The Case for Classics

Maira Zaidi
  • 5.0 (4)
  • History

Hi! Welcome to The Case for Classics ! I'm your host, Maira Zaidi. I created this podcast to inspire a new generation of learners to discover the enduring value of Classical Studies. Through conversations with leading scholars, educators, and professionals, I explore how the ancient world is not a relic of the past but a living legacy that continues to shape our language, literature, philosophy, politics, and culture. At its heart, the podcast seeks to make Classics more accessible and inclusive by introducing Latin, Greek, and Ancient History to students from all backgrounds, especially those who may never have encountered them before. By sharing insights from people across the field, I hope to demonstrate how the study of antiquity remains relevant to the questions and challenges we face today. My goal is to make the case that an education in Classics develops intellectual curiosity, analytical thinking, cultural understanding, and clear communication— qualities that prepare students not only to succeed in careers such as academia, law, medicine, public service, journalism, business, and science, but also to become thoughtful, engaged citizens capable of understanding the complexities of the modern world. Through this podcast, I hope to inspire young people to discover the ancient world as part of our shared global heritage and recognize that Classics remains one of the most relevant and rewarding fields of study today. Thank you so much for listening. Whether you're a lifelong Classicist or you're just discovering the ancient world for the very first time, I'm so glad you're here. Let's make the case for Classics together! Maira Zaidi Acta Diurna Classics – An Archive of Classical Inquiry Follow: Gazette, Acta Diurna Read: Journal, Veritas Listen: Podcast, The Case for Classics   @actadiurnaclassics | www.actadiurnaclassics.org

  1. 2d ago

    Ancient Drama, Human Stories: Harvard Professor Naomi Weiss Makes the Case for Classics

    In this episode of The Case for Classics, I sit down with Harvard University Professor Naomi Weiss, Director of the Center for Hellenic Studies, to explore Greek drama and the emotions that connect us to stories. Professor Weiss traces her journey from enjoying the puzzles of Latin to teaching herself Greek with her friend. She reflects on the teachers and colleagues who shaped her scholarship, and how studying at Oxford and Berkeley opened ways of approaching the ancient world. Through Hector’s farewell to his family in the Iliad and Euripides’ Trojan Women, Professor Weiss reflects on how love, laughter, beauty, and grief can coexist within a scene. She also introduces her commentary on Orestes, a once-popular tragedy whose comedy, music, and theatrical surprises challenge our expectations of the genre. Our conversation explores the breadth of Classics and how its combination of literature, history, philosophy, and language prepares students for many careers. We also discuss her commitment to public outreach, from conversations about the Hades video game to opportunities for high school students to encounter Ancient Greek. Ultimately, Professor Weiss makes the case that studying Classics deepens our understanding of human experience, revealing how ancient stories continue to move us, challenge us, and inspire new forms of expression.

  2. Oct 25

    Ancient Machines, Modern Questions: Cornell Professor Courtney Roby Makes the Case for Classics

    In this episode of The Case for Classics, I sit down with Cornell University Professor Courtney Roby to explore ancient machines, modern technology, and the questions that connect engineering with the humanities. Professor Roby traces her journey from mathematics and electrical engineering to Classics, sharing how a love of puzzles and structures drew her toward Latin and Greek. She reflects on the mentors who supported her change of direction and the questions that prompted her to reconsider her path. Our conversation explores why education should make room for asking “why,” especially as artificial intelligence reshapes how we solve problems. Professor Roby encourages students to slow down and follow their curiosity. We also meet Hero of Alexandria, whose writings on mathematics and mechanical devices inspired generations of readers to add inventions of their own. From Greek science’s transformations in the medieval Islamic world to the value of handwriting, we discover unexpected connections.  Professor Roby shares her collaboration with an undergraduate recreating ancient automata using electronics, alongside her research into how people solve problems through physical actions, tools such as calculating devices and astronomical instruments, and collaboration with others. Ultimately, Professor Roby makes the case that Classics helps us understand technology as part of the human journey and history. Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast info@nextdaypodcast.com

  3. Oct 18

    The Joy of Learning: Chair of Classics, Columbia University Prof. Katharina Volk Makes the Case for Classics

    In this episode of The Case for Classics, I sit down with Chair of Classics, Columbia University Professor Katharina Volk, a Classicist specializing in Roman literature, philosophy, and intellectual history, to explore why the joy of learning belongs at the heart of education. Professor Volk traces her journey from childhood fascination with Homer in Germany to finding her academic home in a small, welcoming Classics department. She reflects on the influence of a charismatic mentor who began lectures in Latin and helped inspire her enduring love of Ovid and Cicero. Our conversation explores the revival of spoken Latin, the ancient world’s presence in later literature, and the pressure students face to choose subjects based on future careers. Professor Volk encourages us to leave room for curiosity and consider Cicero’s compelling idea that the desire to learn is itself part of what makes us human. We also discuss Professor Volk’s work on the remarkable story of De Re Publica, a nearly lost dialogue rediscovered beneath another text, and discuss its questions about political crisis, good government, and civic responsibility. Ultimately, Professor Volk makes the case for discovering our own meaning in Classics, inviting us to follow our interests and appreciate the ancient world with a sense of possibility.

    The Joy of Learning: Chair of Classics, Columbia University Prof. Katharina Volk Makes the Case for Classics

  4. Oct 11

    AI & Ancient Languages: Paideia Institute Founder Dr. Jason Pedicone Makes the Case for Classics

    In this episode of The Case for Classics, I sit down with Dr. Jason Pedicone, Co-Founder and President of the Paideia Institute, to explore ancient languages and the value of the humanities in the age of artificial intelligence. Dr. Pedicone traces his journey from discovering classical references in Shakespeare to becoming his university’s first Fulbright scholar. He reflects on the mentors who encouraged him, including papal Latinist Father Reginald Foster, whose teaching helped inspire Paideia’s mission. Our conversation explores why close reading, logical thinking, and precision with language matter when interacting with AI. Dr. Pedicone shares how he uses the technology to learn Sanskrit and develop software, while asking a larger question: if machines change how we work, what will make our lives meaningful? We also discuss the rewards of reading Virgil in Latin and debating Heraclitus in Ancient Greek, revealing how engaging with original languages can deepen our understanding of ideas. Dr. Pedicone introduces Paideia’s work creating accessible online curricula for learners whose schools offer neither Latin nor Greek. Ultimately, Dr. Pedicone argues that Classics prepares us to navigate technological change while keeping human connection, intellectual curiosity, and the question of how to live well at the center of our lives.

    AI & Ancient Languages: Paideia Institute Founder Dr. Jason Pedicone Makes the Case for Classics

  5. Oct 4

    For the Love of Classics: Ekklesia’s Co-Founders Make the Case for Classics

    In this episode of The Case for Classics, I sit down with Imogen Briscoe and Tom Hilless, co-founders of Ekklesia Magazine, to explore how a love of antiquity can become a welcoming community beyond the classroom.  From Percy Jackson and Jason and the Argonauts to an unexpected conversation that changed a university application, they share the moments that drew them into Classics. They reflect on teachers who balanced encouragement with challenge, and how their studies led to different paths in doctoral research and academic publishing. Our conversation explores the value of pursuing intellectual curiosity alongside practical career concerns, and why close reading and critical engagement matter in a world of misinformation.  Tom reflects on how his Classics background informs his work in academic publishing, where close reading, clear argument, and curiosity help him connect ideas and bring scholarship to readers.  Imogen introduces her research on masculinity in Ovid’s love poetry, examining connections between ancient rhetoric and troubling attitudes toward gender today. Together, they share the story behind Ekklesia: a space where contributors can publish research, experiment creatively, and engage with antiquity without needing academic credentials.  Ultimately, Imogen and Tom make the case that Classics thrives through collaboration, curiosity, and play, inviting anyone who loves the ancient world to join the conversation.

  6. Aug 23

    Who Owns the Ancient World? Johns Hopkins Prof. Nandini Pandey Makes the Case for Classics

    In this episode of The Case for Classics, I sit down with Johns Hopkins University Professor Nandini Pandey to explore identity, belonging, and why the ancient world can speak to people from every background. Professor Pandey shares her journey as a South Asian American who found refuge in books and discovered Latin on her first day of college. Hearing Virgil’s Aeneid recited aloud sparked a fascination that became a career. She reflects on the generous mentors who shaped her path and her commitment to welcoming students who encounter Classics later in life. Our conversation explores multiculturalism in ancient Rome, the stories societies tell about their origins, and how studying antiquity can challenge assumptions about race, power, and cultural ownership. We also discuss Professor Pandey’s moving reading of Aeneas as a refugee and immigrant, whose sacrifices for future generations resonate with her family’s experience. Professor Pandey introduces her work on Roman diversity and a deeply personal book about reclaiming her voice and bringing her identity into scholarship. Ultimately, Professor Pandey makes the case that Classics offers a place to question inherited narratives, discover unexpected connections, and recognize ourselves in ancient stories while making room for others to find their place too.

    Who Owns the Ancient World? Johns Hopkins Prof. Nandini Pandey Makes the Case for Classics

  7. Aug 12

    Ancient Texts, Modern Lives: Brown University Prof. Johanna Hanink Makes the Case for Classics

    In this episode of The Case for Classics, I sit down with Brown University Professor Johanna Hanink, classicist, author, and host of Lesche: Ancient Greece, New Ideas, to explore how ancient texts continue to shape modern lives. Professor Hanink traces her journey from charismatic Latin teachers and studying Greek in high school to a career connecting ancient and contemporary Greece. She reflects on the mentors who encouraged her curiosity and how exploring antiquity’s afterlife can make the ancient world feel urgent and alive. Our conversation asks what we mean when we call an education “useful.” Professor Hanink makes a case for the art of slow reading: paying close attention to language, noticing rhetorical patterns, and resisting the rush to scroll past everything. We also explore the pleasure of joining debates about texts like the Odyssey that have continued for thousands of years. Through the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, we consider mortality and the consolation of knowing that cultures and ideas can outlast individual lives. Professor Hanink also shares her creative project imagining the House of Atreus as a Gothic haunted house. Ultimately, our conversation reveals Classics as an invitation to read carefully, think creatively, and participate in an enduring dialogue.

    Ancient Texts, Modern Lives: Brown University Prof. Johanna Hanink Makes the Case for Classics

  8. Jun 22

    From Homer to Hip-Hop: UPenn Prof. & Pres. Society for Classical Studies Ralph Rosen Makes the Case for Classics

    In this episode of The Case for Classics, I sit down with University of Pennsylvania Professor Emeritus Ralph Rosen, a scholar of ancient literature, satire, and medicine, to explore connections between Homer, jazz, and freestyle rap. Professor Rosen traces his journey from aspiring scientist to student of Greek and Latin, sharing how Plato, Homer, and inspiring mentors opened a world of intellectual possibilities. He reflects on discovering parallels between jazz improvisation and Homeric oral poetry, and how rap battles combine spontaneous composition with traditions of satire and comic mockery. Our conversation asks why Classics remains worth studying today. Professor Rosen encourages us to appreciate the richness of ancient texts alongside the skills they develop, exploring how the Odyssey’s questions about courage, friendship, and difficult choices continue to resonate. We also discuss his commitment to broadening access through programs that welcome students studying ancient literature in translation. Professor Rosen introduces his project translating Hippocratic writings and explains why ancient observations about patients and communication can feel modern. Ultimately, Professor Rosen makes the case that Classics offers many paths into understanding history, literature, and ourselves, inviting students to follow their curiosity and discover a field whose questions reach far beyond the classroom.

    From Homer to Hip-Hop: UPenn Prof. & Pres. Society for Classical Studies Ralph Rosen Makes the Case for Classics
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Hi! Welcome to The Case for Classics ! I'm your host, Maira Zaidi. I created this podcast to inspire a new generation of learners to discover the enduring value of Classical Studies. Through conversations with leading scholars, educators, and professionals, I explore how the ancient world is not a relic of the past but a living legacy that continues to shape our language, literature, philosophy, politics, and culture. At its heart, the podcast seeks to make Classics more accessible and inclusive by introducing Latin, Greek, and Ancient History to students from all backgrounds, especially those who may never have encountered them before. By sharing insights from people across the field, I hope to demonstrate how the study of antiquity remains relevant to the questions and challenges we face today. My goal is to make the case that an education in Classics develops intellectual curiosity, analytical thinking, cultural understanding, and clear communication— qualities that prepare students not only to succeed in careers such as academia, law, medicine, public service, journalism, business, and science, but also to become thoughtful, engaged citizens capable of understanding the complexities of the modern world. Through this podcast, I hope to inspire young people to discover the ancient world as part of our shared global heritage and recognize that Classics remains one of the most relevant and rewarding fields of study today. Thank you so much for listening. Whether you're a lifelong Classicist or you're just discovering the ancient world for the very first time, I'm so glad you're here. Let's make the case for Classics together! Maira Zaidi Acta Diurna Classics – An Archive of Classical Inquiry Follow: Gazette, Acta Diurna Read: Journal, Veritas Listen: Podcast, The Case for Classics   @actadiurnaclassics | www.actadiurnaclassics.org

Information

  • Creator
    Maira Zaidi
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Case for Classics
  • Show Website
    The Case for Classics

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