Ancient History Competition 20
He fled his city, but also helped it decisevely 11 years later. He lost a major naval battle, but won another major naval battle 11 years later. His son became a famous general. Who is he? »
Archives / 2010 / April
Quotation of the Week 14
Like most of those who study history, he (Napoleon III) learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones. (A.J.P. Taylor, Listener, 6th June 1963) »
Archaeological Skill: A Measuring Tape
A measuring tape is a necessary tool for every field archaeologist who respects himself. And yet, so little effort is put into handling it. Common mortals, on the other hand, developed this skill to the highest level possibly. Watch them in the following video and follow their bright example! »
Academia.edu
Usually I am in favour of internet platforms that allow researchers to share their material for free with the rest of the world. However, in the case of Academia.edu all my hopes have been shattered. The site is so slow I have never been able to see any of the papers that have been uploaded. In the advertisements of their site they repeatedly mention how many researchers participated and how many articles they share. How they managed to go beyond the Home Page is anybody’s guess. If any of you c... »
How (not) to organise a Tour in Athens
When I suggested the commencement of a short MA module in Athens for our Campus-Based and Distance-Learning students, I had no idea about the political, economic and environmental implications. For the past month I seem to have been fighting not only against Greek bureaucracy but also a double dip in the local economy and the volcanic eruptions in Iceland. The omens appeared for the first time a month ago, when the Ministry of Culture denied us permission to teach our Distance Learning students ... »
Ancient History Competition 19
Manolis grades the difficulty of the following quiz at 4 out of 10. He was obsessively loved by the Syracusans, relentlessly mocked by Aristophanes, and brutally killed by dogs. Who was he? »
Quotation of the Week 13
“Human blunders usually do more to shape history than Roman wickedness.” (A.J.P. Taylor, The Origins of the Second World War, 1961) »
Do not take Archaeology too seriously!
Archaeology provides tangible proof of past actions, civilizations, cultures. It is an essential tool for the writing of ancient history. And yet, its results can be abused, falsified or distorted. In the hands of an archaeologist the following pictures are nothing more than an amusing hoax. In the hands of others, though, it could turn into an undoubted proof that giants existed in Biblical times, in accordance with the teachings of the Old Testament. »
Mediterranean Identities Conference Report
Two weeks ago, from the 26th to the 28th March, the International Conference „Mediterranean Identities: Formation and Transformation” took place in Leicester. This was part of the successful and long standing collaboration between the Department of Classics at the University of Nottingham and the School of Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Leicester. The participants, who came from around the globe and represented all five continents, had only one aim in mind: To discuss Ident... »
Quotation of the Week 12
“History started badly and has been getting steadily worse.” (Goeffrey Williams and Ronald Searle, Down with Skool!, 1953) »