On October 5, Hérica Valladares gave a lecture in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Titled “Women Writers from Pompeii: Epistolary Fictions in Roman Wall Painting,” her paper explored well-known first-century frescoes and interrogated the traditional assumption that images of women writers from Campania belong solely to the realm of fantasy. By situating the so-called “Sappho” and “The Baker and his Wife” in their original contexts, Prof. Valladares drew a closer connection between these works of art and the everyday experiences of Roman viewers. To see a more detailed summary, visit the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Classical Studies site.