“Drink and make a happy day!” (New Kingdom Theben tomb)
“Wine gladdens the heart of man…” (Psalm 104:15)

At this ‘symposium’ event, three UCSC professors in Classical, Biblical, and Egyptian antiquity will tell stories about how various ancient cultures drank wine to commune with their gods, suspend the normal social rules, and prepare for the end of days.

The Stockwell Cellars tasting room bar will be open for attendees to purchase individual wines-by-the-glass during the event. Come enjoy tasting local Santa Cruz wines while learning about the long history of drinking as a ritual event in the ancient Mediterranean world. A Q&A will follow the short presentations.

Registration required!

Martin Devecka, Associate Professor, Ancient Studies & Literature, “Wine before Liquor”

As a cultural historian, Devecka writes on topics in ancient literature and society that range from robots to ruins. He is currently finishing a book manuscript on animal citizenship in the Roman Empire.

Anne Kreps, Associate Professor, Ancient Studies & History, “Drinking like the World is Going to End”

As a historian of the ancient Near East, Kreps studies heresies, Gnosticism, and the politics of sacred texts. Her current work examines the Dead Sea Scrolls within New Religious Movements in the United States.

Elaine Sullivan, Associate Professor, Ancient Studies & History, “How to Get Drunk with a Goddess”

An Egyptogist, Sullivan’s field research has included excavation and survey at Karnak’s Mut Temple, the cemetery of Saqqara, and the Greco-Roman city of Karanis, all in Egypt. She is currently authoring a book on the sales of antiquities out of Egypt in the late 19th and early 20th century.