Dr. Susan Downie

Biography

Susan Downie, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream in Greek Roman Studies, completed her B.A. in Classical Studies and History at the University of Waterloo before pursuing her M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Toronto. Her graduate studies included extensive work in Greek and Latin languages, complemented by art historical and archaeological training. Downie has experience excavating the Minoan harbor site of Kommos in Crete and has led study tours in Greece and Turkey, focusing on architecture, sanctuaries, and religion during the Bronze Age and late Classical periods. Her academic expertise centers on Greek history from the Late Bronze Age to the fifth century BC. Downie's doctoral thesis, completed in 2004, investigated the uses of hero cult and political propaganda in Panhellenic sanctuaries such as Delphi and Olympia. Her current research continues to focus on the interaction between politics and religion in the Archaic and Classical Greek world.

Research Interests

Courses