Release Date 17 April 2013

The University of Reading was delighted to host the Annual Classical Conference earlier this month, with more than 400 classicists and ancient historians from four different continents in attendance.

Nearly 200 groundbreaking research presentations were delivered from origins as diverse as Nigeria, Estonia and Australia on subjects ranging from voodoo in Alexandria, memory in Homer and new evidence for Rome's wars with Carthage.

The University of Reading's Department of Classics is over 100 years old and has a rich history of excellence in Classics research and teaching. Reading's expertise in digital Classics, Greek religion, political thought and museum studies was reflected throughout the week.

The organising committee for the conference was chaired by Dr David Carter, Senior Lecturer in Greek and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science.

Dr Carter said: "It was a huge honour for the University to host one of the biggest events worldwide in the Classics calendar. This exciting conference highlighted the importance of ancient Greek and Roman studies to so many areas of modern life."

During the week the Classical Association awarded its highest prize to Professor Mary Beard of Cambridge University. The prize is given annually to a person who has made 'a significant contribution to the public understanding of Classics'. Previous winners include the author Tom Holland, who was also in attendance. Professor Beard took the opportunity to congratulate Professor Emerita Jane Gardner for her 50 year association with Classics at the University of Reading.

The University of Reading has a rich cultural heritage, from fine art to film and music to museums. Its Ure Museum, which is open to the public, houses one of the finest but perhaps least widely known collections of Greek and Egyptian archaeology in the UK. It has played a vital part in the teaching and research of the University over the past hundred years. The collection consists of approximately 2000 objects and is made-up primarily of material from the Greek and Greco-Roman civilisations of the Mediterranean.

This summer the University will be celebrating its arts and cultural links and expertise through a series of special events to be announced soon.

For more information about the Ure Museum email ure@reading.ac.uk tel. 0118 378 6990 visit http://www.reading.ac.uk/Ure/index.php

ENDS