Dr. Susan Downie

Biography

Susan Downie is an Instructor III cross-appointed in the Humanities at Carleton University. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies and History at the University of Waterloo, followed by her Master’s and PhD studies at the University of Toronto. Her graduate work involved extensive research in Greek and Latin languages as well as training in art historical archaeology, including excavations at the Minoan harbour site of Kommos in Crete. Additionally, she has led study tours in Greece, focusing on architecture and the religious practices of the Bronze Age through the late Classical periods. Professor Downie's area of academic expertise encompasses Greek history, specifically concerning political and social dynamics from the Late Bronze Age to the fifth century BC. Her doctoral thesis, completed in 2004, explored the intersection of hero cults and political propaganda at Panhellenic sanctuaries such as Delphi and Olympia. Her ongoing research continues to investigate the interactions between politics and religion in the Archaic and Classical Greek world.

Research Interests