Extremely sad that my much-loved friend and ally of over thirty-five years, the great poet, dramatist, socialist and acerbic wit Tony Harrison, died yesterday morning, peacefully, with his devoted partner, actress Sian Thomas, at his side. I'm so glad I visited them last week.

The Ancient Love Letters network (coorganised by @owenhodkinson.bsky.social, AT Drago and RJ Gallé Cejudo) has its second conference this week in Bari, tracing the genre from antiquity to Renaissance Humanism. Online attendance is possible. Details: tinyurl.com/mv3vadky.

Can't wait to be back in Bari for the next conference of the Ancient Love Letters research network, which will trace the development of the genre from antiquity to Renaissance Humanism as well as expanding the range of Imperial and Late Antique texts and themes covered so far. tinyurl.com/mv3vadky

We're delighted to announce that we're going to be joined for 2025-26 by Dr Ellie Mackin Roberts. She's an expert in Greek History, especially accessed via material and visual culture, with a particular interest in the rituals and beliefs of ancient religion! www.elliemackinroberts.net

Prof. Stafford's review of the new Disney Hercules musical is out - complete with some great photos and video-links... Enjoy! theconversation.com/with-fresh-s...

By popular request (!) Prof. Stafford has posted a longer version of her review of Disney's new musical on the CAWCRS Research Blog: leedscawcrs.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/5...

Leeds Haydn Players' summer concert! A very nice and varied programme (and feat. me as second bassoon, but don't let that put you off).

Kicking off our 'Games through History and History through Games' Colloquium @universityofleeds.bsky.social in fine style with @emmacayley.bsky.social 's talk about the journeys of playing cards - "Lost in the Shuffle: The Interconnected Histories of Playing Cards and Books".

Looking forward to speaking about the journeys of playing cards in our 'Games through History and History through Games' Colloquium @universityofleeds.bsky.social on Weds 21st and hearing some fascinating papers on games and colonialism. Thanks to @owenhodkinson.bsky.social for the invitation! ♠️♦️♣️♥️

If you would like to make a charitable donation in Malcolm’s memory, you might consider giving to Tearfund, of which he was a regular supporter, or to St Michael’s Parish Giving Scheme. www.tearfund.org/about-us www.stmichaelsheadingley.org/giving

The funeral of our much missed colleague Professor Malcolm Heath will take place this Friday (11 April) at 13.00 in St. Michael’s Church Headingley. There will be refreshments in the church afterwards: please let us know if you plan to come (RSVP to [email protected]).

Very much looking forward to this research seminar with Elena Claudi, on Philostratus' Imagines, otherness and gender! “Viewing the female object through ekphrasis: Rhodogoune in the Imagines of Philostratus”. Details in the quoted post. 🏺 #ClassicsBluesky #BlueskyClassics #AncientBluesky 🏛️

Leeds Classics is deeply sad to learn that our colleague Malcolm Heath died peacefully yesterday. Since his retirement in 2022 he had unfortunately been in ill health, but he was well supported by friends and family, and when colleagues from the department visited in November he was in good spirits.

Please take a moment to sign and share the petition to save Ancient History from planned cuts at Cardiff University www.change.org/p/save-cardi... #ClassicsBlueSky #AncientBlueSky

It was wonderful talking to @k8lister.bsky.social on this show about erotic letters and love letters from Greco-Roman antiquity, and beyond! #BetwixtTheSheets #AncientBluesky #ClassicsBluesky

This episode has been released today! Listen to me with host @k8lister.bsky.social on the history of love letters and erotic letters, primarily in antiquity but looking at modern developments too. The episode is titled "The Origins of Sexting": listener discretion is advised!

Hey everyone, I don't think Meg's on Bluesky, so is there any chance we could try and spread this around here? Link: ko-fi.com/agameganon/s... #AncientBluesky #ClassicsBluesky 🏺

I had so much fun talking to you! Thank you for sharing your research with us

Just had a great conversation with @k8lister.bsky.social for the #BetwixtTheSheets podcast about the history of erotic letters and love letters, starting with the Greeks and Romans! The episode will probably be out later in January - watch this space! #AncientBluesky #ClassicsBluesky

My 2024 Classics Christmas Gift Guide is now out, and full of many pretty things! Do check it out, share, and support small businesses! #AncientBlueSky #ClassicsBlueSky 🏺 classicalstudies.support/2024/11/27/t...

#AncientBluesky folk! We extended the deadline to March 15, so if you wanted to submit an abstract for our CCC panel on classics in analog(ue) games, you still have a couple of days!

Excellent response on an important report. Share widely and reflect. Including class in Edi is not whataboutery but a crucial aspect of intersectionality. Validating and encouraging people from all backgrounds is essential to keeping our disciplines alive. 1/2

Get all the inspiration you need from "Ancient Love Letters". The eBook is 80% off until the end of February. Just head to our website, select the eBook and use the code VADA80 at the checkout: www.degruyter.com/document/doi...

Take it from the ancients: any sincere declaration of love – especially on Valentine's Day – needs a touch of drama to make it stick. See how Taus effortlessly pulls on the heartstrings of Apollonius? 💘

You may wish to be less abstract and take a more corporeal approach, like Rufinus in his letter to Hope. Tip: do include some spatial references for more authenticity and to add a local touch.

We’re here to help you overcome your writer’s block and get you inspired with a compilation of quotes from antiquity. For starters, a floral metaphor by Philostratus – because is it even Valentine's Day without referencing roses? 🌹

💌 Still on the lookout for the perfect Valentine's Day gift for a classics fan? From Greco-Roman love letters through Philostratus’ Erotic Epistles to the female voice in fictional Greek love letters – there’s plenty to inspire the heart in Ancient Love Letters!

Ancient Love Letters, edited by Anna Tiziana Drago & @owenhodkinson.bsky.social, offers the first systematic approach to love letters and erotic letters in antiquity. Until the end of February, you can get 80% off the eBook with the code VADA80 at the checkout: www.degruyter.com/document/doi...

At long last, publication day is here!

Publication day! 'Praise and blame in Greek tragedy' is out today! If you're interested in heroes, women's speech, or links to older poetry in Greek tragedy, you'll find those things here. www.bloomsbury.com/uk/praise-an...

Here's a link to the CFP: antiquityinmediastudies.wordpress.com/2024/01/03/c...

Classical Game Studies folk who live life on the analog side, that is, on the tabletop, check out my CFP! “Playing the Game: (Re)Constructing and Narrativizing Antiquity through Contemporary Tabletop Gaming” at Celtic Classical Conference in Cardiff (9-12 July 2024).

Join us for the Late Antiquity #seminar, 31 January, 4pm – "Machines for Competition? Reassessing Rural Baths in Late Roman Britain" Speaker: Giacomo Savani. Get the meeting link: email [email protected] late-antiquity.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/events/ #OnlineEvent #LateAntiquity #ClassicsBluesky

Exciting news - Praise and Blame in Greek Tragedy is now out in ebook form! You can get started reading about the ways in which the chars of tragedy use and abuse poetic traditions of praise & blame to destroy one another now! Full release Feb. www.bloomsbury.com/uk/praise-an...