Allie Pohler, Ph.D.

Allie Pohler is a philologist specializing in Roman drama of the republican period and in the novels of the imperial period. Her research brings together feminist epistemologies and careful philological study to explore how representations of women, enslaved people, and non-citizens challenge or reinforce dominant patriarchal ideologies concerning gender, status, and power. She is particularly interested in how violence was critiqued on the ancient stage.

Allie’s book project focuses on the displaced citizen girl in Roman comedy (especially in the works of Terence) and argues that women and enslaved characters are uniquely positioned to recognize the risks faced by citizen girls and to strategically protect them even when such actions pose a risk to their own safety. Her research demonstrates that the social issues affecting marginalized groups were a central concern even in the earliest extant Latin texts and delivers fresh insights about the function of theater as a public venue for negotiating anxieties about vulnerable members of society.

Allie is enthusiastic about introducing students from all backgrounds to Classics through her teaching and mentorship. She encourages her students to pursue creative and scholarly activities both inside and outside the classroom.