"Antigone" in the Dramatic Theatre of Stara Zagora

On 25.11.2011 in Stara Zagora the actors of the Dramatic Theatre presented “Antigone” by Sophocles (screenplay adapted by Maria Doneva, producer Ivelin Keranov). The play was on stage specially for the trip of students and lecturers from the Department of Classis in Sophia University “St. Clement of Ochrid” in connection with their project “Arion” on the ancient drama and its reception in Bulgaria. After the performance a discussion followed on “Antigone” and the ancient theatre between the actors, the producers and the spectators. Students from the National Gymnasium of Ancient Languages and Cultures – Sofia took part in the discussion – the performance was included in the program of their expedition “Augusta Traiana 2011”.

Earlier the same day the classicists visited the remains of the ancient city of Augusta Traiana and the new Regional Historical Museum. On 26.11. Assist.Prof. Dorothea Tabakova and Dimitar Dragnev and Polina Yordanova, students, were interviewed in radio station  “Stara Zagora” on the aim of their trip to Stara Zagora.



90 years Classics in Sophia University

The department of Classics in Sophia University invites everyone, interested in Latin, Greek, the Ancient history, literature, philosophy, archaeology and Antiquity at all, to its 90th anniversary. The celebration will begin on Friday, the 02. of December at 10:30 AM in the Hall 1 of the University main building. Here the programme of the event:

THE PROGRAMME OF THE JUBILEE ROUND TABLE

10:30-12:30 Opening and welcoming speeches

Speech of Prof. Vassilka Tapkova-Zaimova

Speech of Assoc.Prof. Anna Nikolova

14:00-16:00

Yoana Sirakova - Presentation on the site and the projects of the department

Mirena Slavova – The linguistic research in the Classics department

Nikolai Gochev – The histories of the Greek literature in Bulgaria (1892-1992)

Nikolai Sharankov – The epigraphic studies – a world-acknowledged contribution of the Classics in Bulgaria

Nevena Panova – The ancient philosophy as a part of the studies of the classicists

16-16:30 Coffee break

16:30 – 18:00

Violeta Gerdzhikova – “The development of the classical philology” by Prof. Dimitar Dechev (the development in our country and worldwide)

Maria Kostova – Prof. Ruska Gandeva as teacher and researcher

Dorothea Tabakova – Prof. Alexander Nichev and the metrical translation

Elia Marinova – Assoc.Prof. Todor Saraphov and the textcritical edition of  “Liber de Caesaribus” by Sextus Aurelius Victor

Dimitar Iliev – Garlic, savory and translation

18:30 Cocktail in “Yaitseto” restaurant

                                                      02. December 2011

Hall 1, Sofia University main building

More about the anniversary you could find on the site of the department - http://kkf.proclassics.org

Phrontisterium Classicum - 14.11.2011

The first session of the interdisciplinary seminar "Phrontisterium Classicum", organised by the Department of Classics of Sofia University, will take place on 14th November at 5PM in auditorium 176 of the main building of Alma Mater. Assoc. Prof. Anelia Bozhkova, PhD, will make a presentation on Messambria Pontica and its necropolis as well as the recent finds in this colony of Megara situated on the Bulgarian seaside.

The current name of the city is Nessebar. For more information you could visit the site of the History museum of the city http://www.ancient-nessebar.com/html/main_en.php?menu=his .

The new issue of "Literaturen vestnik"

The main theme in the issue of the "Literaturen vestnik" newspaper (Bulgarian "Литературен вестник", i.e. "A litterary newspaper") from 14th of October is the ancient comedy. Articles and translations of Nevena Panova and Vyara Kalfina from the Department of Classics in Sofia University are included. A copy could be seen here:  http://www.bsph.org/members/files/pub_pdf_1235.pdf .

The Festival of the Classical Antiquity in Sofia

On 15th of October in the yard of the National Gymnasium of Ancient Languages and Cultures in Sofia took place the Festival of the Classical Antiquity. Participants were the students of the Gymnasium (authors, organisers and creators of everything), teachers, alumni as well as guests from other schools, with the special participation of the famous Bulgarian basketball coach Titi Papazov playing the role of a Roman emperor.

The event began with a procession - remake of the real one, which was performed every fourth year at the Panathenian festival in Ancient Athens.

After the good omen received at the sacrifice various sport games took place.

The spectators saw also theatrical performances based upon ancient texts as well as recitations of Sappho and Catullus.

The culmination was the battle of the gladiators, won by Peter Krustanov, student in the eleventh grade.

A reenactment of an Ancient Roman wedding ritual also happened.

The guests also had the opportunity to taste dishes, prepared according to ancient recipes.

Everybody took part in the dances, during which time the yard was seized with euphoria.

The Bulgarian national television included a reporting about the event in the news emissions on this day. http%3A%2F%2Fbnt.bg%2Fbg%2Fnews%2Fview%2F62145%2Fpraznik_na_ngdek&h=qAQCmyq4xAQDvaDVgbgfRXyoIUdy4UcE9wbZO_Aa-Hi710w .

Boris Siromahov, student in the eleventh grade, made a short video about the Festival:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEUB3vHKDEs .

This event occurs two years after the first one, which took place on the 9th of October 2009.

"The Apology of Socrates" in Sofia University

On October the 5th 2011 an amazing event took place at the small theatre hall of Sofia University "Saint Climent of Ochrid". "Elliniko Theatro" of New York and the actor Yannis Simonidis presented the famous "Apology of Socrates". The wonderful one-and-a-half-hour solo performance was followed by a lively discussion. The event was organised by the Culural centre of Sofia University and the Classics department of the university ( http://kkf.proclassics.org/index-eng.php) as a part of its project "Arion" on the ancient drama and its reception in Bulgaria (http://arionbg.info/?lang=en).
Here some feedback: http://www.ellinikotheatro.org/athens-news-agency/ .

Roman Saturday II - Follow up

On Saturday, 1st of October, the third consecutive part of the initiative "Roman Saturday" took place near the West gate of Ancient Serdica (nowadays Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria). Volunteers cleaned up a major part of this archeological site, which had been neglected for many years. The excavations will follow next summer. More information here:  http://www.potomtsi.com/?lang=en (the photo is taken from there).

Bulgarian - Latin dictionary

Finally there is a Bulgarian-to-Latin dictionary! It contains about 12000 words and expressions translated into Latin, including some modern words like "computer" and "bus". The author is Mr. Diyan Zhelyazkov. This is the first edition of this dictionary, which may be also revised soon , but even so, in this initial version, it's an exceptionally useful manual for everyone interested in the Latin language. The dictionary meets a longfelt want in the field of Classics in Bulgaria. For more information and orders you could visit the blog of its author: http://bulgarian-latin.blogspot.com/ .

Certamina 2011 - Arpino and Venosa

In May the Bulgarian participants in the Certamen Ciceronianum Arpinas (http://www.certamenciceronianum.it/) and the Certamen Horatianum (http://www.liceovenosa.it/certamen.html) successfully represented Bulgaria and their school - the National Gymnasium of Ancient Languages and Cultures (in Bulgarian НГДЕК www.ngdek.com). In Arpino participation took Vladisaya Vasileva and Simeon Mladenov with their teacher Kamenka Rangelova. In Venosa participants were Iveta Yancheva and Kristian Garev with their teacher Lydia Domaradzka. Here are the short presentations about their unforgetable trip to Italia: