In this podcast, Jessica Romney discusses her book on social identity in ancient Greece, examining how Greek men presented themselves to one another through poetry. She explores the construction of identity in martial-themed poetry, the protection of group identities in exile, the negotiation between individual and group in political lyric, and more. Romney demonstrates that sympotic lyric focuses on the same behaviors and values to construct social identities. The podcast also explores the role of memory in shaping group identity, the significance of Sparta, the influence of tyrants on citizen identity, and the preservation of ancient Greek texts.
