Thomas J. Sienkewicz | |
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 Sienkewicz in 2025 | |
| Born | April 29, 1950 Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | College of the Holy Cross (BA) Johns Hopkins University (MA, PhD) |
| Occupations |
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| Website | tomsienkewicz |
Thomas J. Sienkewicz is an American classicist, academic, and author. He is the Minnie Billings Capron Professor Emeritus of Classics at Monmouth College. He has also worked as secretary-treasurer of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS).
Sienkewicz earned his B.A., summa cum laude , in classics from the College of the Holy Cross in 1971. [1] He then obtained an M.A. in classics in 1973 and his Ph.D. in classics in 1975 from Johns Hopkins University. His dissertation was titled, "Euripides' Trojan Women: An Interpretative Study based upon the Role of the Chorus and Ironic Development". [2]
Sienkewicz worked as a graduate instructor at Johns Hopkins University for a year, between 1974 and 1975. For the next ten years, he was employed at Howard University. In 1984, he joined Monmouth College, where he was designated as a visiting associate professor until 1985 and chair of the Classics Department until 2016. He also held the appointment of the Minnie Billings Capron Professor of Classics from 1985 to 2017. Upon his retirement in 2017, he was named the Minnie Billings Capron Professor Emeritus of Classics. He has held appointments as the secretary-treasurer of CAMWS [3] and the business manager of The Classical Journal . [4]
Sienkewicz is a president of the Illinois Classical Conference, [5] executive secretary of Eta Sigma Phi, [6] and works on the board of directors for the Warren County History Museum. [7] His department at Monmouth College, along with the Western Illinois Society of the Archaeological Institute of America, established the Thomas and Anne Sienkewicz Lecture on Roman Archaeology in 2017 to honor his and his wife's contributions to the field. [8] [9]
In 1991, Sienkewicz co-authored, with Viv Edwards, a book titled Oral Cultures Past and Present: Rappin' and Homer. This work examined oral traditions across six continents and 3,000 years. [10] J.T. Hooker, in his review of the book, found the material "enlightening"; however, he also critiqued the author's attempt to tie Homer closely to modern oral forms like rap, and further suggested that similarities were "incidental," not structural. [11] Additionally, Ruth Finnegan's review of the book framed it as "lively", "sensible" and "informative", however, also somewhat "naive in places", precisely due to lesser engagement with recent literary and anthropological theory. [12] In the same year, he also published, The Classical Epic: An Annotated Bibliography. This work was an annotated guidance on Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and Vergil's Aeneid. [13]
Sienkewicz’s 1996 publication, World Mythology: An Annotated Guide to Collections and Anthologies, was focused on global myths. It featured annotated entries, indexes, and a focus on cultural traditions. [14] Paolo Villani appreciated Sienkewicz's efforts in "summarizing a single volume the broad range of myth-related materials from all over the world", however, he also highlighted "gaps in the bibliographical entries" in some research areas. [15] Marianne Cawley also reviewed the book and commended Sienkewicz's efforts in coming up with a "clear, concise, and to the point" write-up. [16] His book Theories of Myth: An Annotated Bibliography presented English-language studies of myth theory, highlighting myth's function and interpretation across cultures. [17]
Sienkewicz edited the Encyclopedia of the Ancient World, which explored global cultures from prehistory to 700 CE. [18] Clay Williams remarked it as a useful resource for "high school students and first- or second-year college students". However, he also noted the "lack of depth" in many articles. [19] The book was also reviewed by Abigail F. Ellsworth, who described the content of the book as "timely and well-written" and a "must-have for libraries of every sort" due to its finding aids. [20] In collaboration with LeaAnn Osburn, he authored Vergil: A Legamus Transitional Reader, which underscored the structured readings, resources, and centered on authentic Vergilian texts. [21] In her review of the book, Edith Foster praised the authors for their thoughtful organization of pedagogical components. [22] He also co-authored the book Disce! – An Introductory Latin Course with Kenneth Kitchell. [23] Along with Jinyu Liu, he edited and contributed to Ovid in China: Reception, Translation, and Comparison, exploring Ovid's influence in China through historical, literary, and cultural lenses with a focus on translation and thematic comparisons. [24]
Sienkewicz has received awards including Lifetime Achievement Award from Eta Sigma Phi, and an ovatio and Special Service Award from the Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS). Monmouth College and the Western Illinois Society of the Archaeological Institute of America established the Thomas and Anne Sienkewicz Lecture on Roman Archaeology in 2017 to honor his and his wife's contributions to the field.