Celebrity and Politics in the Greek and

It might come as a surprise, but the ancients were obsessed with superficiality. Image, style, reputation, gossip, and slander: all were fundamental parts of the cultural and political life of ancient society, particularly in the context of the city. In this class we will investigate and historicize the phenomenon of celebrity in the Ancient World - from Classical Athens to the Roman Empire - and in particular the relationship between democratic institutions, popular politics, and the outsized role played by political and cultural celebrities in ancient society. Although celebrity is often viewed as a phenomenon projected from above on a passive audience, we will approach it as a dynamic of negotiation and contestation involving equally powerful participants: public(s) and celebrities.  We will apply a diverse range of critical methodologies in approaching these questions, and we will likewise read broadly from ancient authors both well known (Thucydides, Plato, Aristophanes) and less commonly approached in undergraduate courses (from the celebrity orator Dio Chrysostom and the enigmatic satirist Lucian of Samosata to the 3rd century dream interpreter Artemidorus). A general familiarity with the broad strokes of ancient history is helpful, but not required. There are no prerequisites.