The Iliad and The Odyssey: A Cultural Memory of Enslavement
Date
3-6-2026
Faculty Mentor
Lindsay Holman, History and Foreign Language
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Submission Type
Conference Proceeding
Location
3:15-3:25pm | Merrill Hall
Description
The purpose of this paper is to argue that The Iliad and The Odyssey function as cultural memories of enslavement in the ancient Mediterranean, as well as preserving social realities of slavery from the Bronze Age despite the limited material evidence following the Collapse. Drawing on theories of cultural memory, this analyzation treats Homer’s epics not only as literary texts, but as catalysts through which knowledge about war, labor, and social hierarchy was transmitted across generations through oral tradition.
This paper uses close readings of Robert Fagles’ translations to examine three central aspects of enslavement such as; how enslaved people were acquired, how they were treated and described, and what forms of labor they performed. In The Iliad, the capture of women such as Briseis and Chryseis reveals the normalization of enslavement as a byproduct of warfare, with women explicitly framed as “prizes” and commodities. The Odyssey, in contrast, offers a more domestic portrayal of slavery through figures such as Eumaeus and Eurycleia, highlighting loyalty, household jobs, and the possibility of benevolent treatment under certain masters. Using Orlando Patterson’s concept of “social death,” this paper demonstrates how enslaved women remain fully alienated from honor and moral recognition. When read alongside archaeological evidence such as Linear B tablets and material culture, these Homeric epics emerge as powerful cultural memories that preserve both the routines and the violence of ancient enslavement.
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The original presentation of the paper The Iliad and The Odyssey: A Cultural Memory of Enslavement was given at the Student Research Symposium on 6 March; this video is from the Student Research Symposium Awards Ceremony held 16 March 2026 at Merrill Hall Auditorium.
This paper won Best in Discipline (Undergraduate) for Arts and Humanities for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences
Keywords
student research, history
Rights
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Disciplines
Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity | Classical Literature and Philology
Recommended Citation
Randall, Alexius, "The Iliad and The Odyssey: A Cultural Memory of Enslavement" (2026). JSU Student Symposium 2026. 7.
https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/ce_jsustudentsymp_2026/7