Alastair Blanshard

Professor Alastair Blanshard holds the Paul Eliadis Chair of Classics and Ancient History and serves as Director of the RD Milns Antiquities Museum at The University of Queensland's School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry. His academic work bridges classical scholarship with contemporary cultural analysis through his leadership in the Discipline of Classics and Ancient History.

Blanshard's research centers on the social and cultural history of the Greco-Roman world, with particular emphasis on queer theory applications to antiquity, classical reception in film, and the politics of sexuality. His interdisciplinary approach examines how ancient Greek and Roman societies navigated gender, power structures, and identity formation, often challenging modern assumptions through historical analysis of erotic practices, legal frameworks, and cultural representations.

His extensive publication record reveals consistent engagement with classical reception studies, especially examining cinematic portrayals of antiquity from Hollywood epics to independent film. Key thematic threads include the modern reinterpretation of heroic archetypes, the evolution of classical rhetoric in contemporary discourse, and the material culture of sexuality across historical periods. This body of work demonstrates rigorous interdisciplinary methodology connecting philology, film studies, and gender theory.

As Director of the RD Milns Antiquities Museum, Blanshard oversees Australia's significant collection of Mediterranean artifacts while developing innovative public programming that connects ancient material culture with modern social discourse through exhibitions on topics ranging from classical topography to queer histories of the ancient world.