GW Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations

07/23/2026

Have you seen The Odyssey yet? Watch out for a familiar name in the reviews: Professor Eric H. Cline’s book, 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, is helping provide historical context for the world behind the film! Read the articles here:

https://time.com/article/2026/07/16/the-odyssey-ending-zeus-law-xenia/

https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/christopher-nolan-odyssey-fall-of-troy-is-a-warning-1235594686/

Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' sends a message about the costs of war in its depiction of the fall of Troy and its aftermath.

07/21/2026

Read The GW Hatchet’s moving tribute to our dear colleague and friend, Elizabeth Fisher, Professor Emerita of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, who passed away in June:

Elizabeth Fisher, a Classical studies and ancient languages professor, remembered as a caring educator with a passion for learning and teaching by her friends, family and colleagues, died on June 11.

07/13/2026

CANES major Hannah Faberman ’26 is featured in the new summer issue of GW Magazine! What began as a semester-long Directed Study with Prof. Elise Friedland became a two-year project, reuniting a Cotsen textile fragment with a Roman Egyptian burial shroud at the Brooklyn Museum.

Read more about their incredible work here:

06/30/2026

We continue to deeply mourn the loss of our dear colleague and friend, and distinguished Classics scholar, Elizabeth Fisher, Professor Emerita of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies. Elizabeth’s passing is a great loss for her family, her partner Denis Sullivan, our department, George Washington University, and the fields of Classical and Byzantine Studies. Read more about Elizabeth’s life and profound impact on those who knew her at this link, and on CNELC’s forthcoming In Memoriam web tribute to Elizabeth:

View Dr. Elizabeth Ann Fisher's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

05/07/2026

CNELC faculty are making headlines! Professor Christopher Rollston was quoted in Christianity Today in the article "New Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit is the Real Deal: The Museum of the Bible Presents an Authentic Documents Display;" and by Daily Mail in the article “Earliest 'Jesus is God' inscription found in Israel reveals secrets reshaping biblical history.”

05/05/2026

“Spring” into the end of the year with CNELC Department! Arabic Program students enjoyed the first of many end-of-year events!

04/30/2026

Congratulations to CANES senior Ryan Gilhuly, whose senior thesis brought Aristophanes’ The Frogs to life as an open-air performance in G Street Park.

Read more about Ryan's project in the GW Hatchet: https://gwhatchet.com/2026/04/20/a-senior-thesis-turns-g-street-park-into-open-air-greek-theater/

Photo Credit: Adnan Masri

Ryan Gilhuly did not want to just write his senior thesis on the transcendent comedy of ancient Greek theater. He wanted to show it on the stage.