Publication day! The edited volume arising from the 2022 conference "Stranger Kings in Antiquity", organised by two of Exeter's ex-PhD candidates, Henry Anderson and Julius Guthrie, and supported by me, has now been published with Routledge! Congratulations Julius and Henry!

Congratulations to Exeter's Classics, Ancient History, & related combined honours graduands today! Both undergraduate & postgraduate! I enjoyed teaching you very much. I will be joining you for the celebrations & will toast to bright futures! #exeteruniversity #graduation #classics #ancienthistory

In Athens for the #antigonidnetwork annual meet and greet again! Lots to talk about after the Roundtable, but also plenty of time for museum and BSA study time. Do say hi if about, we are here until Sunday! #athens #ancienthistory #ancientmacedonia #antigonids

Exeter HASS UGs: a reminder that the deadline for applying for a Digital Humanities Lab internship is tonight! If you're interested in learning new technologies & would like part-time work on-campus next academic year, apply here: exeter.joinhandshake.co.uk/job-search/1... #digitalhumanities #exeter

Next Tuesday, 17th June, 2-5pm (UK), we are excited to hold our online roundtable on Past, Present, and Future Research on the Antigonids. This concludes the fifth year of #AntigonidNetwork activities. An opportunity to reflect but also to look ahead. #AncientBluesky Register to join us on Zoom.

Miss being in Greece and even moody #Pella (pictured), especially as I'm now back to marking. But, Athens awaits in mid-June! #ancientmacedonia #Antigonidnetwork #academiclife

Pella. Museum and site. A long day but an excellent visit to meet a new collaborator. #pella #antigonidnetwork #ancientmacedonia #ancienthistory

Once more in beautiful Thessaloniki! To meet with old and new Antigonid Network members and contacts from the Archaeological Museum and School of History and Archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Plans are evolving and more research and collaboration ahead! To Pella tomorrow!

The next #AntigonidNetwork event is Tuesday 20th May, 5pm (UK). We will hear about doctoral projects: Hannah Edwards, “Herakles in Hellenistic and Roman Macedonia", & Phillip Höhre, "Crisis, survival, adaptation: Antigonos III Doson, Macedon, and the Aegean world". #AncientBluesky. Register below:

Husband & I were in London on the weekend for our anniversary! Stayed off Russell Square, went to Borough Market, & the spectacular Darjeeling Express in Carnaby for dinner. Sunday - Fortitude Bakehouse & Bread Ahead for breakfast & treats, Kiss the Hippo for coffee, & Hawksmoor for lunch.

Finally able to refocus on writing the next book. Slow but steady. Sometimes distracted by hound who loves snoozing in the sun.

On the train back home from Exeter after yesterday's very interesting workshop on Ancient Medicine in Macedonia and Northern Greece, co-organised by Rebecca Flemming (Centre for the Study of Science, Technology, Ancient Medicine, and Philosophy) and the #AntigonidNetwork. #AncientBluesky

Thrilled to share that my review has been published in the Times Literary Supplement! It was a pleasure to engage with Hornblower's Hannibal and Scipio, and I’m honoured to contribute to a publication with such a rich tradition of critical thought. Link here: www.the-tls.co.uk/classics/rom...

Our magnolia and camelias are in bloom! And the walks with the dog have been stunning recently too. I love this time of year.

The next #AntigonidNetwork event is a workshop on "Ancient Medicine in Macedonia and Northern Greece: New Approaches to the Classical and Hellenistic Periods", Tuesday 8th April 2025, 11am - 5pm, University of Exeter and online. For further details and to register, follow the link. #AncientBluesky

The next #AntigonidNetwork seminar is TOMORROW, 11th March at 5pm (UK). Kalliopi Chatzinikolaou, ‘Ancestral Macedonian Cults through the Minting of the Antigonids and their Predecessors: Possibilities of a Combination with the Cult of the Hero Horseman’. Register below to receive the Zoom link.

Off to Southampton on this gorgeous day for the Antigonid Network's second hybrid seminar! Today we have Maria Stamatopoulou talking to us about the ancient city of Demetrias and it's beautiful painted tombstones. Let me know if you want a link to listen online.

Went to see old friends in Edinburgh and Dunbar this half term. I really miss Edinburgh and would move there in a heartbeat but for the job in Exeter. So much life and good food!

The University of Southampton International Summer School 2025 has now launched! There is a wide range of courses available, including 'Public History: Film, Video Games & Heritage'. Students will also enjoy a day trip to London, a boat trip on Southampton waters, and much more. go.soton.ac.uk/gqc

The next Antigonid Network seminar is on Tuesday 25th February, 5pm (UK). Maria Stamatopoulou, ‘Demetrias and its painted tombstones: self-representation in an Antigonid port city’. This will be at the University of Southampton as well as online via Zoom: Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/regi....

Please sign and share widely! After the devastating news about the planned cuts at Cardiff, the students have got the ball rolling to save their Ancient History programme. It is a very fine department: student numbers are strong, the staff team is fantastic. There is no rationale. chng.it/G5SMYxNbMQ

I know how tough it is out there, but we do have a fully funded PhD scholarship available here at CCCU, with a UKRI-linked stipend and great staff to support you. If you want to pursue a PhD in History, Archaeology, or Heritage; consider applying. We're a friendly bunch and Canterbury is lovely. 🗃️

The next #AntigonidNetwork seminar takes place on Wednesday 22nd January at 5pm (UK). Graham Wrightson will talk about his book,The Third Macedonian War and the Battle of Pydna (2023). To attend this online seminar, register here: universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Current book and new game!

Went to the Council of University Classical Departments (CUCD) subject meeting on Monday in the magnificent Senate House! So lovely to be back in person and meet so many lovely colleagues from across the UK. And I got to squeeze in an ICS research day too!

Went for a walk to Topsham on Saturday. It was gorgeous!

The next #AntigonidNetwork seminar will be on Tuesday 10th December 2024 at 5pm (UK). Sophia Kremydi will address the question ‘Why produce autonomous coinages under the Antigonid Kingdom?’ To attend this online seminar, register here: universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/regi.... #AncientBluesky

Someone stole my spot this morning.

Join me & the rest of the team this summer in Durham for the 31st JACT Durham Greek & Latin Summer School! Who’s planning on attending? Please share widely 🙏 @joewatstein.bsky.social @nicholsone99.bsky.social @theclassicslibrary.bsky.social @workingclassicists.bsky.social

I mean, I wish this were hyperbole, but it isn't.

Including academics - all articles published in UK-based journals are eligible, as well as books. If you’re not already a member, join! - the ‘fee’ comes out of your first payment so no upfront costs:

‘A blend of ancient and modern’: inside Thessaloniki’s new €3bn metro system

Authors receive a payment every time you borrow a book, audiobook or ebook from libraries in 35 countries. Those countries include the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Germany to name but a few. Borrowing a book helps the author’s pocket as well as yours.

My most-viral post ever: “Book historian who tells students constantly that if they listen to the audiobook, they are literally reading 18th century novels the way the large chunk of the original audience experienced the book. Silent, solitary reading by eye alone is so so recent!”

Today was such a rubbish windy and rainy day that husband and I decided to get the board games out. Always enjoy Onitama, and its been a while since we played the magnificent Scythe. Fun all round.

It rarely snows enough to stick in Exeter (a humid valley), but woke up to this this morning. Beautiful, and I still get childish delight at seeing it. I'm glad that I don't drive to work, although the prospect of marching up & down hills to get to campus could still be a perilous venture. Be safe!

102: Antigonid Macedon - Sins of the Father Perseus begins his reign in earnest by continuing to strengthen Macedonia, but gains a reputation for philanthropy across Greece. A jealous Eumenes II of Pergamon fosters tension with Rome, leading to the Third Macedonian War tinyurl.com/verxr5xj

Full data here: www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/latest/news/...

It's staggering that any country would let this happen to something it's good at. Honestly think that when we look back at this disaster - which is only in its initial stages - it'll be seen as a national scandal. There should at least be an independent investigation. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I've always had a wonderful time attending this summer school! Friendly and welcoming to all. Great teachers and great fun! #AncientBluesky #Latin #Greek #Classics

“The superstar status of gladiators extended to the far edges of the Roman empire.” Gladiator knife handle found in Tyne ‘reflects spread of Roman celebrity culture’ https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/nov/15/gladiator-knife-handle-found-in-tyne-reflects-spread-of-roman-celebrity-culture?CM…

Very preliminary pass at an Ancient Greek Historians starter pack. I have been quite narrow in defining historian here, and whole chronologically open, geographically closed - let me know the surely many people I have missed: #ClassicsBluesky

‪We're live! Starter pack for those interested in ancient Macedonia, Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Successor Kingdoms. Academic and non-academic. Happy to add more people (or take anybody off), just reply to this post or message me. Please share widely! #ancientbluesky #classicsbluesky

I won’t lie: I did think of the AO3 kudos email. And then I went, actually, yeah, those slap and they keep me conscious every day that people read and like my stuff. I SHOULD send some of these!

Fantastic starter pack for anyone wanting to follow historians of ancient Rome, Greece, and Mediterranean 👇👇👇👇

Korra definitely doesn't want to wake up this morning.

Had amazing Mexican food by Basement Seventeen tacos at Pullo on Wednesday. A much needed mid-week treat! Thank you both for awesome food and wine!

OMG yes actually we have been mandated at some point to do basically all of these things, if you’re wondering why the tiny handful of academics who still have permanent jobs look so tired

Been a rough day, exacerbated by insomnia and an anxious brain. But feeling grateful that I have the opportunity to read, learn from, and examine a fascinating PhD thesis by one of our awesome PhD candidates at Exeter. And all the while Korra snuggles and snores at my feet.