Greek Tragedy, with its rich themes, timeless characters, and powerful narratives, has left an indelible mark on the literary tradition. In the Flavian era epic poets such as Statius, Valerius Flaccus and Silius Italicus drew inspiration from Greek and Roman Tragedy, incorporating its themes, motifs and characters into their epic works. By closely scrutinising literary works and cultural elements, this conference aims to explore the multifaceted relationships and connections between these two literary genres, and seeks to foster a deeper understanding of the influences, adaptations, and reimaginings of ancient Greek and Roman Tragedy within the context of the Flavian period.
Scholarship has yielded a rich body of research that highlights the intricate relationship between these two genres, namely how the Flavian poets reshaped and subverted traditional mythological narratives to create new layers of meaning and commentary on their contemporary society. The recent volume on Elements of Tragedy in Flavian Epic (by Marinis/Papaioannou, 2021) has shed light on different aspects of this interaction (such as human and divine causation, the tragic motifs of anagnorisis and vengeance). Individual research has also delved into the incorporation of tragic characters and figures from Greek mythology into Flavian epic, and has analysed how these characters are reinterpreted and contextualised within the epic narratives (see bibliography below). On the other side, despite the detection of the engagement of the Roman Senecan tragedy with the Flavian epic, the findings are minor, and the subject needs further exploration in order to understand if, how and to what extent Roman tragedy works as an intermediary between Greek tragedy and Flavian epic. Additionally, the influence of the fragmentary tragedy of the Republican period on the Flavian epics is understudied and needs further investigation.
Overall, scholarship on elements of tragedy in Flavian epic poetry has already illuminated how the Flavian poets creatively engaged with Greek and Roman Tragedy to craft their own unique narratives, thereby enriching the classical literary tradition and providing valuable insights into the cultural and intellectual milieu of the Flavian era. As scholarship on Flavian epic poetry continues to evolve, several new trends and approaches have emerged, reflecting the dynamic nature of research in this field. The aim of this conference is to explore the enduring legacy of Tragedy and its resonance within the Flavian Epic tradition, in order to invigorate the field of Flavian epic, inspire new perspectives, and contribute to a deeper understanding of this literary tradition. Scholars and researchers interested in Flavian culture and poetry can help expand our knowledge of Flavian epic and its multifaceted connections to broader intellectual and cultural contexts.
