Social Media of the Ancient World

In this class, we will explore how ancient people communicated.  How important is it for humans to communicate or even gossip? Did ancient cultures have social media? If so, what did it look like? What were the messages that they communicated? When does art become social media?

Each week, we will look at different cultures, from Greece to Rome, Egypt and Europe.  We will start with a short introduction on the culture and then examine 5-7 artefacts such as tablets, wall paintings and printed materials in greater detail.  Some of the questions that we will ask will be: Who is the author or artist? What is the message and its meaning? Who is the target audience? In some cases, are there reactions to the message? 

The learners will have a chance to brainstorm, individually and as a group, on the meanings and implications of Ancient Social Media!

Week 1: Egypt, Greece, and Rome
Week 2: Europe, from prehistory to the Renaissance 
Week 3: Britain, from prehistory to the Renaissance 

All sections of this course will be taught by Josee Dimson, a professional archaeologist. 
Biography: 
Hi! My name is Josée and I am originally from Montréal, Québec, Canada. I always wanted to study archaeology and go on excavations.  I have earned a double major in Classics and Italian at Concordia University and a Masters in Classics at Queen’s University.  During that time, I worked as a student volunteer in Mytilene, Greece, on a Greek/Roman site.  My studies took me to the University of Toronto where I focused on Prehistoric Greek archaeology, and where I gained experience working at the site of Kommos in Crete as a trench supervisor, uncovering the most wonderful buildings and artifacts along with a fantastic team of experts.  After my studies, I held a position at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto, Ontario, and I also worked as an assistant to the editor of the Kommos volumes at the excavation headquarters at the University of Toronto.  Since then, I have worked as a translator for an art collection in Toronto and as an educator with Scientists in School.  I also love to travel. I am so excited to share the fun of archaeology with a group students!