Senior Graduate Teaching Assistant

Email: J dot Butler dot 4 at warwick dot ac dot uk

FAB2.14
Humanities Building, University Road
University of Warwick
Coventry CV4 7AL

About

Having held various roles in my working life, I began studying Classics part time in 2011 and hold a BA Classical Studies from the Open University (2017) and an MA in Ancient Visual and Material Culture from Warwick (2019). I am currently nearing the final stages of my PhD here in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, with a thesis provisionally entitled “Female Mythological Sacrifice and the Feminine in Roman Art”, supervised by Prof. Zahra Newby.

Research interests

My PhD thesis explores the visual representation of specific mythological characters in different media and over time, contextualising this against ideals in Roman society and evaluating the potential viewer interaction with this imagery in domestic space. A large part of my work is focussed on the domestic spatial contexts in Pompeii and the interrelationship between this and the wall painting imagery which appears therein. I am particularly interested in the representation of women in the Roman world, both mythological and real-life historical characters, and have a keen interest in both Roman Britain and art in the provincial context.

Teaching and supervision

I have previously been a sessional tutor teaching individual lectures for the Roman Culture and Society module and have led seminars at the British Museum and the Ashmolean Museum for various modules. This year, in Term 2, I will be convening and teaching the Retelling Myths in Greek and Roman Art module and contributing lectures on the Encounters with Material Culture: Objects and Archaeology module.

Outreach

I am a Fellow of the Warwick Institute of Engagement and am passionate about bringing the ancient world to life, and have been involved with various WCN and outreach projects over the past six years. I am also co-founder and co-editor of the Material Musings blog, which aims to highlight some aspects of research work on material culture in the department and make this accessible to a wider audience.

Qualifications

• BA, Classical Studies (The Open University)

• MA, Ancient Visual and Material Culture (The University of Warwick)