Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
under embargo until 2026-08-30
2026-08-30T00:00:00Z
Alcuin of York was the most influential author during the first generation of the Carolingian renaissance. He wrote multiple prose works, a substantial number of letters survive, and he left a...Show moreAlcuin of York was the most influential author during the first generation of the Carolingian renaissance. He wrote multiple prose works, a substantial number of letters survive, and he left a large corpus of poetry. In this thesis the representation of books, texts, and writing in Alcuin’s verse will be analyzed in order to draw the following conclusions: 1) Alcuin’s numerous book epigrams frame Bible manuscripts as relics; 2) Alcuin uses his poetry to invigorate the study of Latin and the production of texts by linking it to religious performances; and 3) the reflexivity and literary self-consciousness of Alcuin’s poetry have a didactic function.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
This thesis explores to what extent water bodies in ancient poetical texts materially influence the poetics of the text in which they appear. Ancient poetical texts, such as self-reflexive poems...Show moreThis thesis explores to what extent water bodies in ancient poetical texts materially influence the poetics of the text in which they appear. Ancient poetical texts, such as self-reflexive poems and literary-critical treatises, often use water bodies as metaphors to formulate aesthetic value judgements or poetical ideas. When scholarship on such texts chooses to concentrate on the text’s water bodies, the focus has been predominantly put on their function as metaphor. As such, there has been a lack in the interpretative discourse on ancient poetics in which water is not only treated metaphorically, but literally and materially as well. Employing recent advancements made in the emerging, ecocritical field of Blue Humanities, in specific the theory and methods provided by hydropoetics, this thesis offers a viable way to read water in ancient poetical texts literally. Taking as main case studies Callimachus’ Hymn to Apollo, Longinus’ On the Sublime and Catullus 64, the thesis investigates how water’s material formations such as seas, rivers, springs, flows, trickles and whirlpools autonomously contribute to the poetical constructs of these texts. It thereby serves to further classical scholarship on ancient poetics, as well as employ and reflect on present-day reading methods that help or fail to do justice to the material agency of water bodies. (Formally, this thesis is a double thesis in order to fulfill both the programs of Literary Studies and Classics and Ancient Civilizations.)Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
under embargo until 2025-08-15
2025-08-15T00:00:00Z
This Research Master's thesis examines the themes of sexual behavior, role-playing, vulgarity, and patronage within the epigrams of two prominent poets: Martial, a 1st-century Roman poet, and...Show moreThis Research Master's thesis examines the themes of sexual behavior, role-playing, vulgarity, and patronage within the epigrams of two prominent poets: Martial, a 1st-century Roman poet, and Antonio Beccadelli, a 15th-century Renaissance humanist. By analyzing Martial's Epigrams and Beccadelli's Hermaphroditus, this study explores how these poets utilized the epigram form—a brief, witty, and often subversive poetic genre—to navigate the boundaries of moral acceptability and challenge societal norms. This thesis's central research question is: "How do Martial and Beccadelli utilize themes of vulgarity within their epigrams, and in what ways does patronage function as a protective mechanism against potential critical backlash?" The first chapter focuses on how Martial and Beccadelli use profane terminology to create humor and subvert traditional sexual roles. Through a close examination of selected epigrams, such as Martial's Epigrams 2.28, 1.94, 3.87, and 7.68, and Beccadelli's Hermaphroditus 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, and 1.10, the analysis demonstrates how these poets employ terms like "paedico" (the active person in homoerotic intercourse) and "futuo" (the active person in heterosexual intercourse) to overturn conventional expectations and evoke comedic effects. Martial frequently uses vulgar terms in surprising ways, revealing unexpected sexual roles and behaviors that defy societal norms. Similarly, Beccadelli emulates Martial’s technique but adapts it to his context, creating humorous reversals that challenge the authoritative stances of his characters. The chapter argues that both poets use profanity not only for humor but also as a means of critiquing and undermining established sexual norms. The second chapter explores the interaction between the body, text, and profanity, examining how these elements allow Martial and Beccadelli to defend their works against potential censorship through the metaphor of castration. The analysis focuses on how the poets equate the act of censorship with emasculation, seeing it as an attack on their creative freedom. By examining specific texts, such as Martial’s Epigrams 1.35 and Beccadelli’s Hermaphroditus 1.23 and 1.33, the chapter reveals how both poets strategically use profane and sexual imagery to assert the importance of their creative expression. Martial, drawing inspiration from Catullus, personifies his poems as phallic entities, emphasizing that their essence lies in their bold and provocative nature. Beccadelli, likewise, uses the metaphor of castration to resist altering his texts, presenting this resistance as a defense of his literary integrity. The chapter argues that both poets employ a similar strategy to maintain their artistic freedom, despite the different cultural and historical contexts in which they wrote. The third chapter examines the role of patronage in protecting the works of Martial and Beccadelli from criticism and censorship. The analysis focuses on how the poets sought patronage from influential figures to safeguard their provocative content. By examining specific epigrams, such as Martial’s Epigrams 1.4 and 12.3 (4) and Beccadelli’s Hermaphroditus 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3, the chapter demonstrates how patrons served as buffers, enabling the poets to publish their works without fear of repercussion. Martial uses imperial patronage and personal connections to secure protection and enhance his stature, while Beccadelli aligns himself with Cosimo de’ Medici to protect his literary endeavors. In conclusion, by comparing a classical exemplum (Martial) with a Neo-Latin emulator (Beccadelli), the study highlights how both poets used the genre of epigrams to humorously challenge sexually normative behaviors and strategically employ patronage to defend their works. The findings demonstrate that the strategic use of vulgarity and patronage allowed both Martial and Beccadelli to resist the constraints of their eras, producing enduring works that continue to provoke and engage readers.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
closed access
This thesis discusses the ritual of libating at the site of Deir el-Medina. The first chapter provides a general overview of the ritual until the New Kingdom. Thereafter, the second chapter zooms...Show moreThis thesis discusses the ritual of libating at the site of Deir el-Medina. The first chapter provides a general overview of the ritual until the New Kingdom. Thereafter, the second chapter zooms in on Deir el-Medina and discusses textual, archaeological, and iconographical evidence of the ritual act. Different settings, such as domestic, funerary, and temple settings are studied in detail in order to get a better understanding of the ritual. The third chapter discusses the (fragments of) libation basins from the site, which are all described and photographed in the appendix. The appendix provides a catalogue of 247 libation basins and fragments thereof, which have been studied by the author in 2023 and 2024 at the site.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
This thesis explores the way women in selected Euripidean tragedies engage with verbal communication and proposes that this female verbal repertoire can serve as a foundation for a feminist...Show moreThis thesis explores the way women in selected Euripidean tragedies engage with verbal communication and proposes that this female verbal repertoire can serve as a foundation for a feminist interpretation of the respective plays. Female interaction with verbal communication can be separated into three distinct categories: a) silence, b) song, and c) speech. Following this categorization, this thesis firstly delves into specific verses from Medea (259-268) and Hippolytus (710-723, 800-805) to indicate that female tragic silence entails a skillful manipulation of speech. Secondly, verses from Medea (410-430) and two fragments from Hypsipyle (752h 3-9, 759a 80-89) are examined to demonstrate how female tragic song can function as a lyrical form of feminine language. Thirdly, Pasiphae’s apologia (472e 4-12, 34-41) in the Cretans is analyzed to pinpoint how female tragic speech can be rhetorically constructed, serving as a springboard for self-exculpation and female empowerment. Drawing from French feminism and American post-structuralist feminism, this study orchestrates a dialogue between the Euripidean corpus and (post) modern feminist theory and indicates how a reader-oriented approach to the ancient texts can both honor a historically grounded reception of tragedy and suggest how modern audiences can imbue classical tragic texts with fresh meaning.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
This thesis focuses on the epigraphic material found in monumental tombs from both Palmyra and the Nabataean kingdom in the ancient Middle East, discussing the use of the various terms for funerary...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the epigraphic material found in monumental tombs from both Palmyra and the Nabataean kingdom in the ancient Middle East, discussing the use of the various terms for funerary architecture in their dialects of Aramaic and Greek. The subject is approached from a sociolinguistic perspective, discussing the socio-cultural implications of the distribution and the use of the vocabulary. The combined evidence shows that the funerary sphere, as the most local sphere visible through the epigraphic evidence, is strongly impacted by social change. Different terms are used for different funerary complexes, depending on their location above or below the surface, or on whether they housed individual or grouped burials. The socio-economic developments in Palmyra and Nabataea in the first centuries of our era led to groups from a new upper middle class gaining interest in expressing their cultural identity through funerary complexes, which were previously reserved for the upper elite. These social developments and their consequences are also partly reflected in the vocabulary used for funerary architecture. This thesis hopes to show what a thorough analytical approach on a specific set of vocabulary can bring to the study of identity in the Roman Near East. Diachronic developments in the Aramaic and Greek vocabulary, divisions across region, tomb type and time will be examined, as they show how the funerary landscape developed in the ancient Middle East from the 1st century BCE up to the 3rd century CE. A database of all attested terms for funerary architecture will be provided and analysed, allowing for a detailed view into the use of these different terms across time and place.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
What does it mean to be a good person? How should one behave? What is our soul like? How is it structured? And how does our soul affect our behaviour? These are questions that have occupied us...Show moreWhat does it mean to be a good person? How should one behave? What is our soul like? How is it structured? And how does our soul affect our behaviour? These are questions that have occupied us since the dawn of time. This thesis explores the ways in which Middle Platonist thinkers of the second century AD in particular approach such questions of good moral behaviour. As it turns out, these thinkers tend to focus on the human soul and its constitution in order to tackle moral conundrums. Therefore, the research question this thesis aims to answer is as follows: how do the Middle Platonists of the second century AD use the structure of the human soul in order to enforce practical ethics? By examining the works of Maximus of Tyre, Alcinous, and Galen – authors active in different genres within the Middle Platonic philosophical movement – through the lenses of both ancient psychology as well as ancient moral psychology, this thesis aims to advocate for the presence of a methodology of psychological morality in Middle Platonism: the structure of the human soul is noticeably being used in order to enforce ideal behaviour.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
2024-03-02T00:00:00Z
This thesis tries to review the traditional categories of 'pagan' and 'Christian' in late antique Roman literature by studying the literary afterlife of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus. Symmachus is a...Show moreThis thesis tries to review the traditional categories of 'pagan' and 'Christian' in late antique Roman literature by studying the literary afterlife of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus. Symmachus is a figure that plays a prominent role in the invention of 'paganism' in late antique Christian apologetics. Through the lens of Ambrose's apologetic letters and Prudentius' epic poem 'Contra Symmachum', Symmachus has often been branded a 'prototypical pagan', even though his own works (especially Relatio 3) and Macrobius' near-contemporary 'Saturnalia' show very different pictures of the Roman senator. The case of the reception of Symmachus and the invention of 'paganism' in late antique literature highlight the biases of our reference system to interpret late antique literature.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
2024-08-30T00:00:00Z
This thesis searches for a profile of the upper classes of the Judean capita in the centuries leading up to the exile. The research combines archaeological and textual evidence to come to a...Show moreThis thesis searches for a profile of the upper classes of the Judean capita in the centuries leading up to the exile. The research combines archaeological and textual evidence to come to a critical approach to studying elites in the ancient Levant. The position of women as part of the elite is discussed explicitly.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
This thesis examines Strabo’s conception of the relationship between Greek and Roman culture in his description of Magna Graecia, as outlined in chapter 5.4 and book 6 of his Geography. Sub...Show moreThis thesis examines Strabo’s conception of the relationship between Greek and Roman culture in his description of Magna Graecia, as outlined in chapter 5.4 and book 6 of his Geography. Sub-questions that receive attention include: What is Strabo’s attitude towards Roman rule? To what extent does Strabo view one of the two cultures as superior or the foundation of the other culture in the region? How does he characterize the interaction between the cultures? In what ways does he convey these views?Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
2024-06-30T00:00:00Z
The Roman Empire of the first and second centuries AD was a multinational society that was characterized by migration and mobility. In this multicultural society, people of many different ethnical...Show moreThe Roman Empire of the first and second centuries AD was a multinational society that was characterized by migration and mobility. In this multicultural society, people of many different ethnical and cultural backgrounds had to find a way to live together and deal with cultural differences. One of these people was the satirist Lucian of Samosata (ca. AD 125-180). Although this Hellenized author lived in and travelled through the Roman Empire, he was Syrian by birth and had enjoyed Greek education. Therefore, he could be considered a migrant author who moved in-between multiple identities. Lucian’s status as a foreigner and migrant appears to have influenced his writings. He frequently stages foreigners who try to find the best way to relate themselves to other cultures and deal with the negative sentiments of host cultures. In this thesis, I argue that Lucian in his works provides different perspectives on such challenges of travelling and migration. Approaching Lucian’s 'Assembly of the Gods', 'On Hired Companions', 'Scythian', and 'Anacharsis' as migrant literature, I use the acculturation theory of Berry (1992; 1997) to analyse how Lucian in these works reflects on cultural interaction in the Roman Empire of his own time. In the first chapter, I argue that Lucian’s 'Assembly of the Gods' can be read as a parody of Roman criticism of (Greek) foreigners, and I discuss how Lucian uses this parody to plea for cultural tolerance and prevent cultural segregation. In the second chapter, I argue that Lucian in his 'On Hired Companions' uses two different perspectives on the interaction between Greeks and Romans to advocate for cultural separation and to discourage Greek attempts to integrate into Roman households. In the last chapter, I argue that Lucian in his 'Scythian' and 'Anacharsis' provides three different examples of acculturation and presents his own autonomous integration as the most desirable acculturation strategy. In this chapter, I also explain how Lucian’s various perspectives on integration and separation can be reconciled, arguing that the four works together guide both foreigners and host cultures in the creation of a culturally tolerant society.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
This thesis focuses on the philosophical meaning of literal silence in the later Platonic tradition (first to sixth century AD). With ‘literal silence’ I mean the phenomenon or act of silence...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the philosophical meaning of literal silence in the later Platonic tradition (first to sixth century AD). With ‘literal silence’ I mean the phenomenon or act of silence itself that is explicitly indicated in a text. As this thesis shows, silence is not a static but a dynamic concept whose meaning is transformed over time. The first chapter treats the silent philosopher trope in the (Neo)Pythagorean tradition and shows that silence was seen as a philosophical virtue and a (better) alternative to language. These types of silence were intentional and immanent, and also often communicative. The second chapter focuses on quietness as a characteristic of the first principle and as an ontological posture in Middle Platonic and Neoplatonic thought. In this philosophical development, silence is no longer immanent to speech but transcends the human capacity for language. In the last chapter, I show how the thoughts on the limits of language impact the dialectical method and the literary form of some Christian Platonic dialogues that stand out for their silent interlocutors. The conclusion reflects on the different instances of silence and shows how their meanings flow into each other while being transformed throughout antiquity with every author.Show less
