Book and Tour with Dr. Erin Peters
August 9, 2018, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
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At the next Book and Tour, discuss the historical novel Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar with Carnegie Museum of Natural History Assistant Curator Dr. Erin Peters. Yourcenar’s book reimagines the life of the Emperor Hadrian from his childhood through his time as emperor. It is written from the perspective of Hadrian as if he were writing to Marcus Aurelius, a tactic which Yourcenar used successfully to bring Hadrian’s world to life.
Dr. Peters offers perspective on this book from her research at Antinoupolis, a city named for Hadrian’s companion–the Greek youth, Antinous. Supposedly, on a trip down the Nile with Hadrian in 130 CE, Antinous fell from the boat and drowned. Because of Egyptian beliefs, Antinous was deified after death, and Hadrian founded the city for the cult of the new god.
Dr. Peters will take you on a tour that focuses on objects in the Walton Hall that date to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods to give a sense of the ancient Mediterranean leading up to and during Hadrian’s time.
This is a free event, but those wishing to attend must sign up. To sign up, please join our Meetup group and RSVP.
