The Classics: Greece, Rome and the Ancient World in NYC

By Troy Segal

Don’t be misled by the phrase “oh, that’s ancient history.” Despite the distance of the centuries, aspects of Greece, Rome and other bygone civilizations can prove fascinatingly apt for our modern age—as shown by these antiquity-related talks, screenings and events coming to NYC.

The Lively Arts: The eloquent gestures and graceful poses of Classical statues weren’t just there to show off the artist’s skill: they often were symbolic, conveying messages and ideas that period viewers would have quickly grasped. Unravel the interplay of Gesture and Meaning in Greek and Roman Art at this gallery talk. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Saturday, Aug. 22…You probably know that ancient Greek plays are the base of modern theatre, but director Bryan Doerries goes further, arguing that Greek tragedies can offer healing insights to trauma-beset countries today. A bevy of actors, including David Straithairn, Paul Giamatti and Gloria Reuben, read from a book Doerries has written on the subject, leading into an audience discussion afterwards. Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Sun., Sept. 27.

Life and Afterlife: Chores, meditation, studies, rituals: Residents of a Southern Indian ashram follow a routine as old as the Bhagavad Gita, which is at least as old as the second century B.C. Making its NYC premiere, the documentary Gurukulam charts their daily round in vivid detail; after the film, there’s a Q&A with the filmmakers and (on opening night), a reception with a Carnatic violinist. Rubin Museum of Art, Saturday, Aug. 22…The Egyptian art of mummification has fascinated, puzzled and even terrified us over the years. Focusing on specimens found in Luxor (one recent discovery dates back to 1600 B.C.), an art historian/archeologist unwraps The Fantasy and Reality of Egyptian Mummy Magic. Morbid Anatomy Museum, Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Kinnari. Surigao. Ca. 10th–13th century. Gold. Ayala Museum, 81.5189. Photography by Neal Oshima; image courtesy of Ayala Museum.

Gilded Ages: Long before the conquistadors came, craftsmen in the lands around the Andes Mountains (modern-day Peru and other South American countries) were creating incredibly refined objects and jewelry out of gold, using the crudest of tools. Explore the intricacies of Gold and Goldworking in the Ancient Andes at this walking lecture. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Wednesday, Aug. 26…On the other side of the world, Filipino artisans were also fashioning masks, weapons and other pieces of the yellow metal. About 120 pieces, dating back to the 10th century, are going on display at the Asia Society and Museum; get a preview, along with a gala dinner, of the exhibit Philippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms on opening night. Friday, Sept. 11.

As the title of one of her books—Confronting the Classics—suggests, University of Cambridge classics professor Mary Beard takes anything but a tried-and-true approach to her field. You can hear her irreverent, but well-researched, take on the history of ancient Rome (not-so-coincidentally, the subject of her newest work) first-hand at this lecture. 92nd Street Y, Monday, Nov. 9.

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