Introduction: A Brief History of Antichthon to Mark its 50th Anniversary

There had been in existence for many years state Classical Associations, based on the model of, and affiliated to, the U.K. Classical Association, but these were, and still are, comprised of a different range of members – academics, schoolteachers, and interested persons from the general public – and, being located primarily in the state capital cities, they had a local orientation. Among other things, it resolved, 15 votes to 1, that a small committee be appointed to draft proposals for the formation of an association of university teachers of Studies of the Ancient World (the latter being an amendment for ‘Classical Studies’); that membership be open equally to scholars from Australia and New Zealand (carried unanimously); and that the drafting committee should consider the possibility of publishing a journal (carried 10 votes to 4). Ken McKay’s questionnaire of 26th November offered a choice of two: ‘Australian Journal of Classical Studies’ and Antichthon (the former was preferred by almost two votes to one). Because discussions were ongoing for some sort of New Zealand representation on the journal’s editorial board, the shorter (and less cumbersome) one-word title was preferred, and confirmed in a subsequent postal ballot by 44 votes to 13. The second tenure of the secretaryship by Bruce Marshall (2003-2013) saw a large expansion in new schemes for spending ASCS’s money – inviting keynote speakers to the annual conferences, supporting other conferences and seminars, providing grants to small departments and student conference travel subsidies, allocating $2000 (now $3000) a year for an annual ‘early career award’, and setting up prizes for various competitions.