Research Interests
I have recently published a book on Cicero: Politics and Persuasion in Ancient Rome for Continuum (http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=132436). This book is about the life and times of M. Tullius Cicero, but it primarily considers his career as an orator and it examines a number of his most famous speeches. I am now working on an edited volume with Christos Kremmydas (Lecturer in Greek History, Royal Holloway) entitled Continuity and Change: Oratory in the Hellenistic Period . Following on from a successful, international two-day conference hosted in London, this volume will be published by Oxford University Press in 2013. The study of Hellenistic oratory is problematic for the fact that no speech survives from this fascinating period. However,this volume contains chapters, written by specialists in their field, which examine the different forms of evidence for Hellenistic oratory across a range of historical, literary and epigraphical sources. More information about the original conference (including abstracts from the papers) can be found at:http://www.rhul.ac.uk/classics/news-and-events/HellenisticOratoryConference/index.html.
I have also just signed a contract with Yale University Press for an historical study of Marcus Junius Brutus: Caesar's Assassin . This project is in its infancy but I am very much looking forward to the challenge!
My other future plans include a monograph on the rhetorical strategies in Cicero's Verrines , which was the topic of my PhD research. My research into the Verrines has already resulted in several publications (see below).
Other news: I have several forthcoming articles in Wiley-Blackwell's Encyclopedia of Ancient History. These include: T. Pomponius Atticus, M. Porcius Cato (the younger), Q. Hortensius Hortalus, M. Tullius Tiro, and Q. Tullius Cicero.
I have also completed entries on several of Cicero's speeches for the Literary Encyclopedia (www.litencyc.com)including: the Verrine Orations, the speeches Against Catiline, and his speech in defence of Sextus Roscius of Ameria.
Membership of Professional Bodies
• Classical Association (member of council since April 2010; Outreach Officer since 2011)
• American Philological Association
Teaching Interests
Ancient oratory, especially Cicero and the Attic orators; Augustan Literature; Neronian literature; Latin language; Roman Republic and the early Principate.
Expertise
Latin Language
Greek Language
Latin Literature under Augustus and Nero
The Age of Augustus
Conflicts in the Late Roman Republic
Tyrants, Kings and Dictators in the Classical World
I can offer papers for schools or other groups on a wide variety of topics connected to the study of Latin literature and Roman history. I have given many over the last few years to a wide range of age groups and to audiences of different sizes (from GCSE groups to sixth-formers to INSET days and school teacher conferences). Some of the areas I have talked on are:
Cicero's life and times
Cicero and Catiline at Rome
Teaching Cicero
Cicero, Rhetoric and the Lawcourts
Performance and Gestures in Cicero's speeches
Virgil's, Aeneid
Forgotten Influences on Virgil's Aeneid
I am always happy to be approached with other ideas ...
Examining Experience
External Examiner, UCL UPCH (The Classical World): 2011-2014