Christopher M. Chinn

Professor of Classics; Chair of Classics
  • Expertise

    Expertise

    Christopher Chinn is a scholar of Ancient Greek and Roman literature, focusing primarily on Roman poetry of the first century CE. His published work examines the relationship between visual art and text in the works of Statius, Pliny and others. His scholarly interests also include ecocriticism and the ecology of the ancient Mediterranean. He teaches courses in both Greek and Latin, as well as courses in translation such as Ancient Epic and Introduction to the Greeks and Romans.

    Research Interests

    • Augustan and Imperial Roman Poetry
    • Greek and Roman Epic Poetry
    • Ancient and Modern Literary Criticism
    • Ecocriticism

    Areas of Expertise

    CLASSICS

    • Augustan and Imperial Roman Poetry
    • Greek and Roman Epic Poetry
    • Ancient and Modern Literary Criticism
    • Art and Text in the Ancient World
  • Work

    Work

    Visualizing the Poetry of Statius: An Intertextual Approach. Forthcoming (Brill 2021)

    “The Ecological Highway: Environmental Ekphrasis in Statius, Silvae 4.3.” In Christopher Schliephake (ed.) Ecocriticism, Ecology and the Ancient World (Lexington 2017).

    “Intertext, Metapoetry and Visuality in the Achilleid.” Forthcoming in Brill's Companion to Statius, edited by Carole Newlands and William Dominik, Leiden (2014).

    “Orphic ritual and myth in the Thebaid." In Ritual and religion in Flavian epic, edited by Antony Augoustakis, Oxford (2013).

    "Statius, Orpheus, and Callimachus." Helios 38 (2011): 79-101.

    Nec discolor amnis: intertext and aesthetics in Statius’ shield of Crenaeus (Theb. 9.332-338),” Phoenix 64 (2011): 148-169.

    Libertas reuerentiam remisit: politics and metaphor in Statius Silv. 1.6.” American Journal of Philology 129.1 (2008): 101-124.

    “Before your very eyes: Pliny Epist. 5.6 and the ancient theory of ekphrasis.” Classical Philology 102.3 (2007): 265-280.

    “Statius Silv. 4.6 and the epigrammatic origins of ekphrasis.” Classical Journal 100.3 (2005): 247-263.

  • Education

    Education

    2002, Ph.D. Classics and Critical Theory
    University of Washington

    1996, Master of Arts, Classics
    University of Washington

    1994, Bachelor of Arts, Classics
    Reed College

    Recent Courses Taught

    • Accelerated Introductory Latin
    • Advanced Greek Readings
    • Advanced Latin Readings
    • Introduction to the Greeks and Romans
    • Introductory Latin
    • Senior Seminar in Classical Studies
    • The Epic Tradition
  • Awards & Honors

    Awards & Honors

    Jim Greenfield Dissertation Fellowship, University of Washington 2001-2002

    Downing-Pomona Exchange Fellow, 2009

    Pomona College Summer Research, 2011