Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Pecunia non-olet: Vespasian and the Smell of Money

October 4, 2025 at 11:46 AM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

Does money retain the 'smell' of where it comes from? Vespasian did not think so...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social

After his takeover of the Roman Empire during the Year of the Four Emperors (AD 69), Vespasian and his advisors sought any avenue of raising taxes. One seemingly unsavoury tax they (re-)employed in AD...

October 5, 2025 at 10:26 AM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

In the "jigsaw puzzle" stage of writing Book VII - I have all the notes in front of me, but getting it all into order and making sense is time-consuming...

It does not help that my current subject - the trial(s) of Rabirius in 63BC - is messy even before we get to my notes...

October 5, 2025 at 10:38 AM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

A Soldier and a Scholar 11 - Athens III: Solon and the Athenian Constitution

Episode 11: Aric and Dr Crawford move on to character of Solon and the the constitutional changes he introduced to the Athenian system of government in teh early 6th century BC... https://mncvgk.podb...

October 6, 2025 at 6:14 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

The Ancient History of Mann

An island from the end of the Ice Age in Britain, the earliest identified inhabitants of the Isle of Mann were hunter-gatherers and fishermen of the Mesolithic period, who were capable of rudimentary ...

“Hereditary” Papal Succession? Anastasius I and Innocent I

October 7, 2025 at 4:42 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

Not only were popes not always meant to be celibate, they also had children... but might one of those children have succeeded his father at some point?
@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

“puto, ut sancti Innocentii, qui apostolicae cathedrae et supra dicti viri successor et filius est, teneas fidem” “I think that you should keep the faith of St. Innocent, who is the successor and son ...

A Brief History of 'Byzantine' Mutilation

October 8, 2025 at 5:11 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

CAUTION! Things are about to get messy in a 'cutting off of body parts way..."!

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...
@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

October 9, 2025 at 9:20 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

A Soldier and a Scholar 12 - Athens IV: The Fall of Tyrants

Episode 12: We reach a pivotal point in Athenian history with the tyranny of Pisistratus, whose reforms pave the way for democracy and whose sons play a role in bringing about the Persian Wars...https...

A Soldier and A Scholar 53 - The Fall of Inaros

October 10, 2025 at 6:37 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

ASAS 53 - With the river diverted, the Athenians and their Egyptian allies are no longer in de-Nile... this expedition and rebellion is doomed...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

@raoulmclaughlin.bsky.social @rogueclassicist.bsky.social

Episode 53 - With the river diverted, the Athenians and their Egyptian allies are no longer in de-Nile... this expedition and rebellion is doomed...https://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-soldier-and-a-scholar...

Paid to Behave: The Traprain Law Hoard

October 12, 2025 at 11:11 AM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

Large hoards of silver beyond the Roman frontier do not always mean the proceeds of raiding...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

Those of you who have been following CANI since the earliest days of its 2014 reincarnation, you will know that the hoard of Roman silver found at Ballinrees near Coleraine in Northern Ireland and the...

October 2, 2025 at 6:01 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

GoTAH VIc – Harbinger of Change – The Reception of Comets amongst the Greco-Romans

While in the East, a great blaze of light in the sky could be a hopeful sign of the rise of a powerful leader, the Greco-Romans dreaded comets as portents of doom, war or the overthrow of a ruler. Whe...

Sentius the Centurion and Trajan's Conquest of Adiabene

September 30, 2025 at 9:56 AM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

Those Roman centurions really could be mad b**tards...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

The otherwise unknown Sentius wrote his name into the annals of Roman history, specifically Cassius Dio LXVIII.22.3, on the backdrop of the Roman emperor Trajan's invasion and conquest of much of the ...

The Real Severans V: The Fates of the ‘Severan Women’

September 27, 2025 at 12:14 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

NEW: The Real Severans V - The Fate of the 'Severan Women'... we have already seen that many of the 'Severan' women were not really Severans, but one of the Severan spouses was not even a woman...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

Aside from its eponymous founder, the imperial men of the Severan dynasty all met murderous ends - Geta was butchered in his mother’s arms, Caracalla was stabbed whilst answering the ‘call of nature’,...

September 28, 2025 at 11:30 AM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

With the demise of Nero – the last Julio-Claudian emperor – you would be forgiven for thinking that the extinguishing of that dynasty marked the end of the bloodline of its founder, the emperor August...

The Line of Augustus

September 29, 2025 at 3:50 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

A Soldier and a Scholar 9 - Athens Part I

Episode 9: Aric and Dr. Crawford turn their attention to the other great city state of fifth century BC Greece... Athens https://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-soldier-and-a-scholar-9-athens-part-1/ A (hopefu...

September 26, 2025 at 5:58 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

GoTAH VIb: The Harbinger of Change - the Reception of Comets in Eastern Traditions

The mixed reactions to the Red Comet recorded in A Clash of Kings and the concordant early episodes of the second season of Game of Thrones reflect similar ambiguous responses in history to such astro...

181. Constantine XI – The End

September 25, 2025 at 6:29 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

Classical Association in Northern Ireland

@classassocni.bsky.social

181. Constantine XI - The End

YouTube video by Classical Association Northern Ireland

180. John VIII – Religious Desperation

September 23, 2025 at 10:58 AM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

Classical Association in Northern Ireland

@classassocni.bsky.social

180. John VII - Religious Desperation

YouTube video by Classical Association Northern Ireland

September 16, 2025 at 1:07 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

A Soldier and A Scholar 8 - "Because Sparta was Sparta" Part IV - Spartan Military Might

A (hopefully) fun and accessible portal into Ancient History, with some academic and 'real world' insights.Episode 8: Aric and Dr. Crawford finally reach the thing that the Spartans are most famous fo...

A Soldier and A Scholar 52 - The Fury of Inaros III

September 22, 2025 at 3:58 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

NEW: ASAS 52 - The Fury of Inaros III

Having trouble defeating an enemy holed up on an island? Just redirect a section of the world's biggest river... Simple really...

ptcrawford.wixsite.com/blogographer...

Episode 52 - Having trouble defeating an enemy holed up on an island? Just redirect a section of the world's biggest river...https://mncvgk.podbean.com/e/a-solider-and-a-scholar-52-the-fury-of-inaros-...

September 21, 2025 at 12:29 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

GoTAH VIa: Harbinger of Change - The Reception of the Red Comet

As they streak across the sky, striking awe into onlookers, it is easy to forget that such comets could, with just a few degrees difference in angle, be harbingers of the ultimate doom to life on this...

September 20, 2025 at 10:50 AM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

King After Death – The Post-Mortem Reign of Tarquin the Elder

I have written elsewhere of an instance of the reign of a Persian king, Shapur II, technically beginning before he was born with him being ‘crowned in utero’…https://classicalassociationni.wordpress.c...

September 19, 2025 at 1:07 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

The Blogographer

@blogographer1.bsky.social

GoTAH V - The Titan and the Colossus

So far we have seen ancient influences on the use of molten metal, battlefield tactics, the burning of a daughter in search of divine favour and the role of a woman, her actions and fate in sparking a...

179. Manuel II – The Grand Tour

September 16, 2025 at 1:15 PM

Reposted by Classical Association in Northern Ireland

Classical Association in Northern Ireland

@classassocni.bsky.social

179. Manuel II - The Grand Tour

YouTube video by Classical Association Northern Ireland

180. John VIII – Religious Desperation

September 11, 2025 at 1:23 PM

Classical Association in Northern Ireland

@classassocni.bsky.social

NEW: With the Empire teetering on the edge, religious union was considered one of the only options to ensure its survival... but did the Empire want it?

youtube.com/shorts/ZXKwF...

YouTube video by Classical Association Northern Ireland