The Cornell undergraduate cohort has launched a new publication in the field of Classical Studies. Elaïnos is a student-run journal that accepts submissions from Cornell students across colleges and majors, offering a platform for original research, translation, and creative engagement with the ancient world. The journal was founded in Spring 2025 by Classics majors Kurt Kennedy ’26 (Editor-in-Chief), Eman Siddiqui ’26 (Head Editor), and Mary Ellison ’26.
Created with the thought of giving undergraduates a place to contribute to the Classics Department, Elaïnos aims to showcase the original and creative work being done by students across campus. It also seeks to offer undergraduates experience with the editorial and peer review process, as preparation for those considering graduate study in the humanities.
The first issue features a range of original essays, translations, and compositions. Topics include satirical responses to propaganda in Imperial Rome, Homer in Neo-Classical France, and the portrayal of Pompey as the last hope of the Roman Republic, among others.
The journal will publish on a biannual basis, with issues released in the Fall and Spring semesters. In keeping with the spirit of its name—Elaïnos, meaning “olive-bearing”—each volume will correspond with the planting of an olive tree in Greece through The Hellenic Initiative. Over time, the editors hope this small gesture will grow into a living grove in honor of classical study.
Read Volume 1 on elainos.classics.cornell.edu.
