Thalassocracy and the Power of the Sea
CUNY Graduate Center
Date: April 24, 2026
Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth Irwin, Columbia University

The Oxford English Dictionary defines thalassocracy as “Mastery at sea; the sovereignty of the sea.” But the power of the sea entails more than just political and naval supremacy. The sea means different things to the inhabitants of the ancient world: it begins as a barrier, serves as a food source, and becomes a superhighway. Through it all, poets imagine the sea as an alien world, the home of monstrous creatures, divine beings, and the spirits of the dead.

This year, the Classics Department at the CUNY Graduate Center invites papers that explore the nature of thalassocracy and the power of the sea in the history, rhetoric, poetry, and mythology of the Greek and Roman world. We welcome submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

● Gods and goddesses of the sea
● Maritime monsters
● Oceanus as world’s end
● Insularity both as an expression of connectivity and as an indicator of isolation
● Trade, migration, and warfare
● Material culture of the Mediterranean basin
● Ships and the art of ship building

We welcome submissions from graduate students and advanced undergraduates specializing in the ancient world (Classical and Near Eastern Studies, history, archaeology, anthropology, religious studies, philosophy, comparative literature, etc.). We are especially interested in scholarship that employs interdisciplinary approaches to the ancient world.

Submission Guidelines:

Presentations will be 15 minutes in length, followed by 5 minutes for questions.

Please submit abstracts of no more than 300 words (plus a select bibliography) in PDF format to cunyclassicsconference@gmail.com no later than Monday, December 8th. Decisions will be made anonymously. Kindly include your full name and affiliation in the body of your email.

For questions, please contact the co-organizers: Andrew Hagerty (ghagerty@gradcenter.cuny.edu) and John Griffin (jgriffin1@gradcenter.cuny.edu).

The Classics Program at Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY), advertises its graduate programs in Latin education. These programs combine courses and mentoring in the vibrant environs of New York City. They aim to foster the ability to make Latin compelling to a diverse population of middle and high school students. Both programs lead to certification in New York State. Applications are accepted in both the Fall and the Spring. The deadline for applications to start in Fall 2022 is March 15^th, 2022, but consideration may be made for later applications. 

• MA in Adolescent Education, Grades 7-12 – Latin

A 49 to 50-credit course sequence in Latin, Classics, and Education that prepares students to teach Latin in grades 7-12. This program is run jointly by the Classics Program in the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education.

Information and requirements: https://education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/graduate-programs/adolescent-education/adolescent-latin/

• Post Master’s Advanced Certificate in Adolescent Latin

A 27-credit course sequence in Education that is designed for students seeking teacher certification in Latin who already have an M.A. or Ph.D. in the field. 

Information and requirements: https://education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/graduate-programs/adolescent-education/post-masters-advanced-certificates-in-adolescent-education/adolescent-latin-advanced-certificate/

A downloadable PDF version of this post can be found here.

General information on applying: https://education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/.

Direct all enquiries to Professor Lawrence Kowerski, the Director of the graduate programs in Latin in the Classics Program (lawrence.kowerski@hunter.cuny.edu).

The Classics Program at Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY), advertises its graduate programs in Latin education. These programs combine courses and mentoring in the vibrant environs of New York City. They aim to foster the ability to make Latin compelling to a diverse population of middle and high school students. Both programs lead to certification in New York State. Applications are accepted in both the Fall and the Spring. The deadline for applications is this Spring is March 15^th, 2021, but consideration may be made for later applications. 

1. MA in Adolescent Education, Grades 7-12 – Latin

A 49 to 50-credit course sequence in Latin, Classics, and Education that prepares students to teach Latin in grades 7-12. This program is run jointly by the Classics Program in the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education.

Information and requirements: https://education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/graduate-programs/adolescent-education/adolescent-latin/

2. Post Master’s Advanced Certificate in Adolescent Latin

A 27-credit course sequence in Education that is designed for students seeking teacher certification in Latin who already have an M.A. or Ph.D. in the field. 

Information and requirements: https://education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/graduate-programs/adolescent-education/post-masters-advanced-certificates-in-adolescent-education/adolescent-latin-advanced-certificate/

General information on applying: https://education.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/.

Direct all enquiries to Professor Lawrence Kowerski, the Director of the graduate programs in Latin in the Classics Program (lawrence.kowerski@hunter.cuny.edu).