#Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for August 25, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. VIII Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 7 Metageitnion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

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MonsterTalk Classic interviews return with a look at robots and automata of the ancient classical world. Adrienne Mayor joins us to talk about her book Gods and Robots. Greek myths, ancient science, and monsters abound.

Just because someone claims to hold the truth doesn’t mean they actually do. On this episode, investigative journalist Ariel Sabar tells us the fascinating story of how a Harvard professor was duped into believing she made a discovery that would turn the Christian world upside down. But as it turns out, truth is not always subjective.

In this episode, we discuss the Second Greco-Punic War (410-406 BC), as hostilities in Sicily draw in Carthage and the Syracusan fleet away from the eastern Aegean and the Hellespont, including Hannibal Mago’s first invasion of Sicily and the destruction of Selinus and Himera, the rebellion of Hermocrates, the rise of Dionysius as tyrant of Syracuse, Hannibal Mago’s second invasion of Sicily and his destruction of Akragas, and the ceasefire which would see Carthage and Syracuse as the two strongest powers on Sicily

Book Reviews

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Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends a stormy winter and a shortage of tree fruits.

… adapted from the text and translation of:

Jean MacIntosh Turfa, The Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar, in Nancy Thomson de Grummond and Erika Simon (eds.), The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press, 2006. (Kindle edition)

#Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for August 24, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. IX Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 6 Metageitnion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

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In 1753, Sir Hans Sloane bequeathed his collection of over 70,000 objects to the nation, founding the British Museum’s collection, and those that would become the British Library and Natural History Museum.  His collection spanned from natural history specimens to ancient sculpture, plants and contemporary 18th-century objects. But Sloane’s collecting is tied closely to colonialism, empire and slavery – his family profited from sugar plantations in Jamaica worked by enslaved people, and some of the objects in his collection were also collected with assistance from enslaved people. So how do we navigate Sloane’s story in the 21st century? Guests Miranda Lowe and James Delbourgo explore Sloane’s life, collecting and legacy with Hartwig Fischer and Sushma Jansari, and examine the role of slavery and enslaved people in his collection and collecting practices. They also consider how museums should respond to these histories and to figures like Sloane.

Book Reviews

Professional Matters

Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends the deaths of noble youths.

… adapted from the text and translation of:

Jean MacIntosh Turfa, The Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar, in Nancy Thomson de Grummond and Erika Simon (eds.), The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press, 2006. (Kindle edition)

Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for the Weekend of August 22-23, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. X Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 5 Metageitnion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

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Maximinus Thrax was an unorthodox Emperor, a man of lowborn status who kept to the frontlines with the military. It was only a matter of time before the Senate threw in with someone more on their level, but their choice, Gordian, would have the shortest rule of any Emperor. Guest: Dr Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University/Humboldt Research Fellow, Goethe University, Frankfurt)

Claudius was a builder and a visionary. Humble and generous. He liked gladiatorial contests a little too much. But then there was his wife. Valeria Messallina. Like Livia, Messallina often gets blamed for some of the deaths that occurred early in his reign.

Kalkriese is an archaeological site in Germany where the Roman army suffered one of its greatest defeats in the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest. It was here where three Roman legions were ambushed by German barbarians, virtually wiped out, bringing an end to the ambition of empire expansion in the area. Guest: Dr Joanne Ball (Battlefield archaeologist, University of Liverpool)

Recap and Q&A of the past 13 episodes

Join this episode to listen in on my discussion with Christchurch College Oxford alumni and all-round boffin, Mr S Hyams, over the biggest questions in Classics…

Was there Mental Illness in the ancient world? What did people think about Suicide or Schizophrenia? How did the philosophies of Epicurus or Hippocrates help? And what can this teach us about Mental Illness today? Michael Fontaine, Professor and…

This episode, we are setting the stage of the epic tale of Hercules/Heracles! With plentiful obscure Disney references, we cover: Ancient Greece, who that Heracles guy is, the Olympic gods, and so much more!

Around this time 2,499 years ago the famous Battle of Thermopylae was raging. But it is important to remember that this clash was not happening on its own. At the same time, to the east of Leonidas’ defence, another battle was underway at sea between Xerxes’ great armada and a much smaller Hellenic fleet plagued with internal problems. This was the Battle of Artemisium, an often-overlooked and overshadowed military encounter of the Persian Wars. Its importance, however, was sizeable. I was delighted to have Dr Owen Rees back on the show to talk through this clash, explaining its significance and how it paved the way for one of the most famous naval battles in history: Salamis. Owen is the author of ‘Great Naval Battles of the Ancient Greek World.’

47 BCE – Veni, vidi, vici.  Julius Caesar was short handed when he felt obliged to deal with the Pontic problem.  Discover how Pontus still caused headaches for the Romans, even after the reign and lifetime of the great Mithridates VI.

Book Reviews

Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today with lightning, it portends a massacre..

… adapted from the text and translation of:

Jean MacIntosh Turfa, The Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar, in Nancy Thomson de Grummond and Erika Simon (eds.), The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press, 2006. (Kindle edition)

#Thelxiope ~ Classics in Landscape Mode for August 22, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. XI Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 4 Metageitnion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

This week’s video-based gleanings; kind of quiet …:

Classics Association Northern Ireland

Classics in Color

AIA

Everyday Orientalism

UQ Humanities

Study of Antiquity and the Middle Ages

Center for Hellenic Studies

American Institute for Roman Culture/Darius Arya

Troubadour Theater Company/Getty Museum

Parco Colosseo

Stupid Ancient History

Mythology Manifest

A full conference …

Alia

#Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for August 21, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. XII Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 3 Metageitnion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

In the News

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Public Facing Classics

Fresh Bloggery

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Season 4, Episode 19 kicks off with a call-in show. Past guests and members of the Senate call-in and talk about “whatever is on their minds!”

I was thrilled to be joined by Andrew Bayliss, a Senior Lecturer in Greek History at the University of Birmingham. He’s an expert on Sparta and Ancient Greece, and he joined me on the pod to mark the 2,500th anniversary of the battle of Thermopylae, when 300 Spartans battled the Persian army. We discussed whether the Spartans deserved the reputations they’ve developed, and dissected the plethora of myths with have emerged, of musclebound soldiers with long hair and red cloaks.

With 49 episodes published, I decided to celebrate by making episode 50 a question and answer session, where I respond to topics fielded by listeners of the show. We dive into discussions on favorite history books, how to get into podcasting, and more historical topics like “who was the greatest of Alexander’s Successors?” and “who would win in a wrestling match between Socrates and Antigonus the One-Eyed?”

Gabriel Ruge emailed this question, did Boudicca have a chance of beating the Romans, were mean her odds were better than 50-50? What if she had signed some sort of alliance with the Caledonians? What if the British used every force multiplier in the book. Attacking from high ground, rough terrain, numbers, movement (chariots) etc.

In this episode, Rebecca Rideal is joined by ancient historian Dr Maria Pretzler to discuss the life and untimely death of Alexander the Great.

In this episode, Rebecca Rideal chats to historian, broadcaster and bestselling author Professor Bettany Hughes about Ancient Greece, virgin sacrifice and her brand new Channel Five series Greek Odyssey.

In the Roman Republic, men of senatorial rank could compete for political offices which were placed in a set order and had to be earned sequentially. This hierarchy was known as the Cursus Honorum. The Cursus Honorum was the basis of political and social life in ancient Rome, and the fortunes of entire families could rise and fall based on how high someone could climb.

Book Reviews

Professional Matters

Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends both prosperity and disagreements among the common folk.

… adapted from the text and translation of:

Jean MacIntosh Turfa, The Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar, in Nancy Thomson de Grummond and Erika Simon (eds.), The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press, 2006. (Kindle edition)