John H. Starks, Jr.
Assistant Professor of Classics
Click here for John Starks' personal web site . . .
John Starks received his Ph.D. in Classics with Historical Emphasis from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2004 with a dissertation entitled 'Actresses in the Roman World.' His research interests include Greek and Roman theater history and performance, ethnicity of the 'other,' esp. Africa, in the classical Mediterranean world, Latin historiography, Greek and Latin biography, Latin oratory, and Latin epigraphy. He enjoys teaching all levels of the Latin language and courses in translation on various topics in ancient theater, social history, political and rhetorical thought, and gender and ethnicity.
Contact Information
Telephone: (607) 777-4524
E-mail:jstarks@binghamton.edu
Office: LT 1102
Recent Publications
- "Was Black Beautiful in Vandal Africa?" chapter in G.K. Bhambra, D. Orrells, T. Roynon, edd. African Athena: New Agendas. Oxford. Forthcoming 2011
- "Servitus, sudor, sitis: Syra and Syrian Slave Stereotyping in Plautus' Mercator." New England Classical Journal, Special Issue: 'Change and Exchange in Plautus's Mercator.' 37.2010.51-64
"Pantomime Actresses in Latin Inscriptions." In Edith Hall & Rosie Wyles, edd. New Directions in Ancient Pantomime, 110-145. Oxford, 2008. [Women's Classical Caucus, 2008 Best Article Award, presented 2010]
Current Projects
Monograph
Actresses in the Greek and Roman Worlds: An Analytical Register, contract with Cambridge University Press.
Articles
"Plautus and Terence in their Performance Context (Actors, Costumes, Stage)," chapter in Michael Fontaine & Adele Scafuro, edd. The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Comedy. Oxford USA.
Recent Awards/Honors
- Blegen Research Fellow, Vassar College 2010-11
- Women's Classical Caucus, 2008 Best Article Award, presented 2010
- CAAS Presidential Initiative Grant for musical production of Femme Phantasmagoria (Aristophanes' Thesmophoriazousai) at Binghamton University 2009
Recent Papers/Workshops
- "Sharing Center Stage: 'Actresses' (In)Equity' in the Roman World," in Women's Network/Réseau des Femmes panel 'Exploring Equity in Antiquity,' CAAS Newark, 2010; CAC/SCEC Quebec City, Quebec 2010
- "John Chavis, African-American Latin Teacher in the Antebellum South," in Presidential Panel 'Practice and Perception of Black Classicism' for CAMWS President Michele V. Ronnick. CAMWS Oklahoma City 2010
- "Vox feminae, vox populi (A Woman's Voice, The People's Voice): Demand for Actresses in the Roman World," Temple University 2010
- "Playing Her Part, Onstage and Offstage: Actresses and the Family in the Roman World." Arachne Conference, Oikos-Familia: The Family in the Ancient Greco-Roman World, Göteborg University, Sweden 2009
- "Stealing Hannibal's Thunder: Recasting of Hannibal's Words in Cicero, Horace and Juvenal." CAAS Wilmington DE 2009
- "Syra and Stereotyping of Syrian Slaves in Plautus' Mercator" CAMWS Minneapolis 2009
- "Servitus, sudor, sitis: Syrian Slave Stereotypes in Plautus." Langford Conference Playing with Plautus, Florida State University 2009
- Adapted, Costumed and Directed 3 scenes from Plautus' Curculio in original Latin – presented at Langford Conference Playing with Plautus, Florida State University 2009
- "Acting Her Age: Beauty Image, Aging, and Ageism in the Reception of Actresses in the Roman World." APA Philadelphia 2009
Courses Taught
Education
- Ph.D. 2004, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- B.A. Classics/Mathematics, Washington & Lee University, 1988
