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“Usually we follow poets, but when we understand, we run with Homer.”

Apostolos Athanassakis is professor emeritus in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara, in ancient Greek epic, especially Homer and Hesiod. He served as the Argyropoulos Chair in Hellenic Studies from 2001-2011. Classical mythology and historical linguistics claimed his attention throughout his career, which included appointments and fellowships at Princeton University, University of Lund, the National University of Iceland, University of Crete, the Center for Hellenic Studies in D.C., and the University of Würzburg; in addition, he was awarded grants from the Fulbright Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, the  National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Humboldt Foundation. Athanassakis came to the United States to study at Lincoln University, the oldest degree-granting HBCU (Historically Black College and University) in the US, and later earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Among Athanassakis’ publications, his translations of Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns and the Orphic Hymns stand out. For him, these texts contained the allure of the first images and the journey of the human soul since its earliest appearance in Homer. A poet himself, Athanassakis has also published multiple collections of his own writing, including, most recently, When They Have Burned Down Your House. His  research frequently explores cross-cultural phenomena and his love of music is reflected in his writings on manifestations of ancient ritual practices in traditional Greek folk song. He has written on rare songs from the oral tradition of the mountains of his native Epirus, as well as on the hymns of the city of Yannina’s Jewish community. 

Athanassakis’ passion has always been teaching and inspiring his students. In his 44  years at UCSB, he taught courses ranging from seminars on Homer, Hesiod, and Greek mythology, to ones on ancient Greek, Latin, and Women in Ancient Greece. In one of his most beloved lectures, UCSB’s undergraduate course on Greek mythology (Classics 40), he regularly lectured to a class of 250-800 students.

Retired from UCSB since 2012, Athanassakis presently lives in Athens and spends his time lecturing, writing, and continuing his explorations of Hellenic culture.