Lucy Sheldon ’27
Staff Writer
On Thursday, Nov. 1, students and faculty from the Classics Department convened in the Joslin Family 1823 Room to hear Professor John Higgins’ lecture on an ancient inscription written in Greek created by Roman soldiers from the third century B.C. Professor Higgins, Thursday’s visiting guest speaker, is contracted to teach a class at Trinity College next year on third-year Latin. He earned his B.A. at Fordham University, Masters at Trinity College Dublin and Ph.D. at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Over the course of his career, he has researched and published articles in fields like Latin Antiquity, Medieval History, Hiberno-Latin Literature and Latin and Greek Pedagogy. In addition, Higgins published a book entitled, “Hiberno-Latin Saints’ ‘Lives’ in the Seventh Century.”
Higgins’ remarks were structured in three parts, divided by characters involved in creating, procuring and exhibiting this Greek inscription. He began his lecture by describing the background of the Berkshire Museum, founded by Zenas Crane, where this Greek inscription was on display. He then focused on the inscription itself, situating it in its historical context during the reign of Gordianus III. Finally, his presentation concluded by drawing attention to how this Greek inscription came to Pittsfield and the dealer who facilitated that exchange. From one small artifact, Higgins was able to extract a great deal of information on several epochs of history.
Professor Higgins ultimately decided to hone in his research on this artifact after visiting the Berkshire museum. He recounted that when he originally saw this inscription he didn’t pay much mind to it. However, a few years later during a conversation with a colleague he realized this inscription — that he never forgot about — did not have as much scholarly work or research published on it as he prematurely assumed.
After deciding to investigate this artifact, he began by perusing the history room at the Berkshire Athenaeum and the archives at the Berkshire Museum. While helpful to an extent, neither facility had an expert on Greek inscriptions on staff, so he continued his research at the Crane Museum of Papermaking in Massachusetts. He walked away from these collections with a very limited understanding of the historical significance of this inscription, although Higgins did deduce why this inscription was in Pittsfield, MA.
The Berkshire Museum was established by the philanthropist Zenas Crane in 1903. With the aim of “providing a window on the world,” Crane compiled a series of classical materials, archives, art and artifacts among other things to bring culture to the Berkshire hills. Higgins surmised that Crane likely did not know how to read the inscription or its historical relevance. However, Crane’s acquisition of the artifact was not centered around the subject of this inscription, but rather a means of linking the people of Pittsfield to the immense prestige of the Classical past.
Higgins’ goal, though, was to unearth the meaning and substance behind the Greek inscription. Continuing on his inquisition, he discovered this antiquity was a dedication to the emperor Godianus III, crafted in 239-40 C.D., commemorating the completion of a public works project located near the city of Irbid in Jordan. The inscription offers gratitude for the construction or repair of a structure to local officials, the emperor and the governor of the province of Arabia. Higgins concluded that the public works project that was being celebrated was likely a wall of some sort. Gordianus III reigned over Ancient Rome from 238-244, succeeding his uncle and grandfather at age 12. Higgins argues this inscription must be examined in the larger context of the conflict waging on between the Persians and the Romans that developed throughout the third century. While this inscription can present as purely of local significance to place of origin, Higgins suggests it is possible to engage with it on a larger scale.
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