Department of Classical Studies
Kelly Olson
Associate Professor of Classics
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B. A. Calgary, M.A. Victoria, Ph.D. Chicago.
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Special Interests:
Roman society and culture (social attitudes, women and the family, sexuality, and slavery, clothing); Roman art and architecture; Latin historiography. Publications include articles on costume, women, Roman art, and ancient society.
Current Teaching (2012-2013):
- CS2907B: Daily life in Ancient Rome WF (1:30 - 2:30 pm)
- CS3350G: Women in Ancient Rome MWF (11:30 -12:30 pm)
- Classics 9351B:The Roman Family M (2:30 - 4:30)
Research Interests:
- Ancient history, more specifically Greek and Roman society and culture: social attitudes, social structure, women, the family, sexuality, and slavery, clothing and appearance
- Greek and Roman art and architecture
- Greek and Roman historiography; Latin literature (historical writing; satire)
Current Projects:
- Men, Appearance and Sexuality in Roman Antiquity (in progress as a book. This project is being funded by a SSHRC Standard Research grant, 2008-11)
Publications:
- Cosmetics in Roman antiquity: substance, remedy, poison," in Nature, Natural: Imagining Women in Greco-Roman Antiquity. Classical World 103.2: 2009: 291-310. Eds. A. Glazebrook and K. Olson.
- 2008. Dress and the Roman Woman: Self-Presentation and Society (Routledge). Review in BMCR
- 2008. "The appearance of the young Roman girl" in Roman Clothing and the Fabric of Roman Culture, eds. J. Edmondson and A. Keith (Univ. of Toronto Press):
139-57.
- 2007. "Insignia lugentium: female mourning garments in Roman antiquity," in the American Journal of Ancient History 3-4 (2004-05): 89-130.
- 2006. Matrona and whore: clothing and definition" in Prostitutes and Courtesans in the Ancient World (University of Wisconsin Press): 186-204.
- 2003. "Roman underwear revisited" in Classical World 96.2 (2003), 201-210.
- 2002. "Matrona and whore: the clothing of Roman women" in Fashion Theory 6.4: 387- 420.
- 2001. Roman glass gaming pieces or jewel stones in Mouseion Series III vol. 1: 127-138.
- Various reviews of books on costume, women, Roman art, and ancient society
Selected Publications:
- 2010. "Dandies, Effeminacy, and Masculinity in Roman Antiquity," Celtic Conference, panel on Addressing Dress, Edinburgh, Scotland, July 2010 (invited lecture).
- 2010. The Color of Masculinity in Roman Antiquity, Classical Association of Canada annualmeeting, Quebec City Canada, May 2010.
- 2010. "Beware the Ill-Girt Boy: Tunics, Status, and Masculinity in Roman Antiquity," Roman
Archaeology Conference, Oxford, UK, March 2010.
- 2009. "Dandies, Effeminacy, and Masculinity in Roman Antiquity" (annual AAH meeting, Vancouver)
- 2009. "Beware the Ill-Girt Boy: Tunics, Status, and Masculinity in Roman Antiquity" (annual CAC meeting, Vancouver)
- 2004."The Appearance of the Young Roman Girl" (Roman Clothing andthe Fabric of Roman Culture, York University).
- 2003. Roman Sewage and Social Relations (Archaeological Institute of America at Niagra).
- 2003. "Cultural Studies and the Ancient Historian," (Dept. of History Philosophy of History seminar series, UWO).
- 2002. TogateProstitutes in Roman Antiquity, (Prostitution in the Ancient World conference, Univ. of Madison).
Service to the Discipline (Selected):
- May 2011 Organizing Chair of Justice on the Margins in the Ancient World workshop
(SSHRC funded, UWO Dept. of Classical Studies)
- 2010-12: AGM representative, Classical Association of Canada Council
- March 2010: Organizing Chair of Justice in the Ancient World conference (UWO Dept. of Classical Studies; awarded a SSHRC conference grant)
- Organizing Chair of Clothing, Clothing, and Gender in Roman Art. Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference panel, Oxford UK
- 2009-11: Graduate Chair, Dept. of Classical Studies
- October 2006: Organizing chair of Coinage and Currency in the Ancient World, one-day colloquium, UWO Dept. of Classical Studies.
- 2006-07: President, Westerns Caucus on Womens Issues
- 2005: Organizing chair of "Women and Nature;" Women's Network panel,Classical Association of Canada Meeting, Banff, Alberta
- 2002-2005: President, Womens Network, Classical Association of Canada