Ms Paula Gaither

Profile

Paula Gaither is PhD candidate in the Classics specializing in Roman archaeology and a PhD minor in the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. Her dissertation What does an Aethiopian look like? an Investigation into the creation, display, and function of the Aethiopian-type in ancient Roman art examines representations of Aethiopians in ancient Roman art collections in museums. This project presents a diachronic and transimperial analysis of racialization in Roman art and archaeology. It provides new interpretations of these artifacts in their ancient Roman contexts and pathways for curators and cultural workers who want to engage with concepts of diversity in the ancient Roman Mediterranean. Paula received her BA in Classics from Columbia University and her MPhil in Classical Archaeology from the University of Oxford as a Euretta J. Kellett Fellow. Before beginning her PhD, she worked as the Graduate Intern in the Antiquities department at the Getty Villa in Los Angeles. In her free time, Paula likes to spend time in nature and study the stars.