I recently had the privilege of interviewing Professor Judith Barringer from the University of Edinburgh in regard to her new book Olympia: A Cultural History which came out in November 2021. We also discussed her personal background, experiences and teaching as part of the interview. 

What made you pick to write about the Romans and the Greeks?

My interest in the Romans and Greeks started from taking a Greek art class as an undergrad, which expanded my knowledge and piqued my interest. I believe that having the right teacher at the right time sparked this interest. I would like to emphasise that timing is very important in terms of creating this with enthusiasm. I then pursued a masters in Art History. Afterwards, I completed my PhD in Classical Archaeology at Yale University. My PhD research focussed on Greek material. Now I am a teacher of  Greek Art and Archaeology.

My interest in the Romans and Greeks started from taking a Greek art class as an undergrad

Is Olympia where the Olympics started?

Olympics is not the main focus; the focus is on the site of Olympia in all of its aspects, including religious and political. Olympia is much more than the games. Olympia was the most important religious sanctuary in the ancient Mediterranean partly because of the games. All ancient athletic competitions were religious, not secular, so the combination of religion and athletic games was common. Olympic games were in honour of Zeus, who was the principal God of Olympia. Other sites had their own principal God and games, such as Apollo the Chief-God worshipped at Delphi. 

 What did you enjoy the most when writing this book? 

I had to read a large body of previous work to create my book, some of which is in German and French. I  love the site and think it is incredibly beautiful. First Excavations started in 1824 and then there was a break until 1875 when they resumed. Excavations continue into the modern-day. The publication of material has been non-stop for over a century.

How long did it take you to write this book?

The first work on Olympia I made was in 2005, I  began investigating Olympia then. I began research on the book in 2006-2007. 

What is the most important thing you learned when writing Olympia?

The never-ending prospect of discovery. I started out thinking I  would study one part of the site, but the process expanded out. I believe that the most important thing is that a holistic picture of an ancient site is important to understand a site. I would argue  that you cannot just look at sport, art, or history. You need everything to understand how the humans who lived there and how they used it. As one example: I  did not think she would need to learn about water infrastructure but ended up needing to. Everything is important.

Most important thing you learned? The never-ending prospect of discovery

What is the most surprising thing you learned when writing Olympia?

So many surprising things. Major new discoveries keep on coming, for example there have been two major sanctuaries found in the last ten years, and our understanding of the site—how it was used, how it fits into a larger network of sanctuaries locally and Mediterranean-wide—keeps on growing.

How do they discover Olympia?

Excavation is an expensive process. It is easier if you do not have to break ground, and excavation is a destructive process. Excavation is slow work and there should never be digging for the sake of digging (techniques will improve with time so we shouldn’t take everything out of the ground now even if we could). Careful excavation takes time. Excavation is gathering data; then one must interpret what you find to understand it. Interpretation is the longer part, which is what I find more interesting.

Advice for history writers? Pick a subject you love

How many books have you written?

This is the sixth book I have written, and I have another coming out this month.

What would you suggest to those who want to write history books?

My advice would be to pick a subject you love because you are going to live with it for a long time. The subject needs to have questions left to be answered. Read what others have wrote about your subject and understand your subject. 

 Do you enjoy your role as an academic? 

Love teaching, love researching, love reading and writing, love the subject. Do not enjoy administration and marking papers. I find that time with the students in the classroom is the best part of the job. I  love working with the students and taking them to Greek sites. It is a chance to open the world and make it accessible for them.

How does teaching and writing work together?

Research skills have improved by teaching as you have to explain everything clearly. Sometimes breaking down complicated concepts for students to understand. Both teaching and research are forms of communication, so I became a better writer by teaching. What I  focus on in teaching and writing has changed partly because of a change in interest and partly because of teaching.

I became a better writer by teaching

I like to surprise students by giving them something they cannot read in any other book. Students come up with questions and ways of looking at research not previously thought of which helps research. I would suggest that visiting sites is a back and forth between teaching and research. 

I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing Judith Barringer and am thankful that she took the time out of her busy research and teaching schedule to provide me some time. Barringer has had an outstanding career both as a teacher and a researcher so far and she will continue to achieve great things.

---

Enjoyed this? Read more on Redbrick Culture!

New Book Release: Now Comes Good Sailing

Dance Review: Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! – A Double Perspective

The Battle of Artefacts: A Case of Legality Over Morality