William Sterling

Introducing

Achilles killing Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons by Exekias of Athens c. 560 BC. This type of pot is called Black Figure ware as the figures were filled in using the liquid or slip clay which miraculously turned black during the firing process. One of the incidents during the Trojan War not recorded by Homer was the fight between Achilles, hero of the Greeks, and Penthesilea, queen of the tribe of warrior women called the Amazons. Achilles won but at the moment he drove his spear into her neck their eyes met for the first time and they fell in love with each other. Exekias shows this ultimate Greek Tragedy by suggesting Achilles is trying to pull the spear out rather than thrust it home but all too late. Image © Trustees of the British Museum
My name is Dr William Sterling ~ welcome to my website. I have degrees in History and Geography with additional qualifications in Music and Education. I taught full-time at an Independent School in Kent for four years before joining the Civil Service. I worked for 16 years in the Department of Transport… Read more »

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Featured articles

Myth and Fact in Ancient Greece

This course took place at the City Lit and the British Museum on Tuesday 21st July 2015. We examined the myths and history of Ancient Greece in the morning and had a 2 hour guided tour of the museum in the afternoon.  Handouts included Greek Games Glossary Plays on the Heroes gods WOMEN IN GREEK… Read more »

Carl Nielsen

Nielsen and Sibelius This course involved comparing and contrasting the careers and music of two great Scandinavian contemporaries. Both were born in 1865, Sibelius gave up composing in 1931, the year of Nielsen’s death. The course was based round their magnificent symphonies but explored their whole contribution to C20th music. I ran this course at Crayford… Read more »

Baltic Cruise Lecture 1

Lectures for Baltic and St Petersburg Cruise on the Ocean Countess July 2011 ANGLO-SAXONS AND VIKINGS – THE MAKING OF ENGLAND Lecture 1 The Germans are Coming Outline of Lecture Series The first five lectures cover the period of the history of England from the C5th to the C11th, some 600 years from the departure… Read more »

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