Dr Gary Morrison
Position
Lecturer
Appointed in 2006
Administration
Undergraduate Co-ordinator
Qualifications
B.A. (Hons), M.A., Ph.D. (University of Canterbury)
Contact Details
Location
Room 608
Modern Languages Building
Phone +64 3 364 2987 ext 8572
gary.morrison@canterbury.ac.nz
Postal address
Classics
School of Humanities
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand
Bio
Gary was an undergraduate and postgraduate student in the Classics Department at the University of Canterbury. He received his MA in 2000 and his Ph.D. in Classics in 2005. As a postgraduate student Gary was awarded the FiRST ‘Top Acheiver Doctoral’ scholarship; the New Zealand Vice Chancellors’ Committee ‘William Georgetti’ and ‘Claude McCarthy’ Scholarships; as well as University of Canterbury Scholarships, awards and prizes. During his years as a postgraduate student Gary was a tutor and replacement or guest lecturer in the Classics Department’s Greek History, Roman History, Athens, Sparta, and Alexander Courses. He also organised and presented a course on Alexander the Great at ‘Continuing Education’, University of Canterbury in 2005. In 2001 he organised the New Zealand Postgraduate Classical Studies Conference, which was hosted by the University of Canterbury. He is the University of Canterbury representative on the Executive Committee of the ‘Australasian Society for Classical Studies’ and was the Treasurer on the organising committee of the 29th Conference of the Society in January 2008.
Teaching
Undergraduate Courses
* the list includes courses in which Gary has been involved in since 2006
Undergraduate Courses
- CLAS112: Roman History
- CLAS134: Beginners' Greek A
- CLAS135: Beginners' Greek B
- CLAS214: Imperial Rome
- CLAS234: Intermediate Greek Authors 1
- CLAS307: Topics in Ancient History: Roman Social History
- CLAS318: Imperial Rome
Postgraduate Courses
- CLAS407: Topics in Ancient History: Roman Social History
- CLAS450: Historiography
- CLAS453: Research Essay
Thesis Supervision
Ph.D. Theses
Sonia-Ingrid Marshall, "Romanization, Christianization and Patronage in the Paleochristian Art of North Africa," University of Canterbury, in progress (associate supervisor)
Masters Theses
Hannah Frude, “Representations of night and darkness in Suetonius”, in progress (principal supervisor)
Tony Dijkstra: “The Presentation of the Gracchi in the Ancient Sources”. University of Canterbury, 2010 (associate supervisor)
Honours Theses
Amy White: ‘The Roman Attitude toward the “other”: Representations within Literature and Architectural Relief in the First Century AD’, (principal supervisor) 2010
Stephen Wright: ‘Livy, the Samnites and the Caudine Forks’, 2010
Jane Leighs “Roman Women: The Cycle of Food and Status”, 2009
Lindsay Breach “Representations of King Theodoric and his social policy as presented in the Variae of Cassiodorus’, 2008
Charlotte Rae ‘The Health and Wellbeing of Roman Children’, 2008
Stephanie Radley ‘The Roman Triumph: A Performance of Victory’, 2007
Research Interests
Gary's interest is best described as the socio-cultural history of both Roman and Greek societies. He is interested in the day-to-day lives of the Romans and Greeks, including their living environment, personal relationships, health and wellbeing. This interest also extends to a macro level, analysing how cultures change and adapt as different societies interact (be that peacefully or by force). The relationship between the Greeks and the Jews, Hellenism and Judaism in the second century BC and how this interaction is represented by the text of Second Maccabees (in particular) was the subject of Gary’s Dissertation and remains a research focus.
In addition, Gary is also analysing on the lives of early Republican Roman women as represented by extant literature; and is examining Herodotus’ use of women characters in the Histories.
In more recent times Gary has begun to develop an interest in the activities of Romans “after dark” – be it in their households (night routines, dining habits), within the city (activities available, work undertaken), travel and inns (amenities), perceptions and the literary use of night and darkness.
University (and other) Administration and Services
Australasian Society of Classical Studies, University of Canterbury Executive Committee Representative 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Member of the University of Canterbury Discipline Committee in 2010, 2011
Member of the College of Arts, Equity and Diversity Committee in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Other Activities
Prepare Department NZACT Reports
Department representative at University of Canterbury’s “Information Days” 2007, 2010
University of Canterbury Graduation Marshal, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Publications
Refereed Articles and Book Chapters
‘The Canterbury Sallust’, in Treasures of the University of Canterbury Library, ed. by Chris Jones and Bronwyn Matthews with Jennifer Clement (Christchurch: Canterbury University Press, 2011) forthcoming
‘A note on laos in Second Maccabees’, in La Parola del Passato 65 (2010) 34-50
‘The Composition of Second Maccabees: Insights Provided by a Literary topos’, in Biblica 90 (2009) 564-572
‘Alexander, Combat Psychology, and Persepolis’, in Antichthon 35 (2001) 30-44
In Progress
Journal Article: Representations of the Night
Journal Article: Lucretia’s Daughters: The Women of Early Rome
Journal Article: Women and Familial Relationships in Herodotus’ Histories
Journal Article: ‘Named Actors in Second Maccabees’
Conferences
32nd Meeting of the Australasian Society for Classical Studies, Auckland, 23th – 27th January 2011. Paper title: “Cultural Conflict in Second Maccabees”
29th Meeting of the Australasian Society for Classical Studies, Christchurch, 27th – 31st January 2008. Paper title: “Rereading Second Maccabees: Insights provided by a literary topos”
Joint Classical Association Conference, Edinburgh 4-7 April 2002. Paper title: “What is in a Name: A Study of Second Maccabees and Hellenism”