Dr. Zoé Elise Thomas
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archaeadne.bsky.social
Dr. Zoé Elise Thomas
@archaeadne.bsky.social
830 followers 300 following 93 posts
she/her VAP @ Millsaps College. Roman archaeologist working on public architecture and politics, esp in Gaul, plus projects on osteology and reception. Malcontent and “feistful” sometimes. Opinions are mine alone.
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archaeadne.bsky.social
In case it's of use to anyone else trying to decide how to address AI in their course syllabi, here's the policy I came up with last Friday while mad at 5:30am. With citations!
A screenshot of policy text. It reads: Course AI Policy You are not allowed to use any form of AI to generate any of your submitted assignments, quizzes, or exams in this course. You may use AI as a study tool or research tool if you so choose. If you do choose to use AI as a study tool (e.g. create flashcards, re-explain grammatical concepts, etc.) or as a research aid (e.g. asking ChatGPT what are the best databases online for classics research), here are some general guidelines for using AI: be as specific as possible including very specific queries and numerous data points will help the program generate tailored and actually useful results e.g. “please generate a set of flash cards of the most commonly used ancient Greek verbs from the 1st conjugation” vs. “please generate a set of flash cards of ancient Greek words” always double check the answers it gives you for accuracy e.g. is that a modern Greek word or an ancient Greek word on that flash card? NEVER tell the AI personal information this includes things like your full name, date of birth, your medical history, etc.; if you wouldn’t share it on social media, don’t use it with the AI make sure you understand who gains access to your data and interactions with the AI when you use it I personally do not recommend using it often/at all due to the following issues: AI “hallucination” these models are designed to give you any answer at all, not to give you a correct answer (although this is changing) for niche subjects such as ancient Greek and Latin, it is absolutely not a reliable source of information it’s also designed to be a “yes man” system; it will nearly always take your side, which is not very useful if you’re wrong Burresi 2025 (https://www.ireneburresi.dev/p/the-ai-yes-man-problem-from-flattery) AI erodes your critical thinking skills Kosmyna et al. 2025 (https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872) Royce and Bennet 2025 (https://www.nsta.org/blog/think-or-not-think-impact-ai-critical-thinking-skills) Gerlich 2025 (https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/1/6) data privacy concerns King and Meinhart 2024 (https://hai.stanford.edu/policy/white-paper-rethinking-privacy-ai-era-policy-provocations-data-centric-world) Vekaria et al. 2025 (https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.16586) stolen intellectual property Carson 2025 (https://jskfellows.stanford.edu/theft-is-not-fair-use-474e11f0d063) Knibbs 2024 (https://www.wired.com/story/ai-copyright-case-tracker/) AI is probably unsustainable as a model Radsch 2024 (https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024/10/29/ai-needs-us-more-than-we-need-it/) AI has negative environmental effects, especially regarding water use and carbon emissions, and disproportionally affects some groups more than others Bashir et al. 2024 (https://mit-genai.pubpub.org/pub/8ulgrckc/release/2) Zewe 2025 (https://news.mit.edu/2025/explained-generative-ai-environmental-impact-0117) Ren and Wierman 2024 (https://hbr.org/2024/07/the-uneven-distribution-of-ais-environmental-impacts) Last but not least, you are here to learn! It is not learning to let a digital tool passively work for you. Dr. Chiang said it better than I can: "When you’re a student at a university, you should think of yourself as an athlete in training, and the job you'll do after you graduate is the sport you will compete in. You don’t know specifically which sport you will play, and neither do your professors. What your professors do know is that strength training will help you. That’s what essay writing is; it’s strength training for the brain. Using ChatGPT to write your essays is like bringing a forklift into the weight room; you are never going to improve your cognitive fitness that way." Let me expand on that. Building strength requires exertion; if anyone offers you an exercise program that involves no exertion at all, you know it's not going to be effective. The improvements that come from doing cognitive exercise are not as rapid as those that come from physical exercise, but they are just as real. Writing an essay is hard because it forces you to use your brain in ways you haven't before, and that is precisely why it's useful. Your job is not to turn in completed assignments; it's to learn how to think.” Ted Chiang in Ruddick 2025 (https://cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08/12/ted-chiang/); see also Chiang 2024 (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/why-ai-isnt-going-to-make-art) If you are ever unsure about whether your use of AI will violate this class policy, please come and meet with me during office hours! I am happy to work with you.
August 18, 2025 at 4:57 PM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Made it to Jackson MS and Millsaps, and to my brand new office. So excited to meet my new batch of students in the coming days!!! And teach Greek and Latin!!! And a bit terrified.
An office door with a white board on it that reads “Welcome Dr. Thomas!”
August 13, 2025 at 12:25 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Day 7: my personal favorite to wrap up the week of Waggener graffiti. Always comforting to know that when things got hard, this graffito was ready to greet me. I will always keep these words of wisdom in my heart. 10/5 ⭐️
A wooden door with a very faded phrase written on it in black sharpie that reads “poop harder bitch”
August 10, 2025 at 7:08 PM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Day 6: the U-Haul is packed and my last night has me feeling introspective so here’s what I like to call the philosophy bro stall. 2/5 ⭐️ I prefer not to think deeply while in the bathroom. 4/5 ⭐️ for discuss these nuts lmao nerd, unoriginal and lacking creativity but effective
A wooden door with a number of graffiti written on it. At the top it reads what kind of philosopher are you? Which is followed by a bad one tbh. A wooden door that has written on it with black sharpie “since bathroom graffiti is done neither for acclaim nor money, it is the purest form of art. Discuss.” Which is followed by “discuss these nuts lmao nerd”
August 10, 2025 at 3:36 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Mea culpa for missing a day, I was ~overwhelmed. Here’s a picture of chicken to make up for it
A small orange and white cat wearing a teal collar is curled up in a tight ball in a cream colored cat bed. Her arm is tucked over her nose, and her tail and back feet are also tucked under her arm. She looks very snug.
August 10, 2025 at 3:29 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Day 5: a double header, both 5/5 ⭐️
That cute little dog doodle always cheered me on when I needed it, and as the person who dislocated their knee this year I heartily endorse fuck these stairs
A wooden door with the phrase fuck these stairs written on it in black sharpie A wooden door with a cute doodle of a fluffy dog’s head saying “you got this” with hearts around it.
August 10, 2025 at 3:27 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Day 4: 5/5 ⭐️ they’re not wrong but also was maybe the black mold infestation. Probably both. www.tshaonline.org/handbook/ent...
A wooden door with the phrase this building smells racist written on it in black sharpie. A screenshot of a biographical description of Leslie Waggener. “WAGGENER, LESLIE (1841–1896). Leslie Waggener, Confederate soldier, professor of English, and university president, was born in Trenton, Todd County, Kentucky, on September 11, 1841, the son of S. T. and Elizabeth (Ross) Waggener. He graduated from Bethel College, Russellville, Kentucky, in 1860 and from Harvard University in 1861. While serving as a private in the Confederate Army he was badly wounded at Shiloh but was saved by his faithful servant, promoted to lieutenant, and again wounded at Chickamauga; he again recovered and took part in the famous Hundred Days' March from Dalton to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1864.”
August 8, 2025 at 3:24 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Day 3: 7/5 ⭐️ the lesbians are alive and well in Texas and we love to see queer joy!!!!!
A wooden door that has LETS GO LESBIANS written on it in black sharpie A wooden door with “where to meet my gay lover at UT?” Written on it in black sharpie A wooden door with a pair of initials AD + AK with 9/12 beneath it in a heart scratched in, with “we’re gay” written in parentheses pointing to it. Next to it is as second set of initials OD + MC also in a heart, with “us too” written in parentheses.
August 7, 2025 at 1:18 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Day 2: 2.5/5 ⭐️ love the doctor who references, although allons-y kind of detracts from bad wolf. someone should probably check on how the writer’s superwholock tumblr is going.
A photo of a wooden door with the phrases bad wolf and allons-y scratched onto it A wooden door with the phrase moriarty was real scratched into it
August 6, 2025 at 3:44 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Day 1 Starting strong with “WHORE 4 GREECE” 3/5 ⭐️ love the enthusiasm for Classics, am cautiously intrigued by the concept of Greece having sex with people à la the Pounded in the Butt series by @chucktingle.bsky.social. Not sure who the intended audience is. Cannot award extra credit unless signed.
A close up shot of a wooden door with the words WHORE 4 GREECE scratched into it.
August 4, 2025 at 5:46 PM
archaeadne.bsky.social
You find the damndest things while sorting
A picture of a legal letter sent to Zoe Thomas from the offices of Camara and Sibley LLP, dated February 12, 2020. It has a stamp certifying its delivery by courier, and is addressing “Dr. Hubbard’s demand for correction, clarification, or retraction” over a Tweet.
July 9, 2025 at 8:23 PM
archaeadne.bsky.social
How can I possibly write today when there’s a rescued kitten that needs socializing living in the bedroom
A small black kitten around three months old with white ear tufts is staring at the camera. He was surrounded by plants on a windowsill behind him, and a grey mesh hamper on his other side filled with blankets and bags. In front of him is a tan fuzzy blanket rucked up, and a small tent bed with a pink fuzzy blanket inside of it.
December 17, 2024 at 5:04 PM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Happy second birthday and first adoptaversary to our beloved Canned Chicken Schlurp!!!
A white and orange cat is lying down and facing the camera. Her eyes are closed happily towards the viewer. An orange and white cat is curled up on someone’s chest. The person smiles towards the camera, but their eyes aren’t visible. The cat is looking towards the camera suspiciously. An orange and white cat is reaching up between someone’s legs, but is falling down so is very blurry. She looks extremely disgruntled. An orange and white cat is sitting on a teal camping chair. She is sitting on her butt, leaning over her own belly with her back legs spread. She looks very annoyed to be interrupted.
November 18, 2024 at 3:22 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
A cartoon brown hammerhead shark wearing a green blazer is standing upright on its tail and leaning his head over looking down at the ground. Next to him are the words “we got sued”
November 13, 2024 at 1:53 PM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Meet the newest Austin Cryptid, Canned Chicken Schlurp! Seven months old, cross eyed, and already breaking out of her introduction detainment room (the bathroom)
An orange and white cat arched up into a butt scratch. A blurry photo of a cross eyed orange and white cat coming towards the camera. A white cardboard carrier with a cat sticking their pink nose through the air hole.
November 17, 2023 at 3:42 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Nothing quite like hiking around on top of a rainy misty mountain that was once the planning site of Gaulish resistance to Julius Caesar and Rome!
A white woman wearing a blue rain coat, black puffer jacket, and a multi colored knit hat is smiling with her mouth open at the camera. Her eyes look off camera. She has one hand raised indicating the view of the mist and fog off the edge of a green meadow. Some trees rise up in the distance, but you cannot see very far into the mists. A photo of a misty and dark forest. The ground is covered in orange leaves. The trees loom ominously out from the fog. The leaves and branches all seem unusually dark. A photo of a bright green meadow as it reaches a misty forest edge. The trees are green but starting to turn orange. A photo of a reconstructed rampart wall made of stone and wood, filled with earth. In front of it is a huge deep ditch. The sky is grey and misty passed the tree line.
October 28, 2023 at 7:50 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Same joke but big beautiful wdolia
Photo of a huge terra cotta dolium or storage jar, which is mounted on a black platform. A woman wearing black jeans, a red t shirt, glasses and a black mask is standing next to it, and it is at least a foot taller than her. There are mosaics mounted on the wall behind them.
October 17, 2023 at 8:03 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Nîmes (and environs)
A photo of the pont du gard, a Roman aqueduct that crosses a river. The river is extremely low, so most of the river bed is exposed with lots of walking trails and scrub brush. The pont du gard is in the distance, and features three levels of arches, two which are the same size of arches and then a final smaller level on top with three times as many smaller arches. The top level supports the aqueduct channel. The sky is grey and stormy behind the aqueduct. A small stone statue of a person wearing a conical hat and a cloak. The person is making a sad face. Their feet poke out from under the cook. There’s a small placard in French that describes this as a statue of Telesiphore, the son of Aesculapius. A photo of a two tiered amphitheater, framed by modern glass installations in the foreground. The theater is made of bright white stone, and features engaged pillars on the lower tier and engaged columns on the upper tier. In between each pillar or column is a large arch. A mostly black and white mosaic of two leopards sitting on either side of a decorative vase that has a fountain inside of it. Each leopard has one paw up balanced on the handles of the vase and is looking at the water spewed by the fountain. Their tongues are red, in contrast with the rest of the mosaic. The vase is decorated with geometric shapes and designs, and the water is represented with short straight lines.
October 17, 2023 at 7:58 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Yeah you could say I like bbw (big beautiful wtemples)
A picture of a large temple constructed in pale tan stone, on a high podium. A woman is standing in front of the podium and reading up with her hand to show how tall it is. There is a steep flight of stairs next to her leading up to the temple entrance. The front columns are deeply fluted and have Corinthian capitals. A large white temple from the side. It’s on a high podium, and has a deep front porch with free standing columns with Corinthian capitals. The rest of the temple is solid and decorated with engaged columns. The sky is grey and a bit bleak. A large white temple from the front and side. It’s on a high podium, and has a deep front porch with free standing columns with Corinthian capitals. The rest of the temple is solid and decorated with engaged columns. The sky is grey and a bit bleak. A person in all black walks in front of the temple. You can see some of the temple decorations along the roof and pediment, which are highly ornate and delicate looking. A large white temple from the front. The top of a steep set of stairs leads up to the entrance of the temple. Six free standing Corinthian columns hold up the temple porch and pediment, which is highly decorated but lacking an inscription or statuary.
October 17, 2023 at 7:48 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
…and finally made it to the south after a detour to Sarlat and the best éclairs I’ve had in my lifelong quest to find the perfect éclair.
A picture of a medieval city street. A woman wearing a light blue shirt is standing in the middle of the road facing away from the camera. Behind her are medieval buildings that lean out over the little pedestrian street. The buildings are made from a warm yellow stone, and some of them feature exposed timber in x formations. Two éclairs tucked in a white cardboard box. The one towards the top of the box has a pale red-brown frosting, the one at the bottom has a pale yellow-brown frosting. Both are edged with crushed hazelnuts. A stone church at the top of a set of stairs. It has a recessed porch leading to the front door, and the front of the church rises up flat into a wide bell tower. The bell tower has three arched openings where bells are visible. Above the porch is a second smaller recessed niche with a statue inside it. A warm tan stone chapel and side of a building is visible in the distance and along the side of the photo. In front of both is a metal fence with wavy posts. A long grape vine is twined around the fence, and below the fence theres a structure covered with more grape vines. The sky is grey and overcast. Lots of trees are visible opposite the buildings.
October 14, 2023 at 6:44 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Spent a day in Périgueux at Vesunna, which also had an unexpected but great Agatha Christie exposition (and how I learned her official profession was “married woman”). The museum has some really incredible artifacts—look at the teeny torque on the tiny Apollo statue! Complete with inscription!
A photograph of Agatha Christie’s passport. On the left it has a description of her. It reads: Profession: Married Woman. Place and date of Birth: torquay, Sept. 15, 1891. Residence: 48 swan court, London SW 3. Height: 5ft 7in. Color of eyes: Green. Color of hair: Grey. Beneath this she has signed her name, A. M. C. Mallowan. On the right page is a formal photograph of Agatha Christie, with her hair curled and pinned back. She is wearing Pearl earrings, a starched white blouse with a large brooch at her neck, and a black coat. The photograph is sideways inside the passport book. A chunk of damaged fresco, depicting a gladiatorial fight. The gladiator is facing away from the viewer, with his right foot striding forward, and his left leg extending back. His left foot is missing from the painting. His right foot is wearing a complex white boot with red-brown detailing. He is wearing a dark brown wrap around his waist covered his rear, with white fringe and a heavy bronze belt. He has an elaborate pauldron on his left shoulder. His right arm is reaching forwards towards another figure, wearing a white tunic with red stripes, but who is mostly missing from the fresco. This is all set against a grey green background. Around the fresco are other artifacts which aren’t very visible due to the crop of the photo. A close up of a carved column featuring a panther emerging from the center of a flower. The stone is a pale tan-white. The panther is facing to the left and seems to be leaping out from the flower. A very small bronze statue of Apollo, wearing a torque around his neck, a wreath around his head, and a quiver on his back. He is standing in classic contra posto, with his right leg bent and knee pointing forward. His left arm is reaching out towards the viewer.
October 14, 2023 at 6:20 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
Austin folks! Do you need a new furry friend in your life? Four little kitties rescued by UT grad students need homes. Feel free to share, and maybe add a new member to your family! @fishtopher.bsky.social @jortsthecat.bsky.social
A flyer advertising four cats up for adoption. It reads adopt a friend rescued from a dangerous situation. Three eight week old kittens (2 tabbies and 1 long haired tortie), very affectionate, friendly, cuddly, and playful. One 1 year old tabby sibling, more shy, gentle, quiet, very sweet with the kittens. Striking orange eyes. All will be spayed/neutered, chipped, and vetted. All are good with children, other cats, and dogs. Email graciedrake512@gmail.com to apply or ask questions! The four kittens are pictured across the poster.
October 9, 2023 at 5:39 PM
archaeadne.bsky.social
A donkey leaning thru a rusted white gate and biting the ponytail of a white woman whose face is out of frame. The donkey is clearly gently and playfully pulling on the woman’s hair.
October 9, 2023 at 7:49 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
A donkey ate my homework is probably a new one for my advisor, huh
Two donkeys are in a stall, closed in with a rusted white gate. A hand is holding out a rolled over set of papers, covered in tiny black print. One of the donkeys is mouthing at the papers.
October 9, 2023 at 7:45 AM
archaeadne.bsky.social
And another kind of research is going well (Hermès, Fox, et Ketchup)
A white and orange cat is curled up on a grey blanket. He is sleeping with his tail curled up between his back legs, and his front leg is tucked up by his face. A man wearing farmers coveralls is sitting in a cluttered kitchen, and he is holding a medium sized red dog in his lap. The dog is turned to look at him, and they are making the same face at each other. A tricolor tabby cat is lying on a wicker chair and looking at the camera.
October 8, 2023 at 4:22 PM