The Pericles Cup: New Archaeological Evidence for Athens' Most Famous General?
AIA Central Arizona Society October Lecture
Speaker: Matt Simonton, Arizona State University
Discovered during a rescue excavation in 2014, an ancient Greek cup incised with six names may shed light on the life and career of Pericles, long considered the greatest politician and general of the Athenian democracy. I discuss the circumstances of the cup’s finding, questions of forgery, and the possible meanings behind the curious incision of names. The cup, and the media frenzy around it, invite us to consider the impact of such “Holy Grails” on our conception of ancient history and the people who made it.
Matt Simonton is an assistant professor at the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at ASU. He holds a doctorate in classics and has published on politics, memory, and material culture in ancient Greece.