Photo of Susan Downie

Susan Downie

Associate Professor, Teaching Stream

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

Biography

Susan Downie, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream 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 2024/2025

CLCV 3306A/ARTH 3102A/RELI 2732A:  Studies in Greek Art, The Bronze Age (F)

CLCV 4800A:  Seminar in Greek and Roman Studies, Sparta (F)

GREK 2200A: Intermediate Greek (F)