Shelby Brown

Education Specialist

Bio

Shelby is a classical archaeologist and classicist who decided at age 11 while visiting Mayan ruins that the past was going to be her future. There's nothing more interesting than trying to see through the eyes of someone who lived thousands of years ago. (She also likes science fiction, so ditto for thousands of years in the future.)

Shelby has spent most of her career teaching about the ancient Mediterranean world, and in 2011 she joined the Getty Museum at the Getty Villa as an education specialist for academic and adult audiences. Her research interests include Latin language and poetry, gender studies, violence in the ancient world, and ancient theater.

Education, J. Paul Getty Museum Education Specialist for Academic and Adult Audiences

Stories

  1. Baking Bread the Roman Way

    Article

    A pastel fresco, with brown round loaves of bread that sit on a shelf

    Honor Ceres, the goddess of wheat, with this ancient recipe

    Sep 27, 2022

  2. Where Did Writing Come From?

    Article

    Gray cylinder with pictures of people and symbols carved into it; an image of a brown piece of clay featuring the same image etched into the clay that is featured on the cylinder

    The rise, fall, and rediscovery of cuneiform

    Apr 27, 2021

  3. The Enduring Stories of Homer’s Odyssey

    Article

    Two-headed Scylla stands to the left, as three sirens--women from the waist up, birds from the waist down--stand in the nearby surf holding musical instruments

    On the occasion of The Troubadour Theater Company’s comedic retelling of the Odyssey

    Jul 30, 2020

  4. A Non-Philosopher’s Guide to Plato

    Article

    Plato holds forth, surrounded by four male student philosophers, under the shade of trees

    An archaeologist-classicist introduces Plato’s ideas and shows how contemporary artists are exploring them today

    Jul 2, 2018

  5. The Getty Villa Guide to the Ancient Olympics

    Article

    Photograph of the images on an urn depicting a winged goddess and a man wearing laurels standing next to two nude youth.

    Learn the essentials about nudity, oil, core events, and victory in the ancient Greek Olympics—plus where to read more

    Aug 13, 2016

  6. Potions and Poisons: Classical Ancestors of the Wicked Witch, Part 2

    Article

    Image of a bronze statue depicting a woman standing over a sitting man, with a soldier looking on

    Another powerful, formidable proto-witch from ancient Greek and Roman drama: Medea

    Oct 31, 2015

  7. Potions and Poisons: Classical Ancestors of the Wicked Witch, Part 1

    Article

    The Pythia, a virgin from the local village selected in ceremonies that established her as Apollo’s choice, sits atop the sacred tripod as the Delphic oracle.

    Our idea of an old witch making evil potions can be traced back to a more benign Greek origin (later morphed by the Romans)

    Oct 19, 2015

  8. Reclining and Dining (and Drinking) in Ancient Greece

    Article

    Wine cup with painting on the inside of a reclining nude woman holding up a wine cup

    The practice of reclining to dine and drink spread throughout the Mediterranean

    Jul 16, 2012

  9. The Seven Plagues of the Ancient Roman City Dweller

    Article

    Think city living is a struggle today? The ancient Romans had it just as tough, giving their poets plenty to complain about

    Jun 13, 2012