education, King's College London
- BA Classics (Classical Philology), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece (EKPA)
Honours and awards
- 2019: Visiting Researcher, Harvard University, Center for Hellenic Studies, Washington, DC (External funding received)
- 2019: Exernal funding for the organisation of 'Thucydides Global: Teaching, Researching, and Performing Thucydides'; International workshop (April 2019), co-organised by Cardiff SHARE, Ruhr Universität Bochum, ICS London, and supported by the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies (SPHS) and the Classical Association, UK
- 2018-19: Visiting Fellow of the Institute of Classical Studies, School of Advanced Study, London, UK
- 14-21 May 2017: Erasmus + International Exchange teaching scheme, Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, GAUGN
- 2016: Internal funding for the organisation of the 2016 Distinguished University Lecture, Cardiff University, Prof. Irad Malkin, 'The Small Greek World' (Cardiff, SHARE)
- 2013- Honorary Research Fellow, Department of History, Classics and Archaeology, Birkbeck, University of London, UK
- July 2007: A.G. Leventis Foundation scholarship, for the academic year 2007-8
- January 2007: The 2006 George Grote Prize for Ancient History (University of London)
- September 2005: Hollier Scholarship in Greek, Greek & Latin Dept., University College London
- 2004-7: Funding of my PhD research by the Greek State Scholarships Foundation (Ίδρυμα Κρατικὠν Υποτροφιών, I.K.Y.), following national competition (full fees and subsistence)
Professional memberships
- Member of the Advisory Council of the Institue of Classical Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London
- Member of the Council of University Classical Departments, UK (CUCD)
- Branch Secretary of the Cardiff & District (Wales) Classical Association, UK
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Member of the Societies for the Promotion of Hellenic and Roman Studies, UK
- Member of the Classical Association, UK
- Member of the Society for Classical Studies (former American Philological Association)
Academic positions
- 2018-2019: Visiting Fellow, Institute of Classical Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London
- 2013-2014: Associate Lecturer and Honorary Research Fellow, Birkbeck, University of London
- 2011-2012: University of London, Lecturer (Intercollegiate MA Course 'Sources and Methods in Ancient History')
- 2010-2011: Teaching Fellow, University College London, and Associate Lecturer, Birkbeck, University of London
- 2009-2010, 2005-2008: Postgraduate Teaching Assistant, University College London
- 2007-2010: Associate Lecturer, Birkbeck, University of London
- 2004-2006: Postgraduate Teaching Assistant, King's College London
Speaking engagements
- November 17, 2020, Shanghai International Studies University, 'Born from the Earth? Myths of autochthony in ancient Greece', online.
- December 28, 2019, Athens, National Theatre of Greece, 'The battle of Arginusae' (academic talk during the rehearsals of Lessons of War III)
- July 7, 2019, London FIEC/CA Conference, 'Gold, cold, and blood: Thrace and the Thracians in Greek Historiography and Athenian Drama'
- April 30, 2019, Lead organiser and speaker at 'Thucydides Global: Teaching, Researching, and Performing Thucydides'; International Workshop on Thucydides' reception (collaboration of Cardiff SHARE, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Germany, and the Institute of Classical Studies, SAS, London)
- March 4, 2019, Newcastle, International Workshop on Homer and Herodotus, 'The dying and suffering body in war: the landscape of death in Herodotus and Homer'
- February 13, 2019, Cardiff, Historical Association, 'Leadership, populism, and participation: ancient and modern democracies' (public talk)
- November 28, 2018, 'Athenian cleruchies revisited: Hegemonic power and settlement patterns in Thucydides
- April 28, 2017, International Colloquium on ‘Ritual and Politics, Individual and Community in Plutarch'; ‘Comparing Portraits: Nicias’ wealth in Plutarch and Thucydides. Anxiety of Influence and Narrative Choice’, University of Crete, Greece
- February 13, 2017, Cardiff, Classical Association Lecture, 'Thucydides Homericus: Myth and History, Space and Collective Memory'
- December 6, 2016, University of Crete, Greece, 'Thucydides Homericus: Myth and History, Space and Collective Memory' (in Greek)
- November 18, 2015, Exeter, Research Seminar, 'Flexibility, fluidity and authorial agency: Ethnicity in Thucydides'
- November 2, 2015, Cambridge, Research Seminar, 'The mytho-political map of Spartan colonial activity in Thucydides'
- April 2015, Cardiff, Work in Progress History Research seminar, 'Kinship and Interstate Relations in Ancient Greece'
- April 2014, Classical Association Conference, Nottingham, 'Death in Thucydides and Homer'
- June 2013, International Colloquium on Emotion and Persuasion in Classical Antiquity, Centre for Oratory and Rhetoric, Royal Holloway, London, 'Emotion, persuasion and kinship in Thucydides: The Plataian debate (3.52-68) and the Melian Dialogue (5.85-113)'
- May 2012, London: Ancient History Seminar, Institute of Classical Studies, 'Why Mykalessos? Religion and Intertextuality in Thucydides'
- February 2010, Research Seminar, UCL Greek and Latin Department, London. 'Kinship and narrative in Thucydides: text and context'
- January 2008, Work in Progress Seminar, University of London (ICS), London, 'Kinship in Thucydides: Sparta’s kinship ties with the Greeks of the West'
- April 2007, Classical Association Conference, Birmingham, 'Thucydides in the light of Herodotus: the kinship ties between Athenians and Thracians'
- November 2006, Ancient Literature Seminar, Institute of Classical Studies, London, 'Autochthony and Ionianism in Thucydides 2.15'
- April 2006, Classical Association A Conference, Newcastle, 'Kinship in Thucydides: the case of the Kerkyraika narrative (1.24-55)'
- March 2006, AMPAH (Annual Meeting of Postgraduates in Ancient History), Exeter, 'Kinship in Thucydides: the case of the Kerkyraika narrative (1.24-55)'
Committees and reviewing
- Examinations Officer for Ancient History, 2017-
- Research Ethics Officer and Research Integrity Lead, SHARE (School), 2015-18
- Ancient History Library Representative, 2014-18
Reviewing
- Historia
- Greece and Rome
- Wiley Blackwell
- Philologus
- Oxford University Press
- Journal of Hellenic Studies
Publications
2022
- Fragoulaki, M. 2022. Bloody death in Greek historiography and Homer: Discursive presences and meaningful absences in Herodotus' battle narratives. In: Matijasic, I. ed. Herodotus - The Most Homeric Historian?. Histos - The Online Journal of Ancient Historiography, pp. 107-160.
2021
- Fragoulaki, M. 2021. Thucydides. In: Baron, C. ed. The Herodotus Encyclopedia., Vol. 3. Wiley Blackwell, pp. 1462-1466.
- Fragoulaki, M. 2021. The Peloponnesian War. In: Baron, C. ed. The Herodotus Encyclopedia., Vol. 3. Wiley Blackwell, pp. 1075-1077.
- Fragoulaki, M. 2021. Autochthony. In: Baron, C. ed. The Herodotus Encyclopedia., Vol. 1. Wiley Blackwell, pp. 205-207.
- Fragoulaki, M. 2021. Stasis. In: Baron, C. ed. The Herodotus Encyclopedia., Vol. 3. Wiley Blackwell, pp. 1371-1373.
- Fragoulaki, M. 2021. Death. In: Baron, C. ed. The Herodotus Encyclopedia., Vol. 1. Wiley Blackwell, pp. 414-419.
- Fragoulaki, M. 2021. Ethnicity in Thucydides. In: Low, P. ed. The Cambridge Companion to Thucydides. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2020
- Fragoulaki, M. 2020. The mytho-political map of Spartan colonisation in Thucydides: the 'Spartan colonial triangle' vs. the 'Spartan Mediterranean'. In: Powell, A. and Debnar, P. eds. Thucydides and Sparta. Swansea: Classical Press of Wales, pp. 183-219.
- Fragoulaki, M. 2020. Thucydides Homericus and the episode of Mykalessus (Th. 7.29-30): Myth and history, space and collective memory. In: Fragoulaki, M. and Constantakopoulou, C. eds. Shaping Memory in Ancient Greece: Poetry, Historiography and Epigraphy., Vol. 11. Histos Supplementary Volumes, pp. 37-86.
- Fragoulaki, M. and Constantakopoulou, C. 2020. Introduction - collective memory in ancient Greek culture: concepts, media, and sources.. In: Fragoulaki, M. and Constantakopoulou, C. eds. Shaping Memory in Ancient Greece: Poetry, Historiography and Epigraphy., Vol. 11. Histos Supplementary Volumes Histos
- Fragoulaki, M. 2020. The Melian dilemma: remaking Thucydides: first response. Epoiesen (10.22215/epoiesen/2019.6)
- Fragoulaki, M. and Constantakopoulou, C. eds. 2020. Shaping memory in ancient Greece: poetry, historiography and epigraphy. Supplement volume 11. Newcastle upon Tyne: Histos.
- Fragoulaki, M. 2020. The naval battle of Arginusae (406 BCE) and the Athenian democracy: A victory turned into a defeat (Greek: Ἡ ναυμαχία στὶς Ἀργινοῦσες (406 π.Χ.) καὶ ἡ ἀθηναϊκὴ δημοκρατία: Μιὰ νίκη ποὺ μετατράπηκε σὲ ἧττα). In: Lessons of War III: Athenian Dramas (Greek: Μαθήματα Πολέμου ΙΙΙ: Ἀθηναίων Δράματα). [The naval battle of Arginusae (406 BCE) and the Athenian democracy: A victory turned into a defeat]. National Theatre Publications Athens, Greece: National Theatre, pp. 62-67.
2019
- Fragoulaki, M. 2019. Decompartmentalising Thucydides. [Online]. London: Institute of Classical Studies. Available at: https://ics.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2019/06/28/decompartmentalising-thucydides/
- Fragoulaki, M. 2019. Narrative and experience of the human body in war: Homer and Herodotus. Presented at: Homer and Herodotus: A Reappraisal., Newcastle, UK, 4-5 March 2019.
- Fragoulaki, M. and Wendt, C. 2019. Thucydides global: Teaching, researching, and performing Thucydides. Presented at: Thucydides Global: Teaching, Researching, and Performing Thucydides, Institute of Classical Studies, London, 30 April 2019. pp. -.
2017
- Fragoulaki, M. 2017. Comparing portraits: Nicias' wealth in Plutarch and Thucydides. Anxiety of influence and narrative choice. Presented at: Ritual and Politics, Individual and Community in Plutarch’s Works: An international Colloquium, Crete, Greece, 27-30 April 2017.
2016
- Fragoulaki, M. 2016. Emotion, persuasion and kinship in Thucydides: The Plataian debate (3.52-68) and the Melian Dialogue (5.85-113). In: Sanders, E. and Johncock, M. eds. Emotion and Persuasion in Classical Antiquity. Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, pp. 113-132.
2015
- Fragoulaki, M. 2015. (K.) Buraselis, (V.) Karamanolakis and (S.) Katakis Eds. H μνήμη της κοινότητας και η διαχείρισή της: μελέτες από μια ημερίδα αφιερωμένη στη μνήμη του Τίτου Παπαμαστοράκη [= Communal memory and its handling: studies arising from a one-day colloquium in memory of Titos Papamastorakis]. Athens: Kardamitsa, 2011. Pp. 364. €21.30. 9789603543015.[Book Review]. Journal of Hellenic Studies 135, pp. 253-254. (10.1017/S0075426915000762)
2014
- Fragoulaki, M. 2014. Death in Thucydides and Homer. Presented at: Classical Association Annual Conference 2014, Nottingham, UK, 13-16 April 2014.
2013
- Fragoulaki, M. 2013. Kinship in Thucydides: Intercommunal ties and historical narrative. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Fragoulaki, M. 2013. Emotion, persuasion and kinship in Thucydides: The Plataian debate (3.52-68) and the Melian dialogue (5.85-113). Presented at: Emotion and Persuasion in Classical Antiquity, Centre for Oratory and Rhetoric, Royal Holloway, London, UK, 27-28 June 2013.
2012
- Fragoulaki, M. 2012. (P.M.) Fraser, Greek ethnic terminology (Lexicon of Greek personal names. Supplementary Volume. Revised for publication after the author's death by S. Hornblower). Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press for the British Academy, 2009. Pp. xxi + 424. £50. 9780197264287. [Book Review]. The Journal of Hellenic Studies 132, pp. 229-230. (10.1017/S0075426912000602)
2010
- Fragoulaki, M. 2010. Rengakos (A.) and Tsakmakis(A.) Eds. Brill's Companion to Thucydides. (Brill's Companions in Classical Studies). Leiden: Brill, 2006. Pp. xix + 947. Euro 249. 9789004136830.[Book Review]. The Journal of Hellenic Studies 128, pp. 237-238. (10.1017/S0075426900000793)
2007
- Fragoulaki, M. 2007. Thucydides in the light of Herodotus: the kinship ties between Athenians and Thracians. Presented at: The Classical Association Annual Conference, Birmingham, UK, 12-15 April 2007.
2006
- Fragoulaki, M. 2006. Kinship in Thucydides: the case of the Kerkyraika narrative (1.24-55). Presented at: The Classical Association Annual Conference 2006, Newcastle, UK, 6-9 April 2006.
Teaching
Undergraduate
- HS3103 Investigating the Ancient World: Skills and Evidence
- HS3104 The Ancient World in 20 Objects
- HS3105 Introduction to Ancient History 1a: 1000-323 BCE
- HS3345/6 Greek Historical Texts
- HS3349 Two Greek Historians: Herodotus and Thucydides
- HS3375 Myth and History in Ancient Greece
- HS3374 Tyrants, Kings and Democrats: The Rise of Classical Greece
- HS3381 Drama in Context: Ancient Greek Theatre, Politics and Society
- HS4334 Independent Second Year Study
- HS4335 Researching the Ancient World: Final Year Dissertation
- HS4336 Pots, Poems and Pictures: Using Evidence for Ancient History
Postgraduate
- HST002 Themes and Approaches in Ancient History
- MA Religious Studies: Myth, Narrative and Theory
Undergraduate and postgraduate supervision
I have supervised undergraduate and postgraduate work on Thucydides, Herodotus, Greek drama, myth, and the political and social history of ancient Greece.
Teaching profile
I have designed and taught BA and MA courses in ancient Greek history (archaic and classical periods, in full- and small-size groups, organised in lectures and seminars); ancient Greek literature (Thucydides, Herodotus, Homer, Plato, Greek drama; introduction to ancient Greek literature and history); I have taught ancient Greek and Latin language at all levels.
My research interests include: Thucydides; Herodotus; Homer; the interaction between history and literature; the political and social history of archaic and classical Greece; collective memory; colonization and ethnicity; ancient Greek mythology and religion; comparative and interdisciplinary approaches to classics; theatrical performance of Thucydides and other historians.
My monograph Kinship in Thucydides, OUP 2013 (https://global.oup.com/academic/product/kinship-in-thucydides-9780199697779?cc=gb&lang=en&) studies the concept of kinship between communities (syngeneia) in Thucydides and ancient Greek politics. It applies modern anthropological work on kinship relations beyond biology and descent (relatedness) to describe and explain the maleable and dynamic nature of intecommunal kinship in ancient Greek politics. As in all periods and societies, kinship is a powerful (albeit at times invisible to cultural outsiders) mechanism, which fuels rhetoric and collective emotions, and mobilises diplomacy and action in war and peace.
Reviews of Kinship in Thucydides, 2013, OUP
P. Liddel, Omnibus 68, September 2014, 69; S. Forsdyke, Histos 8, 23 November 2014 (http://research.ncl.ac.uk/histos/documents/RR17ForsdykeonFragoulaki.pdf); C. Scardino, BMCR 16 December 2014; P. Low, Mnemosyne, 2015 68/3, 511-14 http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/1568525x-12341909 (DOI: 10.1163/1568525X-12341909); R. J. Littman, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute (N.S.) 21, 2015, 211-243; M. Tamiolaki, Classical Review, January 2015, 65/1, 42-4 (DOI: 10.1017/S0009840X14002686); M. S. Trifirò, Anabases 21, April 2015, 274-5 (URL: http://anabases.revues.org/5349); M. Taylor, sehepunkte Rezensionsjournal fur die Geschichtswissenschaften 15 (2015) No. 4 (URL: http://www.sehepunkte.de/2015/04/24471.html); S. Roy, Classical Journal Online 5.09.2015 https://cj.camws.org/sites/default/files/reviews/2015.09.05%20Roy%20on%20Fragoulaki.pdf; D. Konstan, Journal of Hellenic Studies, 135, 2015, 192-3 (DOI: 10.1017/S0075426915000233); K. Vlassopoulos, Greece & Rome 63.1, April 2016, 134 (DOI: 10.1017/S0017383515000303, Published online: 29 March 2016); P. Debnar, Gnomon 89, 2017, 67-9.
Projects
- International Workshop on Thucydides’ modern reception ‘Thucydides Global: Teaching, Researching, and Performing Thucydides’ (Collaboration of Cardiff SHARE, Ruhr Unversität Bochum, Germany & Institute of Classical Studies, London, 30 April 2019; you can read more in the ICS Blog and Annual Newsletter (p. 3). A volume based on the workshop is currently in preparation.
- The relationship between Thucydides and Homer, in a monograph in preparation and other publications.
- Thucydides’ ancient and modern theatrical performance.
Research links
https://ics.sas.ac.uk/events/event/19267
https://ics.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2019/06/28/decompartmentalising-thucydides/
https://ics.sas.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/ICS%20Annual%20Newsletter%202019-11-27.pdf
Supervision
I welcome supervision of suitable PhD candidates wishing to work on ancient Greek history and literature of the archaic and classical periods, especially Thucydides and its socio-political context; kinship theory and politics; Thucydides and Homer; myth; collective memory.