5^th February- The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (Part 2)

Presented by Wiz Tehel

Wiz continues the exploration of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World with two of the wonders.

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus - which was the largest and most spectacular of the Ancient Greek temples. Sadly only a few remnants can be seen today of this wonder.

The Colossus of Rhodes - According to legend, this statue straddled the harbour entrance of Rhodes before earthquakes brought it crashing into the waters.

5^th March- The Story of a Roman Who Devoted his Life to Undermining Caesar's Ambition

Presented by Mike Sproule

In the last century before the Christian era, as Rome's constitution was being distorted to destruction, a contemporary player stood up for order amidst the growing chaos.

7^th April - No Talk

Good Friday and Easter clashes

7^th May - Life and Death Under Vesuvius

Presented by Peter Ireland

4th June - Life in Ancient Rome

Presented by Professor Claire Holleran of Exeter University

Claire's research interests lie in Roman social and economic history, particularly urban economies, the experience of living in the ancient city. She has published articles and contributed to, and edited, several books.

Her profile on the Exeter University can be found here:

https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/22493-claire-holleran/about

Summer Break

No talks in July and August

3^rd September - Thermopylae and the 300 Spartans

Presented by Jim Cocker

This is one of the most famous battles in ancient history where, in 480 BC, 300 Spartan soldiers held off a Persian army of more than 100,000.

1^st October - Christian Sites in Roman Britain

Presented by Paul Caudell

When the Romans invaded Britain, along with aqueducts, roads, education, and wine, they also brought Christianity.

Paul takes us on a tour of Christian sites established during the Roman occupation of Britain.

5th November - Ancient Devon – People and Places

Presented by Bill Horner
South Hams County Archaeologist

The South Hams is rich is history. There are sites from the Bronze Age, Romans, Anglo Saxons, Vikings, Normans to name a few.

Bill introduces us to the people and places in our neighbourhood.

Did you know there was a major Roman site at Ipplepen?

3rd December - Homer’s Iliad: Heros & Villains

Presented by Oscar Standidge

Homer's great epics contain a range of characters from the heroic to the villainous, and many of the characters are both!

Oscar profiles these characters and places them in context as to how they fit into the Greek expectations of the time,

6^th February - The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Presented by Wiz Tehel

The Hanging Gardens are the most enigmatic and elusive of the Seven Ancient Wonders. For over two thousand years authors have written about the gardens, artists have imagined how they looked. But what do we actually know about the gardens? Did they exist and if so where?

6^th March - Heliogabalus A Spoilt Child on the Wrong Side

Presented by Mike Sproule

Rome gave us some of the most infamous emperors of all time:  Caligula and  Nero.

But Heliogabalus could be the most decadent, promiscuous, and eccentric of them all.

Or was he?

3^rd April - In vino veritas - The Story of Wine

Presented by Bill Riddell

Wine is one of the most popular beverages in the world and it has a long history.

When and where was wine first produced?

How did wine come to take over the Ancient World.

Bill takes us on a journey of discovery from wine’s first creation through Greek, Roman and onto other ancient cultures.

1^st May - History of Vindolanda and the Vindolanda Trust

Presented by Gary Calland

Vindolanda Fort is one of Europe’s most important Roman archaeological sites. It is situated near Hadrians Wall and it considered a must see attraction in the England’s North East.

Vindolanda is managed by a charitable trust, established in 1970, who continue to manage this World Heritage Site.

Gary traces the history of the Roman fort, the Trust, and the significant discoveries that the fort has revealed over the years.

Summer Break

No talks in June, July and August

4^th September - Fashion - From Greek to Gucci

Presented by Valarie Key

While the global fashion industry we know today may be a modern phenomenon, clothing and jewellery have always been significant facets of human culture.

Like today, fashion in ancient cultures was a display of one's social standing, wealth, education and changed from generation to generation.

Valarie gives us a unique glimpse into the evolution of fashion.

2^nd October - Shakespeare and the Classical World

Presented by John Davie

The Classics and the Classical Era are of central importance in Shakespeare's plays and in the structure of his imagination. The Classical Era was a direct inspiration for several of his plays, such as Antony and Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, to name two of the most loved, but also other Classical sources and themes influenced his other plays.

John investigates Shakespeare's classicism and shows how he used a variety of classical books to explore crucial areas of human experience such as love, politics, ethics and history.

6^th November - A visit to the Theatre

Presented by Peter Barker

The theatres are often among the most impressive remains of the Greco-Roman cities across the Roman Empire, as a host of pictures illustrate.  We shall consider their development, architecture and the uses to which they were put.  At the same time we shall consider the development of Greek tragedy and comedy, and then Roman drama leading to pantomime and reality shows.

4^th December - The Changing Faces of Greek Myth

Presented by Adrian Deeny

Using the myth of the greatest hero of them all – Heracles - this talk explores the origin of myths and how they adapt to reflect the customs and social mores of the day. I will discuss the reshaping of the Heracles myth from earliest times, through the great classical poets Hesiodic and Homeric, up to Classical Athens when tragic poets remodelled myth in drama.

To understand myth is a way of better understanding ourselves.

3rd October - Classical Architecture- it picked us up and has never put us down

Presented by Mike Trevorrow

The ancient Greeks not only gave us democracy, theatre, the Olympics, but also architectural elements which has influenced western architecture tradition for over 2000 years.  Not only columns, porticos, podiums, and friezes, but also the concepts of elegance and beauty we have the ancient Greeks to thank for.

7th November - Zenobia - Queen of the Palmyrene Empire

Presented by Mary Crawford

A highly educated, intelligent and accomplished leader. She created the largest empire that stood against the might of Rome, which spanned from Mesopotamia, Syria to Northern Egypt.

5th December- A History of Greek Art in 10 Favourites

Presented by Peter Ireland

A selection of Greek artworks, all personal favourites, some very familiar, from the 6th to the 2nd Centuries BC, which demonstrate the virtuosity of ancient craftsmen and artists.