Photo of Susan Downie

Susan Downie

Instructor III

Degrees:BA (Waterloo), MA (Toronto), PhD (Toronto)
Phone:613-520-2600 x 3391
Email:susan.downie@carleton.ca

Biography

Susan Downie, Instructor III in Greek and Roman Studies, completed her B.A. in Classical Studies and History at the University of Waterloo before moving to the University of Toronto for her M.A. and Ph.D. Her Graduate Studies included work in both Greek and Latin language, in addition to art historical and archaeological training. She excavated at the Minoan harbour site of Kommos, Crete, and has led several study tours of Greece and Turkey, lecturing on architecture, sanctuaries and religion from the Bronze Age to late Classical periods.

Her area of academic expertise is Greek history (both political and social) from the Late Bronze Age to the fifth century BC. Downie’s doctoral thesis (2004) examined the uses of hero cult for political propaganda at the Panhellenic sanctuaries of Delphi and Olympia, and her current research continues to focus on the interaction of politics and religion in the Archaic and Classical Greek world.

Research Interests

  • Greek History (Herodotus and Persian Wars)
  • Classical Mythology and Religion
  • Greek Art and Architecture (Bronze Age to Classical Greek)
  • Bronze Age and Archaic fortifications of Acrocorinth

Courses Fall Winter 2023/2024

CLCV 2902A Origins of the Greeks (F)
CLCV 2903A Democracy to Alexander (W)
GREK 1005A Introduction to Greek I (F)
GREK 1006A Introduction to Greek II (W)
GREK 2200A Intermediate Greek I (F)
GREK 2201A Intermediate Greek II (W)