Department of Classical and Near Eastern Studies

S. DOUGLAS OLSON

Department of Classical and Near Eastern Studies

245 Nicholson Hall

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN 55455

612-625-0513 (phone)

612-624-4894 (fax)

EDUCATION

Ph.DGreek, Bryn Mawr College. Dissertation: “Internal Logical Incoherence and Poetic Purposes in Four Aristophanic Comedies.” Advisors: Richard Hamilton and Gregory Dickerson. 1987.

M.A. Greek, Bryn Mawr College. 1984.

M.T.S.New Testament Studies, Harvard Divinity School. 1982.

B.A.Religion (High Honors), Haverford College. 1980.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Greek poetry (8th to 4th centuries BCE) and its reception in the Hellenistic and Roman worlds; “Old” and “Middle” Comedy; critical editions and commentaries; literary fragments of all sorts

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

2004–present Distinguished McKnight University Professor, University of Minnesota,Department of Classical and Near Eastern Studies

2000–2004Professor, University of Minnesota,Department of Classical and Near Eastern Studies

1997–2000Associate University of Minnesota,Department of Classical and Near Eastern Studies

1996–1997Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of the Classics

1996–1997Adjunct Associate Professor, Georgetown University, Department of Classics

1990–1996Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of the Classics

1987–1990Lecturer, Howard University, Department of Classics

1987Lecturer, Bryn Mawr College, Departments of Greek and Latin

MAJOR ACADEMIC AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

2017–2020Scholar of the College, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Minnesota

2017Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Bari (May)

2016/17Core Fellow at the Helsinki Collegium

2016Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Bari (May)

2015/16Senior Fellow at theFreiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, and Marie Curie Fellow of the European Union

2015Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Bari (April)

Humboldt Research Grant, University of Freiburg

2013/14Forschungspreis, Heidelberg Academy

2013Ovatio, Classical Association of the Middle West and South

2011/12Humboldt Research Award, University of Freiburg

2008/9National Humanities Center, Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation Fellowship

Loeb Classical Library Foundation Fellowship (to support 2008 and 2009 Classical Commentary Writers’ Workshops)

2007Loeb Classical Library Foundation Fellowship (to support 2007 Classical Commentary Writers’ Workshop)

2004Distinguished McKnight University Professorship

2003/4 National Endowment for the Humanities Research Fellowship

Loeb Classical Library Foundation Grant

2000/1National Endowment for the Humanities Research Fellowship

1997Arnold O. Beckman Research Award (Fall Semester)

1996–9 University Scholar, UIUC

1996–7Helen Corley Petit Professorship

1995Arnold O. Beckman Research Award (Fall Semester)

1995Fellow of the Center for Advanced Study, UIUC

1994–5Junior Fellow, Center for Hellenic Studies

1993Outstanding Faculty Member (Certificate of Merit), Illini Dads Association

LAS College Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising

1992Alpha Epsilon Delta Outstanding Teacher Award

1986–1987Whiting Fellowship in the Humanities

1985–1986James Rignall Wheeler Fellow, American School of Classical Studies in Athens

1980Phi Beta Kappa

EDITORIAL SERVICE

2015–International Scientific Board, Prosopa

2013–General Editor, Basel Homer Commentary English Translation

2011–Scientific Board, Heidelberg Academy Kommentierung der Fragmente der griechischen Komödie Project

2010–2015Editorial Board, TheClassical Journal

2005–2010Editor, The Classical Journal

2004–2005Editorial Board, TheClassical Journal

1994–1999Co-editor, Supplements to Illinois Classical Studies

1992–1997Editorial Board, Illinois Classical Studies

BOOKS

[2017]Eupolis frr. 1–146, Aiges—Dêmoi: Translation and Commentary (Fragmenta Comica Band 8.1; Verlag Antike for the Heidelberg Academy; approx. 520 pp.)

2016Eupolis frr. 147–325, Heilôtes—Chrysoun genos: Translation and Commentary (Fragmenta Comica Band 8.2; Verlag Antike for the Heidelberg Academy;567 pp.)

2015Aristophanes: Wasps (with Zachary Biles) (Oxford University Press; lxxi + 530 pp.)

2014Eupolis frr. 326–497: Translation and Commentary (Fragmenta Comica Band 8.3; Verlag Antike for the Heidelberg Academy; 288 pp.)

Ancient Comedy and Reception: Studies in Honor of Jeffrey Henderson(edited volume; De Gruyter; xi + 1086 pp.)

2012 Inscriptional Records for the Dramatic Festivals in Athens: IG II22318–2325 andRelated Texts (Brill Studies in Greek and Roman Epigraphy; Brill; xii + 238 oversized pp.) (with Benjamin Millis)

The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite and Related Texts (Texte und Kommentare 39;de Gruyter; x + 328 pp.)

Polybius VI: The Unattributed Fragments(Loeb Classical Library 161) (with Frank Walbank and Christian Habicht)

Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters Vol. VIII (Loeb Classical Library 345x;xii + 392 pp.)

2011Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters Vol. VII (Loeb Classical Library 345; xii + 402 pp.)

2010Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters Vol. VI (Loeb Classical Library 327; xii + 445 pp.)

2009Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters Vol. V (Loeb Classical Library 274; xii + 512 pp.)

2008Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters Vol. IV (Loeb Classical Library 235; xii + 488 pp.)

Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters Vol. III (Loeb Classical Library 224; x + 582 pp.)

2007Broken Laughter: Select Fragments of Greek Comedy (Oxford; xvi + 476 pp.)

2006Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters Vol. II (Loeb Classical Library 208; x + 582 pp.)

Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters Vol. I (Loeb Classical Library 204; xxiv + 597 pp.)

2004Aristophanes: Thesmophoriazusae (Oxford; revised paperback version 2008; cvi + 363 pp.) (with Colin Austin)

2002Aristophanes: Acharnians (Oxford; revised paperback version 2004; cii + 379 pp.)

2000Archestratos of Gela: Text, Translation, and Commentary (Oxford; lxii + 261 pp.) (with Alexander Sens)

1999Matro of Pitane and the Tradition of Epic Parody in the Fourth Century BCE (American Classical Studies 44: APA; 172 pp.) (with Alexander Sens)

1998Aristophanes: Peace (Oxford; revised paperback version 2003; lxxiv + 330 pp.)

1995Blood and Iron: Stories and Storytelling in Homer’s Odyssey (Mnemosyne Supplement 148; 260 pp.)

MONOGRAPHS

1999Euripides: Cyclops (Bryn Mawr Commentaries)

1989Aristophanes: Plutus (Bryn Mawr Commentaries)

NOTES, ARTICLES AND BOOK-CHAPTERS

[2018]“On the Date of Eupolis’ Demes and the Political Events of 412 BCE”, forthcoming in Polis

“ἀληθινός (‘high quality’) in Amphis fr. 26 and other late classical and early Hellenistic authors”, forthcoming inClassical Quarterly

[2017]“Aeschines κοιτοφόρος (D. 18.260)”, forthcoming in Classical Quarterly

“Some overlooked Athenian economic vocabulary (ἀγοραί and λιμένες)”, forthcoming in Prometheus

“Inscriptional Evidence for the History of the Comic Competitions at Athens”, forthcoming in Bernhard Zimmermann (ed.), Comedy after 2500 Years (30 ms. pages)

2017“Cratinus fr. 74 Kassel–Austin and some problematic Greek words (κύρτη and the group καλιά/καλιός/καλίδιον) at Pollux 10.160–1”, Glotta 93: 152–6

“Some Unattributed Fragments of Eupolis: Problems and Possibilities”, in Jan Kwapisz (ed.), Fragments, Holes and Wholes: Reconstructing the Ancient World in Theory and Practice (Journal of Juristic Papyrology Supplement), pp. 127–38

“Epilogue: A Conversation on Fragments” (with Han Baltussen), in Jan Kwapisz (ed.), Fragments, Holes and Wholes: Reconstructing the Ancient World in Theory and Practice (Journal of Juristic Papyrology Supplement), pp. 393–406

2016“Archestratus” and “Archimelus,” in David Sider (ed.), Hellenistic Greek Verse: A Selection (University of Michigan), pp.

“Scenes from an Ill-spent Youth (Aristophanes, Knights 411–12)”, Classical Quarterly

2016“Reading the New Erechtheid Casualty List from Marathon”, in G. Colesanti and L. Lulli (eds.), Submerged Literature in Ancient Greek Culture Vol. II (Berlin and Boston), pp. 41–66

2015“Athenaeus’ Aristophanes, and the Problem of Reconstructing Lost Comedies,” in S. Chronopoulos and C. Orth (eds.), A Fragmentary History of Greek Comedy (Studia Comica), pp. 35–65; republished in Italian as “Ricostruire commedie perdute: uno sguardo da riccio”, in Vanna Maraglino (ed.), Riccio o volpe? (Bari 2016), pp. 51–86

“On the Fragments of Eupolis’ Taxiarchoi”, in M. Taufer (ed.), Studi sulla commedia attica, Paradeigmata 31 (Freiburg/Berlin/Vienna), pp. 201–13

“ΝΗΣΑΙ in Sophocles fr. 439 R.”, CQNS 65: 881–2

2014“Pherecrates fr. 60: Spiny fish-heads, but no scraps”, CQNS64: 402–3

2013“Slaves and Politics in Early Aristophanic Comedy,” in R. Tordoff and B. Akrigg (eds.), Slaves and Slavery in Ancient Greek Comic Drama (CUP), pp. 63–75

“Athenaios,” Handwörterbuch der antiken Sklaverei

2012 “A Radical Approach to the Large Undergraduate Lecture Course”, CJ 108: 86–94

“Lysistrata and the Politics of 411 BCE”, in C.W. Marshall and George Kovacs (eds.),No Laughing Matter: Festschrift for Ian Storey (London), pp. 69–81

2011“Immortal Encounters: Aeneid 1 and the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite”, Vergilius57: 55–61

2010“Comedy, Politics, and Society”, in Gregory W. Dobrov (ed.), Brill’s Companion to the Study of Greek Comedy (Leiden and Boston), pp. 35–69

“Death and the staging of Euripides’ Alcestis,” in Francisco Cortés Gabaudan y Julián Méndez Dosuna (eds.), Dic Mihi, Musa, Virum: Homenaje al profesor Antonio López Eire (Salamanca) pp. 507–12

“The comic poet Pherecrates, a war-casualty of the late 410s B.C.E.,” JHS130: 49–50

2003/4“On the date and plot of Aristophanes’ lost Thesmophoriazusae II”, in Leeds International Classical Studies 3.05 (with Colin Austin) (

2001“Manuscript Indications of Change of Speaker in Aristophanes’ Acharnians,” ICS 26: 1–36

2000“We didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: the case of Karkinos I of Athens,” in D. Harvey and J. Wilkins (eds.), The Rivals of Aristophanes (London), pp. 65–74

1999“Kleon’s Eyebrows (Cratin. fr. 228 K–A) and Late 5th-Century Portrait Masks,” CQ n.s. 39: 320–1

1998“Studies in the Later Manuscript Tradition of Aristophanes’ Peace,” CQNS 48: 62–74

1997“Was Carcinus I a Tragic Playwright?: A Response,” CP 92: 258–60

“Odysseus’ ‘Winnowing-Shovel’ (Hom. Od. 11.119–37) and the Island of the Cattle of the Sun,” ICS 22: 7–9

1996“Politics and Poetry in Aristophanes’ Wasps,” TAPA 126: 129–50

“Manuscript Indications of Change of Speaker in Aristophanes’ Peace,” ICS 21: 5–34

“An Emendation in Porphyry’s Commentary on Ptolemy’s Harmonics,” CQ n.s. 46: 596 (with Ineke Sluiter)

“Aristophanes, Equites 947–59 and the Athenian Public Seal,” ZPE 113: 253–4

1994“Equivalent Speech-Introduction Formulae in the Iliad,” Mnemosyne 47: 145–51

“Telemachos’ Laugh (Od. 21. 101–5),” CJ 89: 369–72

“Clouds 537-44 and the Original Version of the Play,” Philologus 138: 32–7

1992“Servants’ Suggestions in Homer’s Odyssey,” CJ 87: 219–27

“‘Name Magic’ and the Threat of Lying Strangers in Homer’s Odyssey,” ICS 17: 1–7

“Women’s Names and the Reception of Odysseus on Scheria,” EMC/CV n.s. 11: 1–6

“Names and Naming in Aristophanic Comedy,” CQ n.s. 42: 304–19

1991“Dicaeopolis’ Motivations in Aristophanes’ Acharnians,” JHS 111: 200–3

“Classical Mythology Day 1: The Pilgrims, George Washington and Santa Claus,” CW 84: 295–301

“Anonymous Male Parts and the Identity of theDespotesin Aristophanes’ Ecclesiazusae,” CQ n.s. 41: 36–40

“Politics and the Euripidean Philoctetes,” Hesperia 60: 269–83

“Firewood and Charcoal in Classical Athens,” Hesperia 60: 411–20

1990“Dicaeopolis and Aristophanes in Acharnians,” LCM 15.2: 31–2

“The New Demos of Aristophanes’ Knights,” Eranos 88: 60–3

“The Stories of Agamemnon in Homer’s Odyssey,” TAPA 120: 57–71

“Economics and Ideology in Aristophanes’ Plutus,” HSCP 93: 223–42

1989“Traditional Forms and Euripidean Adaptation: The Hero Pattern in Bacchae,” CW 83: 25–8

“The Staging of Aristophanes, Eccl. 504–726,” AJP 110: 223–6

“Odyssey 8: Guile, Force, and the Subversive Poetics of Desire,” Arethusa 22: 135–45

“The Stories of Helen and Menelaus (Odyssey 4.240–289) and the Return of Odysseus,” AJP 110: 387–94

“On the Text of Sophocles, O.T. 1524–30,” Phoenix 43: 189–95

“Cario and the New World of Aristophanes’ Plutus,” TAPA 119: 193–9

1988 “Dionysus and the Pirates in Euripides’ Cyclops,” Hermes 116: 502-4

“The ‘Love Duet’ in Aristophanes’ Ecclesiazusae,” CQ n.s. 38: 328–30

1987“Aristotle H.A. 8.18 (601.b.3) and the Assyrioi Logoi of Herodotus,” Historia 36: 495–6

“The Identity of the Despotes at Ar. Ecclesiazusae 1128f,” GRBS 28: 161–6

TRANSLATIONS

2001Aristophanes “Acharnians”, in Shawn O’Bryhim (ed.), Greek and Roman Comedy: Translations and Interpretations of Four Representative Plays (Austin), pp. 1–82

REVIEWS (last 10 years)

2015Stephen F. Kidd, Nonsense and Meaning in Ancient Greek Comedy, in Mnemosyne69: 531–3

Csapo, Goette, Green, Wilson (eds.), Greek Theatre in the Fourth Century B.C.,inAnzeiger für die Altertumswissenschaft67: 143–6

2013Jeffrey Rusten (ed.), The Birth of Comedy, in CW 106: 538–9

Ian Ruffell, Politics and Anti-Realism in Athenian Old Comedy,in MnemosyneIV.66: 822–3

Stephen Harrison and Christopher Stray (eds.), Expurgating the Classics. Editing Out in Greek and Latin, in New England Classical Journal

Cécile Corbel-Morana, Le Bestiaire d’Aristophane, in Phoenix67: 186–7

2012Ian Storey, Fragments of Old Comedy, in Classical Journal Online 2012.05.01

Nikoletta Kanavou, Aristophanes’ Comedy of Names: A Study of Speaking Names in Aristophanes, in Gnomon 84: 255–6

2011Steve Reece, Homer’s Winged Words,JHS131: 279

Serena Pirrotta (ed.),Plato Comicus: Die fragmentarischen Komödien. Ein Kommentar and Christian Orth (ed.),Strattis: Die fragmenta. Ein Kommentar, in Gnomon 82: 544–6

2010R. Bertolin Cebrian, Comic Epic and Parodies of Epic, in CR NS 60: 304–5

N. G. Wilson, Aristophanea and Aristophanis Fabulae, CRNS60: 354–7

2009L. P. E. Parker (ed.), Euripides, Alcestis, in Gnomon81: 289–91

2008Andreas Willi,The languages of Aristophanes. Aspects of linguistic variation in classical Attic Greek, in Gnomon 78: 641–2

R. F. Regtuit, Scholia in Thesmophoriazusas, Ranas, Ecclesiazusas et Plutum, in CRNS 58: 619–20

2006Albertus Bernabé, Poetae Epici Graeci. Testimonia et Fragmenta. Pars II: Orphicorum et Orphicis Similium Testimonia et Fragmenta. Fasciculus 1., in BMCR 2006.07.27; see also Olson on Nardelli on Olson on Bernabé, in BMCR 2006.08.36

MAJOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

2016Promotion Referee, University of California Santa Barbara (Distinguished University Professor)

Fellowship Referee, EURIAS Grants

Fellowship Referee, American Academy in Berlin

2015Promotion Referee, University of Arkansas (University Professor)

Fellowship Referee, American Academy in Berlin

2014Moderator, Panel on Greek Comedy, APA Annual Meeting

2013Moderator, Panel on Greek and Roman Comedy, CAMWS Annual Meeting

Fellowship Referee, DAAD

Promotion Referee, University of Vermont (Full Professor)

Moderator, Panel on Greek and Roman Comedy, APA Annual Meeting

2012Moderator, Panel on Greek and Roman Comedy, CAMWS Annual Meeting

Moderator, Panel on Greek and Roman Comedy, APA Annual Meeting

Fellowship Referee, Humanities Research Council of Canada

2011–2015APA Committee on Research

2011Tenure Referee, University of California Irvine (Associate Professor)

2010–2013CAMWS Finance Committee

2009Tenure Referee, University of Texas (Associate Professor)

2008–2009Coordinator, NHC Annual Gift Committee

2009–2012Fellowship Referee, National Humanities Center

2007CAMWS Delegate, Federation Internationale des Études Classiques, Barcelona

Tenure Referee, Davidson College (Associate Professor)

Organizer (with Emily West), Seeing Ancient Women Undergraduate Research Conference (College of St. Catherine)

2006–2010Organizer (with Alexander Sens), Classical Commentary Writers Workshop

2005Moderator, Panel on Euripides, CAMWS Annual Meeting

2004–2010CAMWS Executive Committee

2004Mellon Professor, Synoikisis Greek

2003–2006CAMWS Manson A. Stewart Scholarship Committee

2003 Co-organizer and respondent, Shaping the Word: Classical Epic and Biblical Narrative (UMN)

2001Moderator, Panel on Aristophanes, APA Annual Meeting

2000–Managing Committee, American School of Classical Studies in Athens

1999–2003Chair, APA Pearson Fellowship Committee

1999–2002CAMWS Manson A. Stewart Scholarship Committee

Tenure Referee, Brooklyn College and University of Illinois (Associate Professor)

1999Promotion Referee, University of Exeter (Lecturer)

1997Moderator, Panel on Aristophanes, CAMWS Annual Meeting

1996Tenure Referee, University of Oklahoma (Associate Professor)

1992–1997College and University Liaison Officer, Illinois Classical Conference

MAJOR DEPARTMENTAL AND UNIVERSITY SERVICE

2015Talle Faculty Research Award Committee

2012–University Library Committee

2010–2014Vice President’s Research and Scholarship Advisory Panel

2009–2011Distinguished McKnight Professor Selection Committee

2005–2008University Advisory Committee on Athletics

2004–2006CLA Promotion and Tenure Committee

2001–2003Director of Graduate Studies, CNES

2002–2003Course Review Committee, Languages, Literature and Arts Policy & Review Council

2001–2003Languages, Literature and Arts Policy and Review Council

1998–2000Languages, Literature and Arts Policy and Review Council

1999–2000LL&A P&R Course Proposals Subcommittee

1998–1999CLA Course Review Committee

1998–2000Director of Graduate Studies, CNES

1998–2000Graduate School Academic Grievance Committee

1990–1994Undergraduate Advisor, Classics