Jane Sancinito
@janesancinito.bsky.social
Asst. Prof. of Ancient History at UMass Lowell. Research: Roman merchants, ancient numismatics, greed, stereotypes. Self: embroidery, tea, long walks, and ice hockey.
Author of: https://press.umich.edu/Books/T/The-Reputation-of-the-Roman-Merchant
Author of: https://press.umich.edu/Books/T/The-Reputation-of-the-Roman-Merchant
Oh, this is the *good* stuff! Especially when teaching World History, I find myself falling into this kind of trap all the time. This is such a good way to break down the way that even well intentioned summary can become oversimplification and end up feeding harmful systems beyond our classrooms.
What, exactly, does this string of words mean? Why does everyone who stands to profit from selling "AI" love to repeat it? And what's the value of slogans that masquerade as history?
sonjadrimmer.com/blog-1/2025/...
sonjadrimmer.com/blog-1/2025/...
"The Printing Press Democratized Knowledge": When Slogans Masquerade as History — Sonja Drimmer
The phrase is said so frequently it seems, like the mechanism it celebrates, to mechanically replicate itself. It's become a favorite catchphrase among tech boosters of any sort (see my post on...
sonjadrimmer.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Oh, this is the *good* stuff! Especially when teaching World History, I find myself falling into this kind of trap all the time. This is such a good way to break down the way that even well intentioned summary can become oversimplification and end up feeding harmful systems beyond our classrooms.
Hey Homerists, What’s the convention with the suitors in the Odyssey? Are we capitalizing them? “The Suitors did X” or “The suitors did x”?
I’ve now typed the word so many times it no longer looks like English. Help?
I’ve now typed the word so many times it no longer looks like English. Help?
October 23, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Hey Homerists, What’s the convention with the suitors in the Odyssey? Are we capitalizing them? “The Suitors did X” or “The suitors did x”?
I’ve now typed the word so many times it no longer looks like English. Help?
I’ve now typed the word so many times it no longer looks like English. Help?
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
I spend the whole dang first part of my career saying that comparisons between the modern United States and the late Roman Republic are often misleading and facile, and then...he just mints it right out...
October 3, 2025 at 6:53 PM
I spend the whole dang first part of my career saying that comparisons between the modern United States and the late Roman Republic are often misleading and facile, and then...he just mints it right out...
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
I’m a Roman historian specializing in the third century. Please don’t explain dying empires to me, thanks.
October 1, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I’m a Roman historian specializing in the third century. Please don’t explain dying empires to me, thanks.
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
#ReliefWednesday - In this relief, a decorative element from the funerary monument of an unknown cloth merchant, we see a Roman matron being shown a sample of fabric: ca. Mid 1st century AD. #Roman #Art 🏺
Image: Uffizi Gallery (Inv. 1914, No. 313). Link - uffizi.it/en/online-ex...
Image: Uffizi Gallery (Inv. 1914, No. 313). Link - uffizi.it/en/online-ex...
September 24, 2025 at 12:44 PM
#ReliefWednesday - In this relief, a decorative element from the funerary monument of an unknown cloth merchant, we see a Roman matron being shown a sample of fabric: ca. Mid 1st century AD. #Roman #Art 🏺
Image: Uffizi Gallery (Inv. 1914, No. 313). Link - uffizi.it/en/online-ex...
Image: Uffizi Gallery (Inv. 1914, No. 313). Link - uffizi.it/en/online-ex...
I am SO out of here. I know these platforms always get greedy, but this is insane.
Oh this is BAD.
The new TOC from academia dot edu.
You grant us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable license, permission, and consent to use your Member Content and your personal information (including, but not limited to, your name, voice, signature, photograph, likeness…
The new TOC from academia dot edu.
You grant us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable license, permission, and consent to use your Member Content and your personal information (including, but not limited to, your name, voice, signature, photograph, likeness…
September 21, 2025 at 2:49 PM
I am SO out of here. I know these platforms always get greedy, but this is insane.
This was a great conference and there is some really cool stuff in here, even for people who aren't numismatists, including important weights and measures work and graffiti on coins.
🔓𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗫𝗩𝗜 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝟭𝟭–𝟭𝟲.𝟬𝟵.𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮, 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘄,
𝗩𝗼𝗹. 𝗜. 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀
Edited by Jarosław Bodzek, Aleksander Bursche & Anna Zapolska
More info: bit.ly/3JV7rbs
#Numismatics #Archaeology #Antiquity #Coinage #Greek
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗫𝗩𝗜 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝟭𝟭–𝟭𝟲.𝟬𝟵.𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮, 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘄,
𝗩𝗼𝗹. 𝗜. 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀
Edited by Jarosław Bodzek, Aleksander Bursche & Anna Zapolska
More info: bit.ly/3JV7rbs
#Numismatics #Archaeology #Antiquity #Coinage #Greek
September 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
This was a great conference and there is some really cool stuff in here, even for people who aren't numismatists, including important weights and measures work and graffiti on coins.
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
Ironically, it appears that AI chatbots hallucinate for the same reason that students feel compelled to use them:
They were socialized in a high-stakes testing culture that rewards guessing and maybe getting it right over admitting when there's something you just don't know.
They were socialized in a high-stakes testing culture that rewards guessing and maybe getting it right over admitting when there's something you just don't know.
September 8, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Ironically, it appears that AI chatbots hallucinate for the same reason that students feel compelled to use them:
They were socialized in a high-stakes testing culture that rewards guessing and maybe getting it right over admitting when there's something you just don't know.
They were socialized in a high-stakes testing culture that rewards guessing and maybe getting it right over admitting when there's something you just don't know.
Pending last minute issues (always possible) the tenure portfolio is in and the waiting game begins. Such a weird feeling!
September 5, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Pending last minute issues (always possible) the tenure portfolio is in and the waiting game begins. Such a weird feeling!
Semesterly reminder that teaching is actually moderate aerobic exercise.
September 3, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Semesterly reminder that teaching is actually moderate aerobic exercise.
Adding another owl from Smyrna!
August 4, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Adding another owl from Smyrna!
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
Excited to announce that after a lot of editorial work our volume "Writing, Enslavement, and Power in the Roman Mediterranean, 100 BCE - 300 CE" is out now. @jeremiahcoogan.bsky.social @illdottore.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/book/60683
academic.oup.com/book/60683
July 23, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Excited to announce that after a lot of editorial work our volume "Writing, Enslavement, and Power in the Roman Mediterranean, 100 BCE - 300 CE" is out now. @jeremiahcoogan.bsky.social @illdottore.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/book/60683
academic.oup.com/book/60683
#EpigraphyTuesday A nice, old law from the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
July 16, 2025 at 3:18 PM
#EpigraphyTuesday A nice, old law from the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
As an ancient historian, I struggle with the fact that most of the art I like is actually... my job? Tragic. Anyway, I'm trying to find some more-modern artists to appreciate. Bethany Peck (www.bethanypeckart.com) has been a favorite for a few years now, so I wanted to share her with you all.
July 16, 2025 at 2:34 PM
As an ancient historian, I struggle with the fact that most of the art I like is actually... my job? Tragic. Anyway, I'm trying to find some more-modern artists to appreciate. Bethany Peck (www.bethanypeckart.com) has been a favorite for a few years now, so I wanted to share her with you all.
There are so many parts of this I love: the mixture of agriculture and commerce(!), the ability to use social skills to influence your customers(!!!), integration of small scale exchanges with the macroeconomy (!!!!!). Ahhhhh!!!
A few new followers, so wanted to mention that Mercator will be a part of the upcoming June Steam Next Fest! It's a shopkeeper game about ancient trade from India to Rome and in between. Check out the trailer and the Steam page:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1pp...
store.steampowered.com/app/3268870/...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1pp...
store.steampowered.com/app/3268870/...
Mercator - Development Demo Trailer
YouTube video by rudderbucky
www.youtube.com
June 9, 2025 at 12:59 PM
There are so many parts of this I love: the mixture of agriculture and commerce(!), the ability to use social skills to influence your customers(!!!), integration of small scale exchanges with the macroeconomy (!!!!!). Ahhhhh!!!
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
Gen AI lyke a stealthye vampyre doth hyde the corpses (texts) that it hath drained. Yn contrast, even the rankest act of publisshinge piracye at least doth move a booke ynto the handes of a reader. But Gen AI doth nevir cite sources or reveal the workes it hath plunderid. A solipsism moost vile.
June 7, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Gen AI lyke a stealthye vampyre doth hyde the corpses (texts) that it hath drained. Yn contrast, even the rankest act of publisshinge piracye at least doth move a booke ynto the handes of a reader. But Gen AI doth nevir cite sources or reveal the workes it hath plunderid. A solipsism moost vile.
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
“Homer’s robots–like generative AI–don’t create anything new but, when pressed, can tell us a lot about what already is. Our adoption of technology from the industrial age through to the information age and the artificial intelligence age is following similar patterns.
Hephaestus' Golden Girls
What Can the Iliad Tell us About Artificial Intelligence?
joelchristensen.substack.com
June 5, 2025 at 7:02 PM
“Homer’s robots–like generative AI–don’t create anything new but, when pressed, can tell us a lot about what already is. Our adoption of technology from the industrial age through to the information age and the artificial intelligence age is following similar patterns.
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
Build your own Lego forum!
#legolegislegit
🏺 #ClassicsBluesky #BlueskyClassics #AncientBluesky 🏛️
www.brickfanatics.com/lego-ideas-c...
#legolegislegit
🏺 #ClassicsBluesky #BlueskyClassics #AncientBluesky 🏛️
www.brickfanatics.com/lego-ideas-c...
June 1, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Build your own Lego forum!
#legolegislegit
🏺 #ClassicsBluesky #BlueskyClassics #AncientBluesky 🏛️
www.brickfanatics.com/lego-ideas-c...
#legolegislegit
🏺 #ClassicsBluesky #BlueskyClassics #AncientBluesky 🏛️
www.brickfanatics.com/lego-ideas-c...
Can I add a different kind of cock for #phallusthursday? We don’t have an animal day, do we? Anyway, have some cupids fighting roosters from the National Archaeological Museum, Istanbul. No animals were harmed in the taking of the photo… no promises about the ancient models, sadly ☹️
June 5, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Can I add a different kind of cock for #phallusthursday? We don’t have an animal day, do we? Anyway, have some cupids fighting roosters from the National Archaeological Museum, Istanbul. No animals were harmed in the taking of the photo… no promises about the ancient models, sadly ☹️
I’m a simple girl. I get good news, I text the group chat and then call my mommy to make her say she’s proud of me.
elmo from sesame street standing in front of a wall
Alt: elmo from sesame street standing in front of a wall, shrugging
media.tenor.com
June 5, 2025 at 2:50 PM
I’m a simple girl. I get good news, I text the group chat and then call my mommy to make her say she’s proud of me.
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
Things are about to get a bit ancient.
I baked these biscuity sherds on a hemisphere cake tin in an attempt to recreate Ancient Greek pottery fragments in all three dimensions. The originals, dating from c.1600-435 BCE, can be found in the collections of the Ashmolean Museum.
I baked these biscuity sherds on a hemisphere cake tin in an attempt to recreate Ancient Greek pottery fragments in all three dimensions. The originals, dating from c.1600-435 BCE, can be found in the collections of the Ashmolean Museum.
May 29, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Things are about to get a bit ancient.
I baked these biscuity sherds on a hemisphere cake tin in an attempt to recreate Ancient Greek pottery fragments in all three dimensions. The originals, dating from c.1600-435 BCE, can be found in the collections of the Ashmolean Museum.
I baked these biscuity sherds on a hemisphere cake tin in an attempt to recreate Ancient Greek pottery fragments in all three dimensions. The originals, dating from c.1600-435 BCE, can be found in the collections of the Ashmolean Museum.
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
Happy #WorldBeeDay! 🐝
Silver tetradrachm coin minted in Ephesus, 390-380 BC.
Photo Getty Museum
#Archaeology
Silver tetradrachm coin minted in Ephesus, 390-380 BC.
Photo Getty Museum
#Archaeology
May 20, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Happy #WorldBeeDay! 🐝
Silver tetradrachm coin minted in Ephesus, 390-380 BC.
Photo Getty Museum
#Archaeology
Silver tetradrachm coin minted in Ephesus, 390-380 BC.
Photo Getty Museum
#Archaeology
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
Paging archaeology + history peeps: "We are raising funds to support 12 History & Archaeology students at the Islamic University of Gaza so they can finish their degrees. Together, they owe approximately $12,790 USD in unpaid tuition. Without financial help, they will not be able to graduate"
🚨 @gmandreou.bsky.social launched a fundraiser to help 12 Gazan students who worked on the GAZAMAP project pay their tuition fees. We at EO are fully behind this initiative, so we invited her to share it on the platform. Please donate!👇 everydayorientalism.wordpress.com/2025/05/19/h...
How to Help Gazan History & Archaeology Students Finish their Degree
cover picture by Georgia M. Andreou: GAZAMAP students at work before October 2023 Archaeology has a long legacy of separating heritage from its contemporary context. The ongoing destruction in Gaza…
everydayorientalism.wordpress.com
May 20, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Paging archaeology + history peeps: "We are raising funds to support 12 History & Archaeology students at the Islamic University of Gaza so they can finish their degrees. Together, they owe approximately $12,790 USD in unpaid tuition. Without financial help, they will not be able to graduate"
Reposted by Jane Sancinito
Happy #BreadDay to all who celebrate!
#OnThisDay - 19 April - someone in #Pompeii felt so excited that they just had to record that:
"XIII K(alendas) Maias panem feci" (CIL IV 8972)
'On April 19, I made bread'
Image: National Archaeological Museum, Naples (84596)
#OnThisDay - 19 April - someone in #Pompeii felt so excited that they just had to record that:
"XIII K(alendas) Maias panem feci" (CIL IV 8972)
'On April 19, I made bread'
Image: National Archaeological Museum, Naples (84596)
April 19, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Happy #BreadDay to all who celebrate!
#OnThisDay - 19 April - someone in #Pompeii felt so excited that they just had to record that:
"XIII K(alendas) Maias panem feci" (CIL IV 8972)
'On April 19, I made bread'
Image: National Archaeological Museum, Naples (84596)
#OnThisDay - 19 April - someone in #Pompeii felt so excited that they just had to record that:
"XIII K(alendas) Maias panem feci" (CIL IV 8972)
'On April 19, I made bread'
Image: National Archaeological Museum, Naples (84596)