Dr Henriette van der Blom
Dr Henriette van der Blom
Stipendiary Lecturer in Ancient History
Email: Dr Henriette van der Blom
Teaching Interests
I teach Roman History papers to students in Literae Humaniores (Classics), Ancient and Modern History, and Classical Archaeology and Ancient History. In particular, I enjoy teaching papers dealing with the late Roman republic and early Empire as I find the combination of research interests and teaching topics especially fruitful for both my students and my own thinking on the subject.
Research Interests
I specialise in the political life and oratorical culture of the Roman republic and early Empire. My recent book on Cicero’s Role Models explores Cicero’s rhetorical and political strategy as a newcomer in Roman republican politics. It argues that Cicero advertised himself as follower of chosen models of behaviour from the past – his role models or exempla – in order to promote his public persona and political influence. My current research focuses on the relationship between oratory and political career in the Roman republic, and it investigates (e.g. through close study of speech fragments) how far the oratorical profile and performances of politicians such as Pompey, Caesar, Cato the Younger and others define and restrict their political actions and agendas, and, ultimately, their political influence and careers. I am also one of the editors of the Fragments of the Roman Orators project (with Prof. Christopher Smith and Prof. Catherine Steel) to provide a new edition with commentary and translation of the fragments of the Roman orators of Republican Rome.
