Elaine Fantham (born Elaine Crosthwaite, 25 May 1933 – 11 July 2016) was a British-Canadian classicist whose expertise lay particularly in Latin literature, especially comedy, epic poetry and rhetoric, and in the social history of Roman women.
[1] She spoke fluent Italian, German and French and presented lectures and conference papers around the world—including in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Argentina, and Australia.
[3] Her commentaries on Senecan tragedy, Lucan, and Ovid's Fasti in particular led to renewed interest in these subjects.
[2] Likewise her articles on aspects of the representation and realities of women at Rome remain a foundation for academic work in these areas.
[1] She studied at Somerville College, Oxford, where she read Literae Humaniores and received a first class BA in 1954,[6] converted to an MA in 1957.