Newcastle University

Introduction

Jakob Wisse received his doctorate in Classics in 1994 at the University of Amsterdam; he also holds the equivalent of a Research Master's in Mathematics from the same University. He has worked at Newcastle University from 1999.

His book publications centre on ancient rhetoric, in particular Cicero and his "magnum opus", De oratore. Further research interests include intellectual life (esp. in the Roman republican period); Greek and Roman historiography; literary theory; and Greek and Latin language.
A future research project will build on the advances in rhetorical scholarship to investigate the relationship between rhetoric and literature in antiquity.

Research

My current research focusses on two areas:

• Ciceronian, and more generally, Roman republican rhetoric. My latest piece, to be published in 2013, is an article about “the bad orator”; it is an examination of the way that criticisms of oratorical performance functioned in Roman politics and culture.
• Ancient, and esp. Roman, historiography. I am currently working on Tacitus’ account of the trial of the historian Cremutius Cordus under Tiberius (Annals 4.34-35).

Research plans include further work in these two areas. A future project will build on the advances in rhetorical scholarship to investigate the relationship between rhetoric and literature in antiquity.

Postgraduate Supervision

In any area of his research or teaching expertise.

Undergraduate Teaching

My teaching interests include Latin poetry, Greek tragedy and Latin & Greek language from beginners' level onwards; and of course also topics covered in my research, in particular ancient rhetoric (esp. Cicero) and Greek and Roman historiography. 

Teaching in 2012/2013

First Semester:

• CLA1001: Beginners' Latin in Action part 1 (with Fiona Noble) 
• CLA1011 Intermediate Latin Language and Literature 1
• CAC2001 Researching the Classics (Dissertation training)
• CAC2050/3050: History, Literature and Truth: the case of the ancient historians 

 Second semester:

• CLA1002 Beginners’ Latin in Action part 2 (with Fiona Noble)
• CAC2001 Researching the Classics (Dissertation training)
• Dissertation (CAC3099): module leader and supervisor

• Wisse J. History and Memory: Tacitus on the Death of Cremutius Cordus. 2013. In Preparation.
• Wisse J. A Popular Consul’s Claptrap and the Sequence of Tenses: The text and rhetorical significance of Cicero, De lege agraria 2.7. Mnemosyne 2013. In Press.
• Wisse J. The bad orator: between clumsy delivery and political danger. In: Steel, C., van der Blom, H, ed. Community and Communication: Oratory and Politics in Republican Rome. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013, pp.163-194.
• Wisse J, Winterbottom M, Fantham E. M. Tullius Cicero, De oratore libri III: A Commentary on Book III, 96-230. Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, 2008.
• Wisse J. The riddle of the Pro Milone: the rhetoric of rational argument. In: Powell, J, ed. Logos: Rational Argument in Classical Rhetoric. London: University of London Institute of Classical Studies, 2007, pp.35-68.
• Wisse J. De Oratore: Rhetoric, Philosophy, and the Making of the Ideal Orator. In: May, J.M, ed. Brill's companion to Cicero: Oratory and Rhetoric. Leiden: Brill, 2002, pp.375-400.
• Wisse J. The Intellectual Background of Cicero's Rhetorical Works. In: May, J.M, ed. Brill's companion to Cicero: Oratory and Rhetoric. Leiden: Brill, 2002, pp.331-374.
• Wisse J. Atticists, Academics and Epicureans. Response to Robert Gaines. In: Auvray-Assayas, C; Delattre, D, ed. Cicéron et Philodème: La polémique en philosophie. Paris: Éditions Rue d'Ulm, 2001, pp.273-282.
• Wisse J. De oratore uit de mottenballen: De ideale redenaar tussen retorica en filosofie. Lampas 2001, 34(2001), 286-299.
• May JM, Wisse J. Cicero on the ideal orator. New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.
• Jakob Wisse. ‘De echte namen voor de dingen. Sallustius’ Catilina-beeld als literatuur’. Lampas 1999, 32, 149-161.
• Jakob Wisse. ‘“Niet in die verzonnen ideaalstaat van Plato”: moraal en rhetorica bij Cicero’. Lampas 1998, 31, 242-255.
• Jakob Wisse. ‘The Presence of Zeno. The Date of Philodemus’ On Rhetoric and the Use of the “Citative” and “Reproducing” Present in Latin and Greek’. In: R. Risselada, J.R. de Jong, A.M. Bolkestein, ed. On Latin. Linguistic and Literary Studies in Honour of Harm Pinkster. Amsterdam: Gieben, 1996, pp.173-202.
• Anton D. Leeman, Harm Pinkster, Jakob Wisse. M.T. Cicero. De oratore libri III, 4. Band: Buch II,291-367; Buch III,1-95. Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, 1996.
• Jakob Wisse. ‘Greeks, Romans, and the Rise of Atticism’. In: J.G.J. Abbenes, S.R. Slings, I. Sluiter, ed. Greek Literary Theory after Aristotle: A Collection of Papers in Honour of D. M. Schenkeveld. Amsterdam: VU University Press, 1995, pp.65-82.
• Wisse J. Reply to Professor Vickers. Mnemosyne 1994, 47, 526-528.
• Jakob Wisse. ‘Affektenlehre: Antike’. In: Gert Ueding, ed. Historisches Wörterbuch der Rhetorik. Tübingen: Niemeyer, 1992, pp.218-224.
• Jaap Wisse. ‘Per aspera ad fontes. De lachspiegel van de wetenschap, intertekstualiteit en andere losse notities bij een oud probleem’. In: G. Bakkum, C. Kroon, R. Risselada, ed. Pentecostalia. Bundel ter gelegenheid van de vijftigste verjaardag van Harm Pinkster. Amsterdam, 1992, pp.93-104.
• R.F. Regtuit, J. Wisse. Edition of Oxyrhynchus papyrus 3853. In: The Oxyrhynchus Papyri. London: British Academy/Egypt Exploration Society, 1989, pp.102-104.
• Jakob Wisse. Ethos and Pathos from Aristotle to Cicero. Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1989.
• Jakob Wisse. ‘Ethos en Pathos bij Aristoteles en Cicero’. In: F.H. van Eemeren, R. Grootendorst, ed. Taalbeheersing in Ontwikkeling. Dordrecht: Foris Publications, 1988, pp.22-29.
• Wisse J, Leeman AD. Rhetoric, Truth and History. A Re-examination of Cicero's Remarks on Historiography (De oratore 2.51-64). 2013. In Preparation.