Viewing: November 21,2026
Join us Saturday, November 21st at 1:00 p.m. as the Ohio University Department of Classics and Religious Studies, The Charles J Ping Center Institute for the Teaching of the Humanities, and the Athens County Public Libraries present a special “Odyssey Day” screening of Christopher Nolan’s epic cinematic adaptation of the tale of Odysseus!
Admission is FREE and open to the Public – Tickets are required
This event will feature a pre-show panel discussion at 11:00 a.m. at the Athens Public Library focusing on the epic poem The Odyssey and the archaeological evidence related to it, as well as a post-show panel discussion after the screening at the Athena Cinema – both featuring the following faculty members from the Ohio University Department of Classics and Religious Studies:
Charles J. Ping Professor of Humanities Dr. Fred Drogula
Ohio University Professor Emeritus Dr. Bill Owens
Ohio University Professor Emerita Dr. Ruth Palmer
For more information about the panel discussion at the Public Library visit the link below:
The Odyssey by Homer: A Panel Discussion
About the film
The latest film from two-time Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan adapts one of the greatest stories ever told – Homer’s epic story of the return of Odysseus!
The Odyssey follows the legendary Greek king of Ithaca on his protracted and perilous journey back to his kingdom in the wake of the Trojan War. It’s a journey replete with encounters with mythical beings like the Cyclops Polyphemus, enchanting sirens, and the nymph Calypso, who tries to ensnare the wandering king in a web of romance. Not to be thwarted, however, Odysseus has a singular goal – return to his kingdom, reunite with his beloved wife Penelope, and reclaim the throne that has been lost to him for far too long.
About the speakers
Since 2018, Dr. Drogula has held the honor of being the Charles J. Ping Professor of Humanities and Professor of Classics at Ohio University. Having earned a PhD from the University of Virginia, he has published numerous articles examining the history, culture, and religion of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. Additionally, he is the author of two recently published books: Commanders and Command in the Roman Republic and Early Empire (Chapel Hill Press, 2015) and Cato: A Life at the Collapse of the Roman Republic (Oxford University Press, 2019).
Dr. Ruth Palmer is Associate Professor emerita of Classics at Ohio University. Her areas of research include Greek, Roman, and Egyptian Archaeology; the economy of the Eastern Mediterranean during the Bronze Age; Linear B and other Aegean scripts; and Food Studies for the ancient Mediterranean.
Dr. Bill Owens is Professor of Classics emeritus at Ohio University. His research focuses on slavery inthe ancient Greek and Roman world, in particular, how slavery has been represented in ancient literature, including Homer.
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