Day: August 29, 2013

JOB: Generalist at UofT (tenure track!)

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Seen on the Classicists list:

The Department of Classics at the University of Toronto invites applications for a tenure stream appointment in the field of Roman History. This position will be at the rank of Assistant Professor and will commence July 1, 2014. A doctoral degree in Classics or a closely related discipline must have been earned by that date or shortly thereafter.

The successful applicant will have demonstrated potential for excellence in research and teaching, and will be expected to contribute to a research-intensive doctoral program and to a thriving undergraduate program in Latin, Greek, and Classical Civilization; an ability to teach in our program in Classical languages at all levels is required. The Department welcomes a wide range of methods and innovative approaches to the study of history and is particularly interested in candidates who combine a thorough training in Classics with an interest in other disciplines in the humanities or social sciences. The Department of Classics collaborates with the graduate Department of History at York University through the Collaborative Program in Ancient History, and cooperates closely with the Archaeology Centre, the Centre for Medieval Studies, the Women and Gender Studies Institute, and the Departments of Art, History, Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, Political Science, and Religion, among others, at the University of Toronto.

Salary will commensurate with qualifications and experience.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply by clicking on the link below. Applications should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, evidence of excellence in teaching (including a statement of teaching philosophy), a short description of the applicant’s current research plans, and a sample of academic writing. All application materials should be submitted online.

The UofT application system can accommodate up to five attachments (10 MB) per candidate profile; please combine attachments into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. Submission guidelines can be found at http://uoft.me/how-to-apply

Applicants should also ask three referees to send letters directly to Professor Christer Bruun, Chair, Department of Classics, University of Toronto, at chair.classics AT utoronto.ca by the closing date, October 15, 2013. Inquiries about the application may be sent to chair.classics AT utoronto.ca

Additional information about the Department of Classics can be obtained from our website at http://classics.chass.utoronto.ca/

The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community. The University especially welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Frigidarium from Bourgas

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

From the Sofia Globe:

Archaeological digs carried out this summer on the site of the Roman-era public baths in the Bulgarian city of Bourgas have found the first frigidarium – a cold-water pool – that was part of the the Aqua Calidae baths.

The digs are part of a conservation and restoration project by the Bourgas municipality, meant to turn the Aqua Calidae – Thermopolis site, which housed public baths during the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman eras, into a tourist attraction, the city hall said.

Found at a depth of about 4.6 metres underground, it has a length of 6.8 metres and is 6.4 metres wide. It had a brick floor that in some place did not stand the test of time and architectural features that have led archaeologists to believe that it was built in the second century CE, when the first public baths were built on the site by Roman authorities.

A frigidarium was the last pool that bathers would enter in the Roman baths (after the tepidarium and caldarium) and its temperature was kept cold to close skin pores.

The frigidarium in the Aqua Calidae was in the eastern part of the baths, which has been the focus of this summer’s digs under the supervision of professor Dimcho Momchilov, with archaeologists from the Bourgas and Yambol history museums joined by students from four Bulgarian universities.

The most significant finds of the season were 18 wooden combs, which appeared to have been preserved by the water in which they were found. The dig team believes that the combs date to the early medieval era, but required further study, given that construction of the Ottoman-era baths in the 16th century and the modern baths at the start of the 20th century caused some displacement.

Other finds included about 50 coins from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman eras, a golden ear-ring and a silver medallion, as well as other well-preserved wooden items.

A photo accompanies the original article. Bourgas (Dueltum) is a very well-covered site in the Bulgarian press and, of course, at rogueclassicism … here’s a smattering of our coverage (the search facility seems to be mixing things up a bit today):

Latest on the Search for Cleopatra’s Tomb (2013)

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Brief item from Dominican Today … probably not surprising:

The ongoing crisis in Egypt could affect Dominican archeologist Kathleen Martínez’s search for Cleopatra and her lover, the Roman general Mark Anthony.

Martínez said that all government offices in Egypt are practically closed, and she is waiting for a renewal of her permit to continue excavation work.

“At present there is no quorum for the Permanent Supreme Council of Antiquities to meet; it is made up of about 100 university professors and right now they have other priorities, like how to prevent museums from being looted”, she said.

Nonetheless, she is hopeful to be able to renew her search, due to start in mid October or November, continuing until April or May. Martínez said she was not too worried yet because the excavation work is scheduled for October.

If you’re interested in following the whole story, you can work back from our similarly-titled piece last year: Latest in the Search for Cleopatra’s Tomb . Near as I have been able to find out, nothing has gone on dig-wise for a year, but as stated above, that’s probably not surprising, given the ongoing events in Egypt.

Follow Up: Antony and Cleopatra Coin from Bethsaida

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

A couple of weeks ago, we mentioned a report about a nice Antony and Cleopatra coin which had been found at Bethsaida last year (Antony + Cleopatra Coin from Bethsaida!). The article wasn’t accompanied by a photo, but the ‘official photographer’, Hanan Shafir kindly did send one to me with permission to post it:

Photo by Hanan Shafir
Photo by Hanan Shafir

We stress that the coin was found last year, as the photographer confirms, and not this year, as stated in Simcha Jacobovici’s coverage of the find which includes the same photo (Ancient Lovers’ Coin).

Macedonians in China? Yeah, about that …

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

We’ll preface this by noting it’s written by the same author who spread the misinformation about Amphipolis for the Greek Reporter:

In antiquity when the Ancient Greeks and Romans referred to the Chinese they used to call them by the Latin name Sinae, which the Chinese have kept until today (China). The greatest proof is the fact that the most important monument of China is known worldwide as the Great Sinic Wall.

Throughout the years, among other archaeological findings discovered in China, there is the Sampul tapestry, a woolen wall-hanging which depicts a soldier, probably Greek, and a Centaur. Moreover, there are also statues of Greek soldiers of the 3rd century B.C. Several statuettes and representations of Greek soldiers have been found north of Tien Shan. The above are both displayed in the Xinjiang Museum, Urumqi, China.

Moving on, today we know that the Chinese pyramids are in fact tombs-mausoleums, internationally known as tumulus mounds. But only ancient Macedonians used to build tombs for their kings. The existence of such sacred monuments in the “forbidden zone”, means that the local emperors of the time actually followed the sacred “road” chosen or suggested by the Macedonians, apparently soldiers of Alexander the Great, who did not wish to go their way back.They even adopted the same magnificent Macedonian way for burying their kings.

So far there have been at least 12 ancient Greek cities unearthed in China. That is the real reason why the Chinese government, dissatisfied, decided to put an end to all these archaeological missions.

However, since 1980 the ongoing archaeological interest around China once again pushed a group of both Chinese and Japanese researchers to begin searching for the rumored lost Kashgar Old city.

But it was in 1993, when an archaeological discovery really shook the historic waters. An ancient Greek civilization was revealed in the Chinese city of Niya in Taklamakan. Within the ruins, archaeologists found iron axes and sickles, wooden clubs, pottery urns and jars in the homes, coins bronze mirrors, rings and other possessions that were all of Greek origin.

Furthermore, all eight mummies and skeletons that were found had blonde and brown hair (European characteristics and not Chinese) along with other Greek features.

So, from all the above the following question is now raised: Since Alexander the Great officially reached the Ganges River, how on earth were Greek cities discovered beyond it in China?

Just some food for thought as it probably seems that history should be rewritten…

Wow … just wow. We should note that much of this seems to derive from the finds associated with the find of Chercen Man ages ago (see, e.g., Celtic Mummies in China) and the mysterious Yingpan Man (Yingpan Man), both of whom (along with others) were determined to be of Celtic ancestry DNA-wise, as far as I’m aware. Whatever the case, it seems Greek Reporter has someone covering the archaeology beat with a, shall we say, less-than-archaeological agenda.