AbleMedia LLC

Needham, MA - October 5, 2005 – Hip-hop icons may have coined the word “bling” and MTV can “pimp your ride” but the Romans invented conspicuous consumption of fine accoutrements and flashy vehicles, according to Elizabeth Tylawsky. Tylawsky, a Latin teacher at Norwich Free Academy in Connecticut, is this week’s AbleMedia Bronze Chalice winner for her Jeeps and Hummers in Antiquity? Crossover Vehicles and Conspicuous Consumption published on the Classics Technology Center on the Web (CTCWeb, http://www.ablemedia.com/ctcweb). “Tylawsky has fun demonstrating the pretensions of Rome’s elite in this well-researched, straightforward article,” said Wendy E. Owens, CTCWeb Editor-in-Chief. “It is not often the showy side of Roman life is put on display in the classroom, despite its being immensely entertaining and easy to relate to entertainers in modern times.”

In Jeeps and Hummers in Antiquity?, Tylawsky demonstrates through the letters of the Roman statesman Cicero, the poetry of the Roman poet Horace’s, and historical facts how conspicuous consumption appeared as a public-relations tool in the 1st century CE. Tylawsky focuses her investigation on the modes and styles of transportation the rich and famous of Rome used to flaunt their affluence. Like the flamboyant Roman leader Mark Antony who displayed his wealth in the most garish ways imaginable to sway public opinion causing both Cleopatra and the Eastern Roman Empire fall in love with him. Mark Antony’s tricked out chariot trailed by lions and mime actresses would make even the hottest street car seem tedious.

Tylawsky is a welcomed addition to CTCWeb’s growing repository of resources on Classical Studies. “I am especially delighted to be published on CTCWeb because a lack of ready access to publications is a problem for all teachers and academics, not just those working in the secondary schools,” Tylawsky said. “Journals and books are expensive and major research libraries cannot always make them easily available to those working in the field. It is a very good thing to see that CTCWeb is trying to supply this need.”

Each week AbleOne’s sponsor, AbleMedia, salutes contributors for outstanding submissions to the AbleOne Consortium (http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/consortium/), the CTCWeb Showcase (http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/showcase/), and CTCWeb Netshots™ (http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/netshots.html). Each receives the Bronze Chalice award. AbleMedia awards Silver Chalices for the outstanding submissions of the month. At the end of each year, AbleMedia awards Gold Chalices for the outstanding submissions of the year.

AbleOne serves millions of educators, students, and other users in over 100 countries and the number of users is tripling annually. AbleOne’s CTCWeb is a repository of practical tools, for classicists and other educators, to enhance the use of computer technology in Classics education. At CTCWeb, students, educators and others find the free dissemination and open exchange of practical educational materials, systems, and applications by individuals and organizations involved in the Classics community. AbleMedia sponsors CTCWeb as part its AbleOne Education Network.

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