IOANNIS M. KONSTANTAKOS Professor of Ancient Greek Literature iokonstan[at]phil.uoa[dot]gr uoa.academia.edu/IoannisKonstantakos
Faculty of Philology, Department of Classics National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Panepistimioupoli Zografou 157 84 AthensTel.: +30-210277638 (Block 603)

 STUDIES

• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 1990–1995, B.A. (Classical Philology).
• University of Cambridge (Pembroke College), 1995–1996, M.Phil. (Classics).
• University of Cambridge (Pembroke College), 1996–2000, Ph.D. (Classics).

ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT

• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Philology, Professor, 2019-
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Philology,Assοciate Professor, 2014-2019
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Philology, Assistant Professor, 2008–2014.
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Philology, Lecturer, 2003–2008.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES (SELECTION)

• Scholarship from the “Alexander S. Onassis” Public Benefit Foundation for doctoral studies (1997–2000).
• Prize of the Academy of Athens (2009) for best classical monograph published within the last five years, awarded to my two-volume work Akicharos. The Tale of Ahiqar in Ancient Greece (Athens 2008).

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Greek and Roman comedy
• History of European comic drama
• Herodotus
• Ancient fiction
• Riddles and relevant games
• Folktales
• Near-Eastern literatures
• Ancient Egypt
• Influence of the Near East and Egypt on Greek culture
• Reception of classical texts in Europe

SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES (SELECTION)

• Scholarship from the “Alexander S. Onassis” Public Benefit Foundation for doctoral studies (1997–2000).
• Prize of the Academy of Athens (2009) for best classical monograph published within the last five years, awarded to my two-volume work Akicharos. The Tale of Ahiqar in Ancient Greece (Athens 2008).

UNIVERSITY TEACHING

Since 2003 I have repeatedly taught:

• Undergraduate courses on the following subjects: “Advanced ancient Greek”, “Greek tragedy”, “Greek comedy”, “Sophocles”, “Euripides”, “Aristophanes”, “Middle and New Comedy”.
• Undergraduate seminars on the following topics: “Persian and Egyptian tales in Herodotus”, “Mythological burlesque in ancient drama”.
• Postgraduate seminars on the following topics: “Greek comedy in the 4th century BC”, “Introduction to the research methods of Classical Philology”.

SUPERVISION OF POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

Since 2003 I supervise theses for the master’s degree and doctoral dissertations, either as main supervisor or as second adviser. Topics include:

• “Female figures in the History of Herodotus: Literary formation and influences”.
• “Menander and the spectator’s education. The educative function of Menandrian comedy as displayed in its themes and dramatic techniques”.
• “The comic poet Cratinus”.
• “Heracles’ figure in Greek comedy during the 4th century BC”.
• “Egyptian tales in Herodotus, book 2. Sources, Egyptian background and narrative material”.
• “The obsessive characters in ancient comedy (misanthrope, miser, obsessive juror)”.
• “The adventures of Odysseus in Attic comedy”.
• “Old age as an element of comic effect with regard to the comic heroes of Aristophanes”.
• “Traversing rivers and channels as a motif in the History of Herodotus”.
• “Dionysus takes action: The god, the poetic contest and the city in Aristophanes’ Frogs”.
• “Eroticism, blame and stock characters in Archilochus”.

For a full list of the students and topics I have supervised see my detailed CV in the webpage: uoa.academia.edu/IoannisKonstantakos/CurriculumVitae 

ΟTHER ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES (SELECTION)

• Examiner for postgraduate and post-doctoral scholarships, Greek State Scholarships Foundation (2004, 2008–2010).
• Adviser and evaluator of postgraduate scholarship-holders studying in universities abroad, on behalf of the Greek State Scholarships Foundation (2004–2007, 2010–).
• Member of the evaluating and proposing committee for the appointment of faculty members (lecturer’s rank) at the Universities of Crete (2009) and Patras (2010).
• Member of the editorial board, Logeion. A Journal of Ancient Theatre (University of Patras, Department of Drama – Crete University Press).

RECENT TALKS

1. Comic theatre in the fourth century BC. Conditions of production and evolutionary tendencies. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Philology, January 2006 (in Greek).
2. Il teatro comico del IV secolo a.C.: Εvoluzione della drammaturgia e della performance. Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità, March 2006 (in Italian).
3.  The fragments of ancient comedy. Research prospects and instructions for users. University of Patras, Department of Drama, November 2006 (in Greek). 
4. Castelli in aria: Aristofane, il fantastico e la tradizione fiabesca nell’ antichità. Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità and European Cultural Centre of Delphi, August 2008 (in Italian). 
5. La commedia greca del IV secolo a.C.: Panellenizzazione e evoluzioni della drammaturgia. Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità and European Cultural Centre of Delphi, August 2008 (in Italian). 
6. Invited response to a lecture by G. M. Sifakis on Orality and Literacy: Collaboration or Conflict? Hellenic Humanistic Society, December 2008 (in Greek). 
7. Organization and chairing of a special session on “Transmission and adaptation of folktales in antiquity”. 15th conference of the International Society for Folk Narrative Research, in collaboration with the Centre for Research in Hellenic Folklore, Academy of Athens (conference theme: “Narratives across space and time. Transmissions and adaptations”), June 2009. 
8. Mountains of gold: Aristophanes, Herodotus and ancient Persian folktales. Paper presented during the session listed above (no. 7, in English). 
9. Adventures in the land of gold: Aristophanes’ Persia (Acharnians 65–114) and the ancient folktale tradition, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Philology, April 2010 (in Greek). 
10. Mythological comedy in the 4th century B.C. Antecedents, comic techniques and legacy. European Cultural Centre of Delphi, July 2010 (in English). 
11. Vom Mythos zum Gelos: Mythological burlesque in ancient drama. University of Crete, Faculty of Philology, February 2011 (conference: “New research trends in ancient Greek comedy”; in Greek). 
12. Ephippos’ Geryones: A comedy between myth and folktale, 4th Panhellenic Conference on Theatre Studies, University of Patras, Department of Drama, May 2011 (in Greek). 
13. It is a fashion, it will come back: Aristophanes in the 4th century. “Ancient comic discourse”: A one-day conference in memoriam George D. Katsis, The “En Kyklo” Society for Culture and Education, in collaboration with the Faculty of Philology, University of Athens, June 2011 (in Greek). 
14. Between myth and folktale: Mythological burlesque in Greek literature. European Cultural Centre of Delphi, July 2011 (in English). 
15. The riddles of Vera or The nihilists’ zero quotient. Critical presentation of Oscar Wilde, Vera the Nihilist, translation, introduction and commentary by Konstantinos Poulis (Athens 2011). Ianos Bookstore, April 2012 (in Greek).

For the texts of all these lectures, as well as for announcements of my upcoming talks, see my webpage: uoa.academia.edu/IoannisKonstantakos/Talks 

PUBLICATIONS 

I. Monographs:

1. A commentary on the fragments of eight plays of Antiphanes, doctoral dissertation, University of Cambridge 2000, σελ. vii + 303.
2. Ακίχαρος. Η Διήγηση του Αχικάρ στην αρχαία Ελλάδα, τόμος Α΄: Γένεση και αφηγηματικό υλικό [Akicharos: The Tale of Ahiqar in ancient Greece, vol. I: Origins and narrative material], Athens 2008 (Stigmi Publications), 334 pp.
3. Ακίχαρος. Η Διήγηση του Αχικάρ στην αρχαία Ελλάδα, τόμος Β΄: Από τον Δημόκριτο στους Περιπατητικούς, [Akicharos: The Tale of Ahiqar in ancient Greece, vol. II: From Democritus to the Peripatetics], Athens 2008 (Stigmi Publications), 426 pp.
4. Θρύλοι και παραμύθια για τη χώρα του χρυσού. Αρχαιολογία ενός παραμυθιακού μοτίβου [Legends and folktales about the land of gold. Archaeology of a folktale motif], Athens 2011 (Stigmi Publications), 346 pp.
5. Ακίχαρος, τόμος Γ΄: Η Διήγηση του Αχικάρ και η Μυθιστορία του Αισώπου [Akicharos, vol. III: The Tale of Ahiqar and the Aesop Romance], Athens (Stigmi Publications), ca. 600 pp. [forthcoming 2013].

 II. Essays:

6. “Notes on the chronology and career of Antiphanes”, Eikasmos 11 (2000) 173–196.
7. “Παρατηρήσεις στο ‘Άνθος του γιαλού’ του Παπαδιαμάντη και την ‘οριστική’ έκδοσή του” [“Notes on ‘The sea-flower’ by Papadiamantis and its ‘definitive’ edition”], Hellenika 51 (2001) 363–376.
8. “Towards a literary history of comic love”, Classica et Mediaevalia 53 (2002) 141–171.
9. Κριτικό άρθρο για το βιβλίο του Ι. Ν. Καζάζη, Λυρική ποίηση. Ο αρχαϊκός λυρισμός ως μουσική παιδεία, τόμ. Α΄ (Θεσσαλονίκη 2000) [Review article of J. N. Kazazis, Greek lyric poetry. Archaic lyric as musical education, vol. I (Thessaloniki 2000)], Hellenika 52 (2002) 373–382.
10. “Un échantillon d’Aristophane: Οι Σφήκες του Αριστοφάνη και οι Διάδικοι (Les Plaideurs) του Ρακίνα” [“Un échantillon d’Aristophane: Aristophanes’ Wasps and Racine’s Les Plaideurs”], EEAth 54 (2002–2003) 233–275.
11. “Και πάλι για τις παπαδιαμαντικές αναδημοσιεύσεις του Μπουκέτου” [“Once again on the reprints of Papadiamantis in the Bouketo magazine”], Hellenika 53 (2003) 399–404.
12. “Riddles, philosophers and fishes: Aesop and the θαλάσσιον πρόβατον (Vita Aesopi W 24, G 47)”, Eranos 101 (2003) 94–113.
13. “This craft of comic verse: Greek comic poets on comedy”, Archaiognosia 12 (2003–2004) 11–53.
14. “Ο Σολομών αγωνιστής: Οι αγώνες γρίφων του βασιλιά Σολομώντα στην Παλαιά Διαθήκη και στην ελληνιστική ιστοριογραφία” [“Solomon Agonistes: The riddle-contests of King Solomon in the Tanakh and in Hellenistic Historiographers”], Hellenika 54 (2004) 221–271.
15. “Antiphanes’ Agroikos-plays: An examination of the ancient evidence and fragments”, Rivista di Cultura Classica e Medioevale 46 (2004) 9–40.
16. “Trial by riddle: The testing of the counsellor and the contest of kings in the legend of Amasis and Bias”, Classica et Mediaevalia 55 (2004) 85–137.
17. “Aspects of the figure of the ἄγροικος in ancient comedy”, Rheinisches Museum 148 (2005) 1–26.
18. “The drinking theatre: Staged symposia in Greek comedy”, Mnemosyne (ser. 4) 58 (2005) 183–217.
19. “Amasis, Bias and the Seven Sages as riddlers”, Würzburger Jahrbücher für die Altertumswissenschaft 29 (2005) 11–46.
20. “Το κωμικό θέατρο από τον 4ο αιώνα στην ελληνιστική περίοδο. Εξελικτικές τάσεις και συνθήκες παραγωγής” [“Comic theatre from the 4th century BC to the Hellenistic period. Evolutionary tendencies and conditions of production”], EEAth 57 (2005–2006) 47–101.
21. “Aesop adulterer and trickster: A study of Vita Aesopi ch. 75–76”, Athenaeum 94 (2006) 563–600.
22. “The lady and the loser: Aristodemos and Lynkeus on love-affairs of New Comedy poets”, Hermes 134 (2006) 150–158.
23. “Το αποστομωτικό ερώτημα: Ένας τύπος γρίφου σε αρχαίες διηγήσεις” [“The unanswerable question: A type of riddle in ancient tales”], in P. Valavanis & I. K. Prombonas (ed.), Ευεργεσίη. Τόμος χαριστήριος στον Παναγιώτη Ι. Κοντό [Euergesie. Festschrift for Panagiotis I. Kontos], Athens 2006, 265–276.
24. “Από τον Τάνταλο στον Πυργοπολυνίκη: Οι πρόδρομοι του Δον Ζουάν” [“From Tantalus to Pyrgopolinices: The ancestors of Don Juan”], in Κωνσταντίνου Πουλή, Δον Ζουάν (πρόγραμμα παράστασης) [Konstantinos Poulis’ Don Juan (performance booklet)], Athens 2007, 11–21.
25. “The warlike and the wary: The council of Xerxes in Herodotus VII 8–11 and some Near Eastern tales”, Eikasmos 18 (2007) 219–244.
26. “Rara coronato plausere theatra Menandro? Menander’s success in his lifetime”, Quaderni Urbinati di Cultura Classica n.s. 88 (2008) 79–106.
27. “Cuckoo’s fruit: Erotic imagery in Vita Aesopi ch. 75–76”, in E. Karamalengou & E. Makrygianni (ed.), Αντιφίλησις. Studies on Classical, Byzantine and Modern Greek literature and culture in honour of John-Theophanes A. Papademetriou, Stuttgart 2009, 453–460.
28. “Nektanebo in the Vita Aesopi and in other narratives”, Classica et Mediaevalia 60 (2009) 99–144.
29. “The miserly monarch: Nektanebo’s tribute to Babylon in the Vita Aesopi”, Symbolae Osloenses 84 (2009) 90–110.
30. “Characters and names in the Vita Aesopi and in the Tale of Ahiqar. Part 1: Lykoros and Hermippos”, Hyperboreus 15.1 (2009) 110–132.
31. “Characters and names in the Vita Aesopi and in the Tale of Ahiqar. Part 2: The adoptive son”, Hyperboreus 15.2 (2009) 325–339.
32. “Η αβάσταχτη ελαφρότητα των στίχων: Παιχνίδια γρίφων στον ποιητικό αγώνα των Βατράχων του Αριστοφάνη” [“The unbearable lightness of verses: Riddle-games in the poetic contest of Aristophanes’ Frogs”], in S. Tsitsiridis (ed.), Παραχορήγημα. Μελετήματα για το αρχαίο θέατρο προς τιμήν του καθηγητή Γρηγόρη Μ. Σηφάκη [Parachoregema. Studies on ancient theatre in honour of Professor Gregory M. Sifakis], Herakleion 2010, 317–341.
33. “Aesop and riddles”, Lexis 28 (2010) 257–290.
34. “A passage to Egypt: Aesop, the priests of Heliopolis and the riddle of the year (Vita Aesopi 119-120)”, Trends in Classics 3 (2011) 83–112.
35. “Conditions of playwriting and the comic dramatist’s craft in the fourth century”, Λογείον 1 (2011) 145–183.
36. “Ephippos’ Geryones: A comedy between myth and folktale”, Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 51 (2011) 223–246.
37. “Adventures in the land of gold: Tales of precious lands in the ancient Greek and Near-Eastern traditions”, in Proceedings of the 15th conference of the International Society for Folk Narrative Research, Academy of Athens, Centre for Research in Hellenic Folklore, forthcoming (15 typewritten pp.).
38. Βιβλιοκριτικό άρθρο για το βιβλίο του Μ. Παπαθωμόπουλου, Βίβλος Ξάνθου φιλοσόφου και Αισώπου δούλου αυτού περί της αναστροφής Αισώπου. Κριτική έκδοση με εισαγωγή και μετάφραση (Αθήνα 2010) [Review article of M. Papathomopoulos, Book of the philosopher Xanthos and of his slave Aesop, concerning Aesop’s career. Critical edition with introduction and translation (Athens 2010)], Hellenika 61 (2011), forthcoming (14 typewritten pp.).
39. “Comedy in the fourth century I: Mythological burlesques”, in A. Scafuro & M. Fontaine (ed.), The Oxford handbook of ancient comedy, Oxford-New York, forthcoming (32 typewritten pp.).
40. “Zeus”, in R. W. Brednich et al. (ed.), Enzyklopädie des Märchens, vol. 15, forthcoming (4 columns).
41. “Από τον μύθο στο γέλιο: Θαυμαστά μοτίβα και κωμικές στρατηγικές στη μυθολογική κωμωδία” [“Vom Mythos zum Gelos: Wondrous motifs and comic strategies in mythological burlesque”], in M. Tamiolaki (ed.), Νέες τάσεις στην έρευνα της αρχαίας ελληνικής κωμωδίας [New research trends in ancient Greek comedy], Herakleion, forthcoming (32 typewritten pp.).
42. “Divine Comedy: Demodocus’ song of Ares and Aphrodite and the mythicization of an adultery tale”, Maia 64 (2012), forthcoming (29 typewritten pp.).

III. Shorter reviews:

43. “Στις απαρχές της ευρωπαϊκής λογοτεχνικής θεωρίας: Δ. Ι. Ιακώβ, Ζητήματα λογοτεχνικής θεωρίας στην Ποιητική του Αριστοτέλη (Αθήνα 2004)” [“At the origins of European literary theory: D. I. Iakov, Questions of literary theory in Aristotle’s Poetics (Athens 2004)”], Nea Hestia 158 (2005) 148–151.
44. “Η γέννηση της ιστορίας στην αρχαία Ελλάδα: Α. Β. Ρεγκάκος, Επινοώντας το παρελθόν. Γέννηση και ακμή της ιστοριογραφικής αφήγησης στην κλασική αρχαιότητα (Αθήνα 2009)” [“The birth of history in ancient Greece: A. B. Rengakos, Inventing the past. Origins and acme of historiographical narrative in classical antiquity (Athens 2009)”], Kathimerini, 2/2/2010.
45. “Αρχαίες τραγωδίες, σύγχρονες σκέψεις: J. Gregory (εκδ.), Όψεις και θέματα της αρχαίας ελληνικής τραγωδίας. 31 εισαγωγικά δοκίμια, μτφ. Μ. Καίσαρ, Ό. Μπεζαντάκου, Γ. Φιλίππου, επιμ. Δ. Ι. Ιακώβ (Αθήνα 2010)” [“Ancient tragedies, modern thoughts: J. Gregory (ed.), A companion to Greek tragedy, transl. by M. Kaisar, O. Bezantakou, G. Philippou, ed. by D. I. Iakov (Athens 2010)”], Kathimerini, 13/7/2010.