Contact
Department of Classics, Florida State University, 205A Dodd Hall, Tallahassee, FL 32306, sasansom [at] fsu [dot] edu
Work
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Assistant Professor, Department of Classics (2022–Present)
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, Postdoctoral Associate in Classics and Fellow in the Active Learning Initiative (2018–2022)
Education
Stanford University (Stanford, CA) PhD, Classics, Language and Literature, June 2018
Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) MA, Classical Studies, June 2012
American School of Classical Studies at Athens (Athens, Greece) Summer Session 2011, Associate Member 2013, 2015, 2023
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC) Post-Baccalaureate, Classics, June 2010
Samford University (Birmingham, AL) BA, magna cum laude, Classics and English, May 2007
Books
Hesiod’s Shield of Heracles and Early Greek Aesthetics (In preparation)
Patterns of Expectancy in Greek Epic: Where Words Belong (In preparation)
Text, Commentary, and Translation of Hesiod’s Shield of Heracles (In preparation)
Publications
“Achilles and the Resources of Genre: Epitaph, Hymnos, and Paean in Iliad 22.386–94” Classical Philology 119.1 (2024), 1–28
“SEDES: Metrical Position in Greek Hexameter” with David Fifield, Digital Humanities Quarterly 17.2 (2023)
"Active Techniques to Enhance Conceptual Learning in Greek Mythology" with T. Clary and C. Aslan, Classical World 116.1 (2022), 75–105
“Divine Resonance in Early Greek Epic: Space, Knowledge, Affect” American Journal of Philology 142.4 (2021), 535–69
“Sedes as Style in Greek Hexameter: A Computational Approach” TAPA 151.2 (2021), 439–67
“‘Strange’ Rhetoric and Homeric Reception in Aelius Aristides’ Embassy Speech to Achilles (or. 52)” Greece & Rome 68.2 (2021), 278–93
“Pompey, Venus, and the Politics of Hesiod in Lucan’ Bellum Civile 8.456–59” Classical Quarterly 70.2 (2020), 784–91
“Typhonic Voices: Sounds of Hesiod and Cosmic War in Lucan’s Bellum Civile 6.685–94” Mnemosyne 73.4 (2019), 609–32
“Contests and Clothing in Four Agonistic Papyri from Hellenistic Egypt” In Athletics in the Hellenistic World. Edd. C. Mann, S. Remijsen, and S. Scharff. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag (2016), 247–62
Reviews
One Man Show: Poetics and Presence in the Iliad and Odyssey. K. Kretler. Washington, DC: Center for Hellenic Studies (2020) Bryn Mawr Classical Review (2022)
Achilles Unbound: Multiformity and Tradition in the Homeric Epics. C. Dué. Washington, DC: Center for Hellenic Studies (2019) Classical Philology 116.1 (2020), 135–39
Hesiod: Theogony, Works and Days, Testimonia and Hesiod: The Shield, Catalogue of Women, Other Fragments. Ed. G. W. Most. Cambridge, MA (2018) CJ On-line (2020)
Perseus Project Scaife Viewer Society for Classical Studies Blog (2019)
The Reception of the Homeric Hymns. Edd. A. Faulkner, A. Vergados, and A. Schwab. Oxford: Oxford University Press (2016) Bryn Mawr Classical Review (2018)
Classics in Post-Colonial Worlds. Edd. L. Hardwick and C. Gillespie. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (2010) AmeriQuests 8.1 (2011)
Conferences Organized
“Metri Causa: Affordances of Greek Metre” with Il-Kweon Sir, Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge, UK (6–7 July 2023) Funded by the Leverhulme Trust and Cambridge Faculty of Classics
Select Presentations and Invited Talks
“Anaphora in Greek Epic: New Types, New Tools” CAMWS, St. Louis, MO (2024)
“Greek Hexameter and the Psychology of Expectation” Metri Causa: Affordances of Greek Metre, Cambridge, UK (2023)
“Hesiod’s Aesthetics: The Hymn to the Muses as Socio-Aesthetic Model” FSU Classics Faculty Forum, Tallahassee, FL (2023)
“Stacking: Repetitious metrical position in early Greek hexameter” Classical Association, Cambridge, UK (2023)
“Prediction in Pedagogy” Society for Classical Studies, San Francisco, CA (2022)
“Digital Philology and the Measure of Greek Epic” The Future of the Past: Classics + Technology, Stanford Humanities Center, Stanford, CA (2021)
“Active Learning in Large Humanities Courses” Classical Association of Atlantic States, New Brunswick, NJ with C. Aslan and T. Clary (2021)
“Fragmenting the Chorus: Inclusion, Agency, and Active Learning” Columbia Workshop on Critical Pedagogy in Archaeology, New York, NY (2021)
“The Significance of Sameness in Ancient Greek Epic” Concordia University, Montreal, QC (2020)
“Voice, Mortals, and Muses in the Hesiodic Aspis 272-86” Society for Classical Studies, San Diego, CA (2019)
“A Big Data Approach to Greek Epic Style” Concordia University, Montreal, QC (2019)
“Divine Voice and its Formulas in Homer and the Homeric Hymns” CorHaLi, Lausanne, CH (2019)
“Where Words Belong: Style, Formula, and Intertext in Greek Hexameter” Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (2019)
“Eternal Motionlessness in the Hesiodic Aspis and Early Greek Philosophy” Society for Classical Studies, Boston, MA (2018)
“Sound, Style, and Oral Poetics in the Shield of Heracles” Stanford Humanities Center, Stanford, CA (2017)
“The Never-Ending Race: Eternity in the Hesiodic Shield of Heracles and Early Greek Philosophy” University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (2017)
“Lucan’s Hesiod: Erictho as Typhon in Bellum Civile 6.685-94” Society for Classical Studies, San Francisco, CA (2016)
“Kanye among the Scholiasts: Annotation in the Digital Age” California Classical Association–Northern Section, Stanford, CA (2016)
“Sound Features in Greek Poetry” Stanford Humanities Center, Stanford, CA, with D. Fifield (2015)
“Habitus and ἱμάτιον: Hellenistic agônes in Greek documentary papyri” Sport in the Hellenistic Age, Mannheim, Germany (2015)
“The Sound Shape of Greek Lyric: Sound and Semantics in Alcaeus fr. 129” Classical Association of the Middle West and South, Boulder, CO (2015)
“Remembering Odysseus: Line-initial Memory in the Odyssey” American Philological Association, Chicago, IL (2014)
“Achilles’ hymnic segue at Iliad 22.390” Symposium on Greek and Roman Hymnic Traditions and the Performance of Community, Stanford, CA (2014)
“‘Now, I'm going to let you finish, but...:’ a ‘Hesiodic’ response to the Delian Maidens in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo 188-193” Classical Association of the Middle West and South, Baton Rouge, LA (2012)
“Location, Movement, and Memory in Theogony 80-103” Classical Association of the Middle West and South, Grand Rapids, MI (2011)
Fellowships, Honors, and Awards
Dean’s Travel Grant, Florida State University (2023) competitive funding for research travel
Provost’s Travel Grant, Florida State University (2023) competitive funding for research travel
First Year Assistant Professor Summer Fellowship, Florida State University (2023) fellowship supporting summer research
Active Learning Initiative Fellow, Cornell University (2018–2022) full salary, program funds, research funds
Ric Weiland Graduate Fellowship in the School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University (2015–2017) full tuition, stipend, research funds; by department nomination
Graduate Fellow, Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis, Stanford University, (2015–2016)
Graduate Instructor Award, Department of Classics, Stanford University, (2015)
John R. Mott Award, Samford University (2006) Given to one male student from the graduating class by the faculty and administration for exemplary service and contribution to campus life
Who’s Who Among American College Seniors, Samford University (2006)
Senior Faculty Award, Department of English, Samford University (2006)
Vivian Lankford Campbell Award in Creative Writing, Samford University (2005)
Dean’s List, Samford University, (2002–2007)
Teaching
Instructor, Department of Classics, Florida State University
Beginning Greek (2022–Present)
Advanced Greek: Greek Poetry (Fall 2022)
Senior Seminar: Ancient Senses (Fall 2023)
Programming for Digital Humanities (Spring 2024)
Instructor, Department of Classics, Cornell University
Hieroglyphs to HTML: History of Writing (Spring 2021)
Greek Mythology (Fall 2019)
Statues and Public Life (Spring 2019)
Pedagogy Consultant, Department of Classics, Cornell University
Introduction to the Classical World in 24 Objects (Fall 2021, Spring 2020)
Ancient Economics (Spring 2021)
Greek Mythology (Fall 2020–2021)
Statues and Public Life (Fall 2020)
Instructor, Department of Classics, Stanford University
Beginning Greek (Spring 2018)
Ancient Athletics (Winter 2018)
Greek Mythology (Summer 2017)
Greek and Latin Roots of English (Summer 2016)
Intermediate Greek: Homer’s Iliad (Spring 2016)
Teaching Assistant, Department of Classics, Stanford University
Introduction to Greek Tragedy (Winter 2017)
Greek Mythology (Spring 2015)
Ancient Athletics (Winter 2015)
Majors Seminar: The Body in Antiquity (Winter 2014)
Advanced Latin: Livy (Autumn 2013)
Teaching Assistant, Department of Classical Studies, Vanderbilt University
Beginning Greek (Fall 2011–Spring 2012)
Archaeology, History, and Culture in Greece: Kenchreai Field School (May 2011)
Instructor, Department of Philosophy, Belmont University
Intermediate Greek: Plato’s Ion (Spring 2012)
Instructor, Trussville High and Middle Schools
Latin (all levels); English literature (Fall 2007–Spring 2009)
Digital Projects
SEDES: Metrical Position in Greek Hexameter, co-developer with D. Fifield, Digital tool that gathers and visualizes statistics for the metrical position of words in Greek hexameter poetry
Mapping Greek Lyric: Place, Travel, Geographical Imaginary, co-developer, Stanford University, Dynamic map of Greek lyric poets and poetry (2015)
Oral Poets of Western Crete, archivist and researcher, Ethnopoetic study of Western Cretan singers conducted by a research team Stanford University and Greek scholars (Digital Archive Forthcoming)
Sports and the University, co-developer and instructor, Stanford University, Mass open online course (MOOC) on the role of athletics in the American university (2018)
Outreach
Plautus’ Menaechmi, translator, videographer, Stanford University (2018)
Aristophanes’ Thesmophoriazusae, director, translator, Stanford University (2017)
Eupolis’ Demes, director, translator, Stanford University (2016)
Aristophanes’ Birds, actor, translator, president, Stanford University (2015), Society for Classical Studies (CAMP), San Francisco, CA (2015)
Plautus’ Casina, actor, translator, vice-president, Stanford University (2014), Humanities West, San Francisco, CA (2014)
Euripides’ Cyclops, actor, translator, Stanford University (2013)
“Adapting Aristophanes in Silicon Valley”, Eidolon, co-author (December 2015)
“What Can Neuroscience Tell us about Greek Theatre?”, Humanities at Stanford, Stanford Humanities Center (October 2012)
Service
Journal Referee, Digital Humanities Quarterly, Mouseion
American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA), Managing Committee (Spring 2023–Present)
Florida State University: Faculty Senate (Spring 2023–Present); Executive Committee (Fall 2023–Present); DI Committee (Fall 2022–Present); Library Officer (Fall 2022–Present); Chair Search Committee (Winter 2023)
Cornell University: Co-organizer, Critical Conversations Reading Group (2021–22); Leader, Graduate workshop for inclusive teaching (Spring 2019); Reader, The Odyssey in Ithaca (Spring 2019); Editor, materials for Euripides’ Iphigeneia in Aulis
Mentor in Contingent Faculty Mentorship Program, Society for Classical Studies
Local Committee, Birmingham, Alabama (2020), Session Presider (2020), Classical Association of the Middle West and South
Stanford University: Stanford Classics in Theater: director, translator, actor, admin (2012–2018); Co-organizer, Oral Literature and Literate Orality, organizer, Humanities Center Geballe Research Workshop (2015–2016); Organizer, Homer Reading Group (2016–2018); Co-organizer, Classics Graduate Colloquium (2013–2014); volunteer, Women’s Community Center (2014)
Vanderbilt University: Organizer, Classics Graduate Student Research Symposium (2012); Organizer, Greek and Latin Poetry Reading Group (2010-2012)
References
Richard P. Martin, Antony and Isabelle Raubitschek Professor in Classics, Department of Classics, Stanford University, Phone: 650.723.0479, E-mail: rpmartin@stanford.edu
Anastasia-Erasmia Peponi, Professor of Classics, Department of Classics, Stanford University, Phone: 650.723.0479, E-mail: peponi@stanford.edu
Verity Platt, Professor of Classics, Department of Classics, Cornell University Phone: 607.255.7471, E-mail: vjp33@cornell.edu