Michael Freeman

I enjoyed having the chance to read the volume this summer! A number of the essays inspired me to rework sections of my own in-progress book.

Thank you!

The ink is officially dry and I am thrilled to announce that my book “Hands That Write: The Training and Lived Experiences of Ancient Mediterranean Scribes” is under contract with OUP! @oxfordunipress.bsky.social

Sincere thanks to the editors, readers and mentors who have supported this project.

The ancient Egyptians maintained 12 months of exactly 30 days each by observing five intercalary days at the end of the year.

These days existed outside of the standard reckoning of time and were essentially back-to-back feasts, and I feel this just perfectly captures the vibe of Dec. 26th-31st.

That I’m not sure of! It’s not my field and I don’t know if anyone has made a comprehensive study of that question.

How do you know where I live??

Pasts Imperfect 8.14.25 This week, Mellon Leadership Fellow and Nero scholar Lauren Donovan Ginsberg busts the myth of the useless humanist. Then, new ancient world scholarship, new journal issues for a global antiquity, upc...

Lauren Ginsberg provides a broader study of the available data on this question, if you’re interested: pasts-imperfect.ghost.io/pasts-imperf...

It was an honor to have met this remarkable woman and to have hosted her as our annual orator years ago.

May Dr. Jane Goodall rest peacefully in the Earth she fought so tirelessly to protect.

Bare minimum for holding a conversation: Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray, South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio, Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, Television, North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe.

“This week, Mellon Leadership Fellow and Nero scholar Lauren Donovan Ginsberg busts the myth of the useless humanist; a falsehood often used to justify cuts to humanities departments and programs today.”

“I asked ChatGPT” yeah well I asked the beautifully coiffed snake god Glykon by submitting my query in writing to his prophet Alexander at the temple in Abonoteichos that has a back room nobody’s allowed to go into

Yeah, double edged sword for sure.

A number of credit unions, grant programs (etc.) offer Zero-Down programs for buyers with decent credit scores. The buyer just has to be willing to accept a hike in rates, which could price them out of some houses. All bets are off in one is in California or a posh suburb, of course.

I’m really proud of my article, “The Body of the Scribe,” which will be appearing in CJ 120.4—give the issue a read!

I once ventured on to a former campus for a meeting while using the scooter and it was appalling how challenging it was to get from A to B.

One had to use such a roundabout route, far more planning and exertion, and often there was no truly accessible way to get to most major buildings.

Is a knee scooter an option? For around the house stuff especially I found that vastly preferable to a crutch.

You really got me for a minute.

I came to say the say thing! To me it also looks like “De profundis…” I can make out part of the illuminated D followed by an enlarged E and then p..f…is.

The Vatican Digitizes a 1,600-Year-Old Illuminated Manuscript of the Aeneid It’s fair to say that every period which has celebrated the literature of antiquity has held epic Roman poet Virgil in extremely high regard, and that was never more the case than during the early Chr...

The Vatican Digitizes a 1,600-Year-Old Illuminated Manuscript of the Aeneid

Someone 4,000 years in the future: “Based on unopened letters addressed this early 21st century CE man, it seems he was part of an ancient ritual cult dedicated to “extending your home’s warranty.”

🚨Classics Job Opportunity Alert🚨

If anyone in my network is interested in teaching Latin in a K-12 setting and is open to relocation (to the American Southwest), I have eyes on a great opportunity for you.

DM me for details!

A book cover with an image of a statue in a thinking posture, with the title at top reading "Listening to the Philosophers: Notes on Notes" and author name "Raffaella Cribiore" underneath.

FYI #AncientBlueSky: An excellent BMCR review of Raffaella Cribiore's "Listening to the Philosophers" is here, describing it as "fearless, insightful, lucid, & thought-provoking." bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2025/2025.03...

And, more at @cornellupress.bsky.social: www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...

Proofs day! #ancientsky

Update 2.0: Tomlin (2011, p.147-8) muses on alternatives to the reed pen, including metal pens and quills, but notes that no evidence for quills has been found at Vindolanda.

I do trust @annabwilli.bsky.social to be comprehensive on that point.

Update: While doing research for another project, I was reminded of an article by Tomlin where it is suggested that there might be some material evidence of quills at Vindolanda—I will take a look at this as soon as I can get ahold of it and get back with you.

Washington is Constantinople (artificially selected new capital named after recent ruler; becomes synonymous with decadence, wealth and power)

Philadelphia is Rome (original imperial capital; seen better days but has an abundance of character; modern seat of important religious figure (Gritty))

Boston is Syracuse (important, central city for early group of colonists)

New York is Alexandria (regional capital, for a time, and maritime center of trade and culture)

Los Angeles is Antioch (key regional city elevated to global prominence during expansion of borders and trade)

Colleagues deeper in the weeds with paleographic research might have some more granular suggestions.

The first thing I would do is look at the hand for sudden transitions between broad and hairline-thin strokes, typical of a “calligraphic” majuscule book-hand, but executed on a smaller-than-typical scale, e.g. with character size and/or stroke width a fraction of the average dimensions.