Dr Paul Martin
BA (Hons), MPhil, PhD
Expertise
I am a specialist on humour both in the ancient world and beyond. I work on humour as a social and political phenomenon, combining theoretical approaches from fields such as literary theory and cognitive sciences.
Current positions
Contact
Press and media
Many of our academics speak to the media as experts in their field of research. If you are a journalist, please contact the University’s Media and PR Team:
Research interests
My research focuses on humour in Greek literature and culture. In particular, I am currently working on a book on Greek conceptions of parody, which is based on my PhD thesis submitted in 2017 at the University of Exeter. I am also writing a commentary on fragments of Greek New Comedy, which is part of the KomFrag project based at the University of Freiburg. Additionally, I have worked on Lucian of Samosata and food culture in fifth- and fourth-century Greece and Sicily. More widely, my interests include Hellenistic literature and Athenian history and culture.
Publications
Recent publications
28/08/2025Splitting Greek Comedy's Sides
Classical Review
Humor, emotion, and interpretive communities in the controversy over Jerry Springer: The Opera
Humor
Introduction to the special issue: humour and religion, ‘you must be joking?!’
Humor
Food fights: martial ardour and masculinity in the symposium
Constructing Gender in the Comic Mode
Catering for your audience: the comic mageiros and the personalized dining experience
Mesa dos Sentidos & Sentidos da Mesa