Andrew Riggsby
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antiquethought.bsky.social
Andrew Riggsby
@antiquethought.bsky.social

Ancient Historian/Classicist. IT/Cognition/Law. | Fellow @GuggFellows.bsky.social and American Academy in Rome | Never, ever speak for my employer | Also cooking @foodoriented.bsky.social

Law 26%
History 19%
Pinned
Me on cognitive models in Roman land-surveying (OA):
www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15...
www.mdpi.com

Willis has...thoughts...about your "happy holidays."

Pickled onion. This is seven fishes at the best Italian restaurant in town.

Just had some!

Here that would be "service to community or nation."

Fair.

I'm not invested in historical (whatever that would even mean) accuracy of technology, but this suggests a huge tonal failure. Like Nolan is reaching for "gritty" that makes no sense in the Lake Wobegon world of epic, where bronze is always "shining" or "sharp" etc.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzw2...
The Odyssey | Official Trailer
YouTube video by Universal Pictures
www.youtube.com

physical therapy

Immensely sad I've never been invited to a bark mitzvah.

There's a paper I've never gotten around to writing about how notionally negative portrayals of "tyrants" in Roman declamation provided a poetics of absolute power that emperors tapped into from time to time.

Something of a side question. Here judgment of "academic dishonesty" issues was recently 100% centralized. There are various good reasons for this, but also some concern that it may incidentally mean little/no punishment for AI violations (given admin's AI enthusiasm). What's the situation there?

Maybe team up with your daughter?

Should make some real ones for Xmas morning.

This could lead interesting places. Sure, dad is cringe, but his nemeses....

Quality book.

The latter certainly, but my sneaking suspicion is that the former would prove disappointing.

Reposted by Andrew M. Riggsby

Please enjoy our department's annual "who wore it best" contribution!

Indeed.

Some highlights from the Torlonia show currently at the Kimbell in Ft. Worth. Note particularly Cerberus puppy.

You’re welcome!

B

Reposted by Andrew Jacobs

This was my last year on the committee, and we were once again hit with an overwhelming wave of great contenders. Very happy with the results.
www.classicalstudies.org/scs-news/202...
2025 Charles J. Goodwin Award of Merit | Society for Classical Studies
The C. J. Goodwin Award of Merit Committee is delighted to announce the three recipients of the 2025 Charles J. Goodwin Award of Merit. The Goodwin Awards honor outstanding contributions to classical ...
www.classicalstudies.org

In the right light he looks a little like you.

My student @javalac.bsky.social just advanced to doctoral candidacy. He's writing on how the existence of human property inflects the ideas of both "human" and "property" in Roman lawmaking (broadly understood).

Excellent.

This all looks very important for something I’m working on. Are you anticipating published proceedings?

A New Yorker fact-checker contacted me with some questions about my 1st book, so I was curious what the article was going to be about. Turns out it’s a review of Letteney and Larsen’s exciting new book (including a nice little look back at mine near the end).

www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
The Ancient Roots of Doing Time
The historical and archeological record upends the widespread belief that long-term incarceration belongs to the modern state.
www.newyorker.com

I think also of archaeological work like that of Chris Motz on the diffusion of procedural knowledge via similar mobility.

Reposted by Andrew M. Riggsby

⭐ The inaugural RAFFAELLA CRIBIORE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING TRANSLATION from the Society for Classical Studies has just been announced ⭐

C. Luke Soucy, *Ovid's Metamorphoses* (University of California Press, 2023).
2025 Raffaella Cribiore Award for Outstanding Translation | Society for Classical Studies
The Committee on Translation of Classical Authors is delighted to announce the inaugural recipient of the Raffaella Cribiore Award for Outstanding Literary Translation. The Cribiore Award honors outst...
www.classicalstudies.org

Can you say a little more about your procedure?

IIRC, the preface to mine suggests the author thought of it as a conversation with his wife (who's a high-powered lawyer, but not an academic). And it does have a genuinely conversational feel.