Many of my British friends have been asking me lately “What is going on with Greece? The country is no longer in the news? Are things better?” At which point, I just want to scream! But, of course, I do not! I have been trained as an academic; hence, screaming should not be part of any sensible conversation. Yes, what is happening to Greece is preeminently sensible, and logical, and expected. The ... »
This week it is two years since I left academia. So, I thought it is the right time to reflect on the past year and the lessons I have learned. As you probably know, I left my full time academic post in September 2013 in order to pursuit a life of freedom. This may sound improbable, since universities supposedly guard intellectual freedom. Unfortunately, my experience in European institutions taug... »
Greece, a country with the longest democratic tradition in the world, announced a referendum. The Greek people are called to decide, whether they accept a new austerity program or not. The decision is a difficult one, not least because most of the population does not hold a PhD in economics. Well I do! And I can assure you that I also find the longwinded documents perplexing. Let me see what evide... »
When I published my monograph on the Roman Monetary System in 2012 I was accused that I did not tackle adequately the third century crisis. This was the most long lasting crisis in the Roman Empire that eventually led to an entirely new political, economic and social system in Late Antiquity. When I published my monograph on the Roman Monetary System in 2012 I was accused that I did not tac... »
If anyone is offended or under the legal age, should look away now! A few years ago I visited the Erotic Museum in Paris. The museum is a dark place hidden away from the eyes of mainstream tourists. I found out about it from another numismatist. For those of you who are wondering, I was looking for inspiration for my research, since back then I was determined to embark into a long and fruitful tri... »
This is the first time in many years that I am proud to be Greek. Last week, my people voted for an anti-austerity party that promised to restructure the welfare state in Greece. Syriza seemingly belongs to the radical left wing. In fact it is conglomeration of left and centre political parties that have one common denominator: they despise the Troika and its economic measures that impoverished th... »