Dr Thomas R.P. Coward
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tomcoward.bsky.social
Dr Thomas R.P. Coward
@tomcoward.bsky.social
360 followers 310 following 160 posts
Marie-Curie Research Fellow at the University of Bristol. Writing a commentary on the Hesiodic Catalogue. Also works on the intellectual history of ancient Rhodes, and the Herculaneum papyri.
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tomcoward.bsky.social
Very happy to see this documentary, for which I was one of consultants, will be broadcast tomorrow.
Transmission Card: 'Bettany Hughes' Treasures of the World Series 4. RHODES: ISLAND OF LIGHT. 7pm, Saturday 8 November on Channel 4 Bettany Hughes, TV presenter and writer, stands on a staircase leading up the garden at the Archaeological Museum on Rhodes. Stone steps with plants and trees in the background, pots and lemon tree in the foreground. Bettany Hughes standing centre with blue coat and turquoise shawl.
November 7, 2025 at 12:49 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Back to Naples to speak at a conference on Herculaneum Papyri and Epicurean Theology with a visit to the MANN and a day at the Officina 1/2
#ClassicsBluesky #AncientBluesky
View from one side of the bay of Naples looking towards Mt Vesuvius over the water with a cloud passing over the peak. Blue sky otherwise with some haze. Foreground is a pier with a rock shingle with some boats. On the pier a man has emerged from swimming and is playing with his four dogs which his partner has walked down to the pier. Two women sitting on the edge of the pier look towards the scene as the dogs prance and jump and scamper. Updated shrine in the Toledo commemorating Napoli FC winning Serie A for a fourth time. Funerary notice for Milan football teams, a plastic bag full of rubbish to represent Juventus. A picture of Maradona with Vesuvius in the background. Cardboard cut outs of the two winning players for the third and four league wins. Football memorabilia with Italian flag crests with numbers 3 and 4 on them. Cast bronze of a satyr riding a wine sack as a horse. Conference programme NUOVI TESTI PER VECCHI PROBLEMI. UN DIALOGO TRA PAPIROLOGIA E STORIA DELLA FILOSOFIA SULLA TEOLOGIA EPICUREA 29 settembre 2025 Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università degli Studi Federico II Via Porta di Massa, 1 - Aula DSU 5 (Scala C - 2° piano - 4° livello) online: meet.google.com/ywt-adgs-kuy SALUTI E INTRODUZIONE AI LAVORI 9:30 - 10:00 | Andrea Mazzucchi (Direttore del DSU); Chiara Renda (Responsabile della Sezione di Scienze dell'Antichità del DSU) Giuliana Leone (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II); Marzia D'Angelo (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II); Enrico Piergiacomi (Technion - Israel Institute of Technology) PRIMA SESSIONE. Novità dai papiri ercolanesi teologici Presiede: Giuliana Leone (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) 10:00 - 10:45 | Marzia D'Angelo (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) Il primo libro Sugli dei di Filodemo nel progetto LACUNA 10:45 - 11:30 | Holger Essler (Universität Würzburg) Aus der Arbeit an der Neuausgabe von PHerc. 152/157 11:30 - 12:00 | Pausa caffè 12:00 - 12:45 | Claudio Vergara (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) Anus fatidica Pronoea: la nuova edizione de La provvidenza di Filodemo 12:45 - 13:30 | Thomas Coward (University of Bristol) An unpublished column in Philodemus On Piety: On the Nature of the Gods in Socrates and Plato? 13:30 - 14:45 | Pausa pranzo SECONDA SESSIONE. Aspetti della teologia epicurea: ricostruzione, analisi, ricezione Presiede: Lidia Palumbo (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) 14:45 - 15:30 | Francesco Verde (Sapienza Università di Roma) Epicuro e la "teologia" del Timeo 15:30 - 16:15 | Giulia Scalas (CNRS - Centre Léon Robin) Il piacere continuo: virtù e beatitudine nella teologia epicurea 16:15 - 17:00 | Enrico Piergiacomi (Technion - Israel Institute of Technology) Emanazioni migliori. Epicuro, Attico e i viventi irrazionali
October 1, 2025 at 8:38 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
A recent trip to London and Oxford for even more papyri (with Tosca hosting in the latter) 1/2
A library with brown varnished wooden bookcases, green and gold wallpaper and carpet with leather chairs and small wooden tables. View of Senate House Library in Bloomsbury, London. White art deco skyscraper. View of Braesnose College quad with Radcliffe Camera in the background. Foreground has large green grass. Weather cloudy but bright. Tosca a black and white cat sitting in a wooden chair with bed basket and red blanket. Cat is looking through a bay window down towards a garden with trees and bushes. Sky blue with some clouds.
September 26, 2025 at 1:23 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Another week spent in the Papyrology rooms @bodartlib.bsky.social and other nearby places. #ClassicsBluesky #AncientBluesky
A table. On it a piece of papyrus in a glass plate held together by bull clips under a binocular microscope with LED ring light. Digital infra red microscope is on top of the plate attached to a computer. To the right several books including an increasingly annotated copy of Merkelbach-West. Tosca the black and white cat with half white moustache and her purple brush sitting upright on a table. View of the lake at Worcester College Oxford. Large lake in foreground with lily pads and surrounded by trees with a blue sky with patchy white clouds An oval box made of silver containing cheese crackers. Dedication by William Force Stead, an American priest, diplomat and poet who was friends with Elliot and Yeats. The now cracker box commemorates the Anglo-American victory in WW2.
July 30, 2025 at 10:57 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
A week in the P.Oxy. collection ahead. But said hullo to the On Vices roll beforehand.
Papyri in glass plates on a table. One under a LED ring microscope. Computer and critical edition next to the plates. Collations being taken and checked. Carbonised Herculaneum papyrus roll in a 3D printed case. On display in the Weston Library in Oxford. Recent identified as a book of Philodemus’ On Vices. The label reads: 102 Preserved by fire The eruption of Vesuvius near Naples in the year 79 killed the citizens of the Roman holiday town of Herculaneum but preserved their belongings - carbonized. What looks like a charred lump is in fact a burnt scroll, from a rich private library in the city. Unread for more than 2000 years, its content is now opening to modern imaging technology: the mute treasure l l l reveals its secret: a lost work of the Hellenistic philosopher Philodemus. MS. Gr. class. f. 25 (P). Philodemus, On vices (Herculaneum (?). before 79). View of Radcliffe camera from Braesnose College. Evening sunset from the Bisney area of Oxford on the way back from The Perch. River view reflecting the dusk light with tree in outline and shadow on the left.
June 16, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Reposted by Dr Thomas R.P. Coward
elliemackinroberts.net
Hey look! My new article on the #Parthenon Frieze has been published! (Also; it’s open access!)

#ClassicsBluesky
(RE)APPRAISING THE PARTHENON FRIEZE: ‘DIVINESPACE’ AND ‘MORTALSPACE’ | The Classical Quarterly | Cambridge Core
(RE)APPRAISING THE PARTHENON FRIEZE: ‘DIVINESPACE’ AND ‘MORTALSPACE’
www.cambridge.org
June 11, 2025 at 9:07 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Hortus Botanicus Leiden
Tree in centre with large canopy casting a partial shadow over a large bed of mainly white flowers. Green trees and bushes in the background A reconstruction of an apiary from 1595. A collection of six round beehives made of wicker on wooden shelves. Three on each shelf. View towards the Chinese garden with thin bamboo sticks framing the photo. Down the middle are a series of Chinese pots with dragon decorations and small tree planted in them. A criss cross pathway with landscaped bedding plants and trees. View of a Mediterranean garden with green plants and olive tree. The garden is placed along a river bank lined with trees and gardens and university buildings. Boats are moored up along the river. A couple of clouds in the sky.
May 7, 2025 at 5:51 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
On the first research trip from @clahbristol.bsky.social to @unileiden.bsky.social. I am examining P.Turner 1, a papyrus preserving over 100 lines of the Hesiodic Catalogue.

I’ll also be giving a lecture and running a workshop on Herculaneum papyri. #ClassicsBluesky #AncientBluesky
View of Leiden overlooking a canal. Wooden windmill to the left, a brick building in the middle ground and green and leafy banks on either side with boats moored up. Four pieces of papyrus with Greek writing in a glass plate on a table. To its left a set of callipers and a magnifier. Verdant green riverbanks with a large windmill on the right painted with the flag of the Netherlands. On the near right bank some birds with younglings. In the middle a motor boat moves down the river.
May 7, 2025 at 8:05 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Spent the last three days in the Officina to go over several papyri with the new infrareds and virtual models, and see how things are progressing with the next phase of imaging.
View of Vesuvius with a Fiat Panda Van in the foreground Herculaneum papyrus under LED ring microscope. On a table with laptop and callipers to the right. Herculaneum papyrus roll being prepared for imaging in a box. 3D printed copy of a carbonised papyrus roll in the hand of the photographer
April 10, 2025 at 8:20 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Cagliari archaeological museum: some Nuragic highlights. 1/6 #ClassicsBluesky #AncientBluesky
Nuragic giant stone statue: archer. Nuragic giant stone statue: boxer. Nora stone. Punic inscription which mentions Sardinia Nuragic bronze statuette
April 6, 2025 at 10:45 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Nora 1/3
View of Nora looking south View of Nora. Processional way southwards Nora on the west side. Remains of bath house wall with red poppies growing in the foreground. The sea is in the distance View of Nora towards the west. Mountains in the background with sea in the middle. Foreground remains of elite housing with tetrastyle atrium.
April 5, 2025 at 6:34 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Cagliari 1/2
View from the harbour of Cagliari towards the mountains. Small boats to the left and right. Open sea in the middle ground. Mountains with clouds above in the distance. A street in Cagliari heading up to the castello Front of the church of San Michele. Book shelf holding copies of a very big and heavy book on cheeses of Sardinia.
April 5, 2025 at 8:12 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Not exactly “Breaking News”, but as of this month, I am now a Marie-Curie Research Fellow @clahbristol.bsky.social.
February 4, 2025 at 10:49 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Farewell Rome 1/4
View down Via dei Fori Imperiali towards the Colosseum. View from the Tullianum in a gap between two arches looking towards the Forum Romanum an Alban Hills. The arch of Titus is in the middle ground. Two black cats sprawled on the ruins of a Roman temple. One cat looks up towards the other who is on a higher placed stone. Fragments of a fresco quoting Callimachus’ epigrams from the Horti Maecenatiani, on the outer wall of the Auditorium (1874).
January 17, 2025 at 11:46 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
#caturday
Close up photograph of striped cat standing on the ledge of some steps and looking directly at camera. Circular mid republican temple with several restored columns on one side. Black cat walking across in front of the temple. White cat with patches of stripes sitting to the right of a large white column base. A calico cat standing upright with tail over front paws. Behind is a metal grating and to the cat’s right are some brick steps.
January 11, 2025 at 1:06 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
RHS Bridgewater
Ellesmere Lake at RHS Bridgewater. Lake with squadrons of ducks and coots going across. Line of trees in the background with slithers of yellow sun peaking through the clouds. Chinese garden at RHS Bridgewater. A round Robin in full song View across the herbal garden in winter
December 29, 2024 at 12:23 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Winter moments.
Black cat with white socks walking in front of St Wilfrid's Church in Ribchester, which is built on top of the praetorium of a Roman fort. A crisp winter morning. View of green countryside with the morning sun partially obscured by thinning clouds. Background of black spindly trees and bushes in the background. Morning dew and frost across the grass. Yellow sun and patches of blue sky. Low lying mist covers the ground with a path on the right and trees on the left. A dog in the middle presents the chosen festive stick to their humans walking down the country path. View of a bank of the river Ribble taken from the opposite bank. The bank is steep with a flat field higher up with hills and pylons behind the field. Several sheep populate the field and some have ventured down the river bank
December 26, 2024 at 4:59 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
A day trip to Milan to examine two Hesiodic papyri. Very nice to be shown around the collection including seeing the Milan Posidippus. #ClassicsBluesky #AncientBluesky
View into the main courtyard of Milan’s Statale University Table with laptop, microscope, digital UV camera, book, and two papyri in glass plates.
December 18, 2024 at 11:07 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
In the Officina for the last time this year: one more check of circumferences and stratigraphy.
View of Mt Vesuvius from in front of the Biblioteca Nazionale di Napoli Vittorio Emanuele III. Clear blue sky in the early morning sunlight adds vibrant colours to the sea and land. Tennis court by a marina with yachts in the foreground: bay of Naples in the middle and Vesuvius against a clear blue sky in the background frame by two trees in the foreground Officina sign in desk with small Christmas tree and Befana hanging from a picture frame View inside officina reading room. A rectangular room with red metal bookcases and shelving poles with tables in front of them. In the foreground Cornice on a table with callipers and microscope. Computer open with digital maquette on display.
December 16, 2024 at 11:19 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Thank you @financialtimes.com for including some old favourites in this list of Venetian eateries and bars. Sharing link below.

on.ft.com/41o2kXW
FT readers: your favourite off-the-beaten-track eateries and bars in Venice
Top tips on authentic places to dine and drink in La Serenissima
on.ft.com
December 9, 2024 at 12:21 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Galleria Borghese 1/5
Large decorated hall at Galleria Borghese. Ceiling, large and colourful, depicts the apotheosis of Romulus. Room is ornately decorated with paintings, frescoes, ancient and early modern statues, ancient funerary monuments, and mosaics. Large ceiling at Galleria Borghese. Large and colourful, depicts the apotheosis of Romulus. Painting on oval piece of lapis lazuli depicting the rescue of Andromeda by Perseus. Close up a painting. Women in red dress eating oysters at a table. Underneath the table is a simian eating a pear with a dog knowing a bone to its left and a black and white cat to its right looking at the ape and across at one another.
December 8, 2024 at 4:50 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Palazzo Venezia 1/3 #domenicalmuseo
Inner courtyard of the Palazzetto Venezia. Ground floor with orange trees to the right and cloister to the left. Foreground has what looks like a chessboard with coloured stone inlay upon the remains of a column. Inner courtyard of the Palazzetto Venezia. Choir of Angels by Paolo Veneziano (ca. 1333-62). Tempura on wood. Wooden figurines of moustachioed guardsmen celebrating with raised goblets and musical instrument. Gold uniforms,
December 1, 2024 at 1:05 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
#caturday
Grey and white cat loafing on Roman ruins and looking at the photographer with a judging look. Black cat relaxing in a curved shape on an intersection of Roman walls behind a round temple and looking over its shoulder up towards the photographer. Black cat with white socks jumping down from a temple wall to a paved floor with large stone blocks. Tabby cat with curved tail of curiosity ascending a staircase by some Roman temples to vet and approve the photographer. White cat with black patches is sitting upright further down the staircase looking up.
November 30, 2024 at 2:30 PM
tomcoward.bsky.social
A two day conference on Pindar fragments: good to revisit familiar territory but one not visited for a while with some old friends. #ClassicsBluesky #AncientBluesky
Pindaric Paths / Sentieri Pindarici A Workshop on Pindar’s Fragments in Memory of Franco Ferrari 25-26/11/2024 organized by G.B. D’Alessio and P. Wilson Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, DSU Aula degli Ex Cataloghi Lignei, Via Porta di Massa 1 Monday 25 November Morning Session 10.30 Introduction 10.45 G.B. D’Alessio (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) “Gli studi pindarici di Franco Ferrari” 11.15 E.E. Prodi (Università degli Studi di Cagliari) “A closer look at two Paeans of Pindar: on pae. II and pae. VIIb” 12.15 T. Presutti (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) “I figli di Pindaro: alcune riflessioni su Parth. fr. 94c S. M.” 13.15 Lunch Break Afternoon Session 15.30 H. Spelman (University of Cambridge) “Connecting Epinicians with Fragments: on Isthmian 1 and Paean 4; Pythian 2 and fr. 105 and 106 S. M.” 16.30 M. Recchia (Università degli Studi di Chieti Gabriele d’Annunzio) “Pind. fr. 140b S. M.: spigolature sul linguaggio orchestico-musicale, tra Pindaro e Laso” 17.30 J. Lightfoot (University of Birmingham) “Pindar and the Goats of Mendes: on fr. 201 S. M.” Tuesday 26 November 10.30 G.B. D’Alessio (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) “New Readings and Old Problems: Reconsidering Pindar’s II Dithyramb” 11.30 P. Wilson (University of Sydney/ University of Cambridge) “Gli anni difficili? Su Pindaro negli anni ’70, il Ditirambo ateniese frr. 76-77 S. M., e ‘im Altertum das meist gekannte Wort Pindars’ (Wilamowitz)” 12.30 Round Table/ Discussion with E. Cingano (Università di Venezia, Ca’ Foscari), G.B. D’Alessio, J. Lightfoot, T. Presutti, E.E. Prodi, M. Recchia, H. Spelman, P. Wilson. Chair: M. Cannatà Fera (Università degli Studi di Messina)
November 25, 2024 at 9:43 AM
tomcoward.bsky.social
Caravaggio’s portrait of Monsignor Matteo Barberini, the future Pope Urban VIII (reg. 1623-1644 is on public display for the first time at Palazzo Barberini in Rome. Portrait likely done ca.1599-1604.
Caravaggio’s portrait (ca.1599-1604) of Monsignor Matteo Barberini, the future Pope Urban VIII (reg. 1623-1644). Photo taken from the front. Close up of the face of Monsignor Matteo Barberini (ca. 1599-1604), the future Pope Urban VIII (reg. 1623-1644). Caravaggio’s portrait (ca.1599-1604) of Monsignor Matteo Barberini, the future Pope Urban VIII (reg. 1623-1644). Wide angle photo showing the decoration of the room and people standing in front of the portrait. Caravaggio’s portrait (ca.1599-1604) of Monsignor Matteo Barberini, the future Pope Urban VIII (reg. 1623-1644). Photo taken from the left side of the frame.
November 24, 2024 at 12:39 PM