For those interested in browsing our Past Events:
Events organised by the 2011-12 Committee
Annual Herodoteans Garden Party: Join us once more in Sidney Sussex's beautiful Master's garden for the last classical event of term! A perfect way to celebrate the end of the exams, giving you the chance to catch up with your friends from the Faculty and fellow Classicists before you depart on the epicly long summer holiday. Spend a lazy afternoon eating tasty pastries, strawberries & cream and drinking copious amounts of Pimms in the glorious sunshine.
Should the weather turn we shall relocate to Sindey's splendid Master's Lodge.
Dress code: Smart casual
Ticket Price: £5 (before) and £7 (on-the-door)
Last year's Garden Party sold out very quickly, so, as to avoid possible disappointment, do send us your cheques in advance. Please also remember to bring ID with you on the day as we will be operating a guest-list system rather than issuing printed tickets.
Please send cheques, payable to "Herodoteans Society" (with your name, college and @cam e-mail address written on the reverse) to our secretary, Laura Fox at Trinity College (via UMS).
All are welcome (not just Classicists!).
Please note the following offer from Southwark Playhouse in London for their new production of Sophocles' Antigone, put in the intriguing context of the current Arab revolutions:
A gripping new production of Antigone brings this ancient classic bang up-to-date as a direct response to the ongoing Arab Spring. With leaders across the Middle East struggling to suppress rebellion, Sophocles' drama has a startling relevance in today's world. Featuring a newly commissioned score, a full-scale chorus and a terrific cast including Olivier Award winner Edward Petherbridge, Antigone is an inspiring tale for our times.
Exclusive Offer for The Herodoteans: Book now for performances up to 14th June and receive a Free Drink when you quote Dionysus when booking on the phone or online. Offer subject to availability.
Free Preshow talk: Dr Cynthia Lawford will give a 20-minute talk on how Athenian audiences experienced Antigone in the fifth century BCE including their understanding of the myths behind the play, the role of women and their duties to the gods in sacred burial rights. Monday 6th June at 7:15pm.
More information on the play can be found here.
On the 25th of May, the Heffers store in Cambridge is relaunching its Classics section! On this evening Mary Beard, Michael Scott, Tom Holland and Paul Cartledge will discuss their favourite Classical authors and a member of the Harvard University Press is going to talk about the 100th Anniversary of the Loeb Classical Library.
There is also going to be a money off promotion in the library and stalls from Oxford University Press, Princeton University Press and Harvard University Press offering discounts on their books. Some of the Classics editors will also be present. Overcome your fear of being chased down by our beloved Professor Oakley for celebrating the Loeb Classical Library's 100th Anniversary and join The Herodoteans in what promises to be a magnificent evening!
The event begins at 6.30 and refreshments and nibbles will of course be present. Click here for the poster and here for the Herodoteans facebook event.
The 2010-11 Committee will be organising a Handover Formal at Robinson College on May the 10th, celebrating the take-over of the society. All classicists are welcome to attend. For tickets or information contact the former or current president.
Classicists in Cambridge might be interested to know that Robin Waterfield will present his new book "Dividing the Spoils" at Heffers on the 12th of April. Robin Waterfield will talk about "the story of the wars that led to the break-up of Alexander the Great's vast empire after his death in 323 BC, discussing the brilliant cultural developments which accompanied this birth of a new world." There will be a chance for Q&A and a wine reception by the Oxford University Press. Click here for more information.
Events organised by the 2010-11 Committee
Black Tie Dinner 10th March 2011, 7pm, Mountbatten Room, Christs College - Tickets have now sold out for our exclusive candle-lit dinner in the prestigious Mountbatten room of Christ College.
Classics Forum 8th March 2011, 7:30-9pm, Barbara White Room, Newnham College - Discuss the future of the Classics Course in Cambridge over a glass of wine with some of the Faculty's top academics in this year's annual get-together. At this event the heavyweights of Classics at Cambridge (Dr James Clackson, Prof Stephen Oakley, Prof David Sedley and Dr Charlie Weiss) will give short speeches on their vision for the Faculty, followed by a question and answer session where it's your turn to speak, with a mingle afterwards. Wine, as befits any Classics event, will be in abundance.
Do you want to help plan the Faculty's future? Or do you simply want to have a chat with fellow classicists and teaching staff? Whether there is anything that bothers you about the Tripos, want to come along just to see if there'll be a cat fight between academics, or whether it is the free wine: the Classics Forum is the place to be for all classicists on the 8th of March!
If you missed the Forum, you can still read the report here (.pdf file).
Herodoteans AGM 7th March 2011, 12 noon, Classics Faculty Common Room - Decide the future of the Herodoteans! We will be voting on the new committee members for 2011-2012, whose manifestos can be found on the Committee page. The candidates are:
President: Roeland Decorte, Christs
Secretary: Laura Fox, Trinity
Treasurer: Sarah Robinson, Trinity
Events Officer: Ros Cowen, Churchill
All classicists are welcome to attend, especially if they are interested in becoming general committee members (unlected positions).
Speaker Event: Natalie Haynes 24th January, 2011, 6:30-7:30pm, Lloyd Room, Christs College - Join us for an evening of comedy as Natalie Haynes presents her new book, 'The Ancient Guide To Modern Life' - about how the modern world is more interesting when it's refracted through the prism of the ancient one.
Questions she tries to answer include:
"When did the first bond villain throw his first hapless underling into a pool of man-eating fish?"
"Is the TV show 'The Wire' based on Sophocles?"
"How do you become a 100 millionaire when there is no stock market?"
Natalie was a Footlight during her time at Cambridge and has continued doing stand-up as well as presenting and appearing on both tv and radio shows and writing for The Times, The Sunday Telegraph and The Big Issue.
Christmas Pub Quiz , 26th November 2010, 8pm, Newnham College Bar - Bring your team for mulled wine and mince pies in Newnham College's bar and this year's Herodoteans Pub Quiz!
Everyone is welcome - Not all the questions will be Classics based, so it may even be to your advantage to grab a few comrades from other Triposes!
Marathon 2500 Lecture , 10th November, 2010, 6-7pm, Room G.21, Classics Faculty - You are warmly invited to this web-based lecture from the Marathon 2500 Lecture series, commemorating the 2,500-year anniversary of the Battle of Marathon. Entitled "Life of a Soldier", the lecture will be given by Victor Davis Hanson.
This should be a really good event for first years studying Herodotus and anyone studying Greece in the 5th Century. For more information and for podcasts of the entire series, please see the Marathon 2500 website.
Book Sale 5th & 7th October 2010, 1-4pm, Classics Faculty Common Room - Need to get rid of your old course books? Bring your old books along on Tuesday (with your name, college, @cam e-mail and the price for which you want to sell it penciled in on the first page) to the Faculty Common Room, and we will try to sell them for you on Thursday. Please just bring along course books, and be aware that some set texts have changed.
Fresher's Event 6th October 2010, 8pm, La Raza - It's the start of term! What better opportunity to throw a party at La Raza for our Freshers to get to know each other and mix with fellow Classicists!
It'll also be a great opportunity to meet the current members of the Herodoteans and find out how to get involved - and you need not be a Classicist to do so!
Garden Party 18th June 2010, 2-5pm, Sidney Sussex Master's Garden/Lodge - Join us in the beautiful Master's Garden of Sidney Sussex College for the last classical event of the Easter term! Exams will long since be over and you may not have seen your friends from the faculty for a while, so this is the chance to catch up with them before you depart on the epicly long summer holiday.
Spend a lazy afternoon eating Fitzbillies pastries and strawberries & cream and drinking copious amounts of Pimms in the glorious sunshine (we hope - if not, we shall relocate to the equally glorious Master's Lodge).
The Herodoteans: University of Cambridge Classics Society
Layout by Francesca Kapfer-Gill, Oliver Lambert & Roeland Decorte