Stephen Bay

Research Interests

I do research on Greek, Roman, and Early Christian prose fiction and in papyrology. When we think of ancient literature, we generally think of the great epics, the solemn tragedies, and the philosophical treatises. But people in antiquity also enjoyed escape literature. The texts are enthralling in their own right and they also provide fascinating insight into the culture of the authors and into their relationship to earlier (and greater) literature. I also work in the field of papyrology, where I edit, translate, and provide commentary on a wide variety of documents and literary texts that were written down on papyrus in Egypt.

Teaching Interests

I love reading and discussing great literature with students. It is even better when we can read works by ancient authors together in the original language. The more I read, study, and discuss these texts, the better they become.

While being a good colleague is important in all levels of academia, I find that the most important service I render is in making my office and my classroom safe spaces for everyone—especially those who might feel unsafe or marginalized elsewhere.

Current member of the executive committee of BYU’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Current member of the Managing Committee of the American School for Classical Studies at Athens.

Courses Taught

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