Classics in Newfoundland & Labrador: An Unexpected Presence


Date: Jun 19
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Where: Theatre

What do ancient Greece and Rome have to do with Newfoundland? Dr. Luke Roman from the Department of Classics of Memorial University will explore the presence of Greco-Roman antiquity in the history and cultures of Newfoundland and Labrador. This voyage through unexpected corners of the Province's history will include some interesting stops along the way: the teaching of Latin in the schools; Wilfrid Grenfell's admiration of "the Greek perfection of body"; the appearance of Dido, Queen of Carthage, in the annals of Newfoundland lexicography; and the fierce attacks on rivals waged in print by John F. Morris, editor of The Register and Professor of Literature and Classics at St. Bonaventure's College.

Events & Programs

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

How do place, identity, and art intersect, and what do their points of intersection tell us about this place we call home?

In this talk, Rhea Rollmann will explore the significance of queer and trans art in Atlantic Canada with particular emphasis on the work of Erica Rutherford as well as iterations of queer and trans art in NL. There will be an opportunity for questions after the talk.

Tickets: $12 plus HST. Free for Rooms members. Get your tickets online or by calling 709-757-8090.

About the Presenter:

Rhea Rollmann (she/her) is an award-winning journalist, writer and audio producer based in St. John's, NL, and is the author of A Queer History of Newfoundland (Engen Books, 2023). She is a founding editor of The Independent NL and her journalism has appeared in Briarpatch Magazine, CBC, Xtra Magazine, Chatelaine, PopMatters, Riddle Fence, Macleans and more. Her academic work has been published in the Journal of Gender Studies, Labor Studies Journal, Canadian Woman Studies, Journal of Work and Society, Canadian Theatre Review, Canadian Review of Sociology, Screen Bodies and elsewhere. She also has an extensive background in labour organizing and queer/trans activism, and she is Station Manager at CHMR-FM, a community radio station in St. John's.