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Lunchtime Lectures: Retelling The Odyssey: A Journey Through History
This event is part of the free lunchtime lecture series. No booking is required.
Since The Odyssey appeared on the literary scene in the eighth century BCE, the epic poem has had an incredible influence on storytelling in all forms of media: whether it be visual representations like sculptures and paintings, theatre performances, or even philosophical thought, no art form has been untouched by Homer's magnificent ancient prose. It seems that everyone, from every time period, wants to sink their teeth into this exciting tale of Odysseus’s long-awaited homecoming from the legendary Trojan War.
In this talk, we’ll be doing a whistle-stop tour through the ages to look at the interesting ways Homer’s work has been reinvented over the centuries. Most importantly, we’ll be uncovering what history tells us actually makes a good and popular retelling of The Odyssey.
Erica Stevenson earned a BA in Classical Civilisation from New York University. Her mission to make the ancient world accessible led her to start MoAn Inc. (MOdern ANcients) in 2020—a YouTube channel which aims to bring antiquity to a modern audience by offering breakdowns of ancient texts book-by-book, historical summaries of individuals from the distant past, and discussions with professors, writers and experts to promote wider education of the Classics. In 2024, Erica was named one of History Extra’s “30 Under 30” historians and, since then, has lectured at universities around the world, including in the United States of America and Switzerland. Her debut nonfiction book, The Odyssey Effect: How Homer’s Epic Poem Shaped the World, will be released in June 2026.
Erica Stevenson earned a BA in Classical Civilisation from New York University. Her mission to make the ancient world accessible led her to start MoAn Inc. (MOdern ANcients) in 2020—a YouTube channel which aims to bring antiquity to a modern audience by offering breakdowns of ancient texts book-by-book, historical summaries of individuals from the distant past, and discussions with professors, writers and experts to promote wider education of the Classics. In 2024, Erica was named one of History Extra’s “30 Under 30” historians and, since then, has lectured at universities around the world, including in the United States of America and Switzerland. Her debut nonfiction book, The Odyssey Effect: How Homer’s Epic Poem Shaped the World, will be released in June 2026.
