Michael J. Taylor
@drmichaeljtaylor.bsky.social
Associate Professor, University at Albany SUNY
Greek and Roman History
PhD UC Berkeley
Greek and Roman History
PhD UC Berkeley
A Co, 1-160 IN, Iraq, 2007-2008.
November 11, 2025 at 2:05 PM
A Co, 1-160 IN, Iraq, 2007-2008.
Burnt out tank hull (T-72?) from Desert Storm, just north of the Kuwait border (K-Crossing) on ASR Aspen. 2007-08.
November 11, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Burnt out tank hull (T-72?) from Desert Storm, just north of the Kuwait border (K-Crossing) on ASR Aspen. 2007-08.
Camp Cedar II, near An-Nasiriyah, 2008. 1-160 IN (CA National Guard).
November 11, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Camp Cedar II, near An-Nasiriyah, 2008. 1-160 IN (CA National Guard).
Post Halloween experimental archaeology
November 4, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Post Halloween experimental archaeology
Lots of elections today! I voted early in local elections here in Upstate New York... not as exciting as NJ, VA or NYC, but wherever your are...exercise your suffragium!
November 4, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Lots of elections today! I voted early in local elections here in Upstate New York... not as exciting as NJ, VA or NYC, but wherever your are...exercise your suffragium!
Autumnal read: Rhyne King's House of the Satrap.
Fascinating dive into the basic building block of the Achaemenid empire, the satraps house, and argues that the imperial system should be viewed as a set of hierarchically structured overlapping houses: the king, his satraps and their subordinates.
Fascinating dive into the basic building block of the Achaemenid empire, the satraps house, and argues that the imperial system should be viewed as a set of hierarchically structured overlapping houses: the king, his satraps and their subordinates.
October 25, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Autumnal read: Rhyne King's House of the Satrap.
Fascinating dive into the basic building block of the Achaemenid empire, the satraps house, and argues that the imperial system should be viewed as a set of hierarchically structured overlapping houses: the king, his satraps and their subordinates.
Fascinating dive into the basic building block of the Achaemenid empire, the satraps house, and argues that the imperial system should be viewed as a set of hierarchically structured overlapping houses: the king, his satraps and their subordinates.
Unsurprisingly, Rome was seen as a model once the United States threw off their king. George Washington modeled his comportment on the legendary Roman hero Cincinnatus.
October 18, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Unsurprisingly, Rome was seen as a model once the United States threw off their king. George Washington modeled his comportment on the legendary Roman hero Cincinnatus.
It is debated the extent that Rome was a true democracy. The city always had a well-established aristocratic political class.
But I am convinced that the mechanics of popular election and legislation was a critical to Rome's dynamism and success. People voted, and their votes counted.
But I am convinced that the mechanics of popular election and legislation was a critical to Rome's dynamism and success. People voted, and their votes counted.
October 18, 2025 at 12:31 PM
It is debated the extent that Rome was a true democracy. The city always had a well-established aristocratic political class.
But I am convinced that the mechanics of popular election and legislation was a critical to Rome's dynamism and success. People voted, and their votes counted.
But I am convinced that the mechanics of popular election and legislation was a critical to Rome's dynamism and success. People voted, and their votes counted.
The Romans smash the hell out of the Hellenistic kings. Monarchy is a brittle form of government.
It does not seem a coincidence to me that Rome's fiercest rival, Carthage, was also a republic. Republics are resilient (a cause for optimism).
It does not seem a coincidence to me that Rome's fiercest rival, Carthage, was also a republic. Republics are resilient (a cause for optimism).
October 18, 2025 at 12:31 PM
The Romans smash the hell out of the Hellenistic kings. Monarchy is a brittle form of government.
It does not seem a coincidence to me that Rome's fiercest rival, Carthage, was also a republic. Republics are resilient (a cause for optimism).
It does not seem a coincidence to me that Rome's fiercest rival, Carthage, was also a republic. Republics are resilient (a cause for optimism).
Instead of simply elevating a new king, the Romans set up a Republic. The process, best we can tell was halting, and republic didn't emerge as a powerhouse until the late 4th century.
Still, the res publica endured for almost half a millennium and in the process conquered a Mediterranean empire.
Still, the res publica endured for almost half a millennium and in the process conquered a Mediterranean empire.
October 18, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Instead of simply elevating a new king, the Romans set up a Republic. The process, best we can tell was halting, and republic didn't emerge as a powerhouse until the late 4th century.
Still, the res publica endured for almost half a millennium and in the process conquered a Mediterranean empire.
Still, the res publica endured for almost half a millennium and in the process conquered a Mediterranean empire.
The Romans expelled their last king, Tarquin the Proud in the late 6th century (509 is the canonical date).
They believed that his son had raped a Roman noblewoman, Lucretia.
The Romans routinely associated sexual violence with political corruption....although maybe with good reason.
They believed that his son had raped a Roman noblewoman, Lucretia.
The Romans routinely associated sexual violence with political corruption....although maybe with good reason.
October 18, 2025 at 12:31 PM
The Romans expelled their last king, Tarquin the Proud in the late 6th century (509 is the canonical date).
They believed that his son had raped a Roman noblewoman, Lucretia.
The Romans routinely associated sexual violence with political corruption....although maybe with good reason.
They believed that his son had raped a Roman noblewoman, Lucretia.
The Romans routinely associated sexual violence with political corruption....although maybe with good reason.
Since today is #nokings, worth reflecting on the deep anti-monarchic currents in ancient Rome.
The city of Rome had been ruled by kings (seven in myth, but the last few were certainly real).
Roman tradition recalled the late kings obtained power violently and ruled tyrannically.
The city of Rome had been ruled by kings (seven in myth, but the last few were certainly real).
Roman tradition recalled the late kings obtained power violently and ruled tyrannically.
October 18, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Since today is #nokings, worth reflecting on the deep anti-monarchic currents in ancient Rome.
The city of Rome had been ruled by kings (seven in myth, but the last few were certainly real).
Roman tradition recalled the late kings obtained power violently and ruled tyrannically.
The city of Rome had been ruled by kings (seven in myth, but the last few were certainly real).
Roman tradition recalled the late kings obtained power violently and ruled tyrannically.
For those without access, DM me for a PDF.
And the OCD3 allows for expanded (although not infinite) bibliography, so the article gives a sense of the exciting work going on at the moment in Roman military history, which I feel very grateful to be allowed to synthesize here.
And the OCD3 allows for expanded (although not infinite) bibliography, so the article gives a sense of the exciting work going on at the moment in Roman military history, which I feel very grateful to be allowed to synthesize here.
September 30, 2025 at 6:55 PM
For those without access, DM me for a PDF.
And the OCD3 allows for expanded (although not infinite) bibliography, so the article gives a sense of the exciting work going on at the moment in Roman military history, which I feel very grateful to be allowed to synthesize here.
And the OCD3 allows for expanded (although not infinite) bibliography, so the article gives a sense of the exciting work going on at the moment in Roman military history, which I feel very grateful to be allowed to synthesize here.
Maybe I should do one of those Princeton pseudo-Loebs "How to have a Midlife crisis."
Of course, ideally a mid-life crisis can be resolved without enslaving 150,000 people.
Of course, ideally a mid-life crisis can be resolved without enslaving 150,000 people.
September 12, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Maybe I should do one of those Princeton pseudo-Loebs "How to have a Midlife crisis."
Of course, ideally a mid-life crisis can be resolved without enslaving 150,000 people.
Of course, ideally a mid-life crisis can be resolved without enslaving 150,000 people.
Wow, Aemilius Paullus had a straight up classic mid-life crisis:
Career setback (lost bid for 2nd consulship)
Divorced first wife for no reason
Took up a bunch of hobbies (supposedly to educate his kids)
Career setback (lost bid for 2nd consulship)
Divorced first wife for no reason
Took up a bunch of hobbies (supposedly to educate his kids)
September 12, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Wow, Aemilius Paullus had a straight up classic mid-life crisis:
Career setback (lost bid for 2nd consulship)
Divorced first wife for no reason
Took up a bunch of hobbies (supposedly to educate his kids)
Career setback (lost bid for 2nd consulship)
Divorced first wife for no reason
Took up a bunch of hobbies (supposedly to educate his kids)
Probably only tunics, where we can see sleeves coming out from under the mail shirts.
But we also get several quite intensive clothing requisitions in Livy, and these mention tunics, togas (!) and cloaks, but never any sort of subarmalis/gameson type garments.
But we also get several quite intensive clothing requisitions in Livy, and these mention tunics, togas (!) and cloaks, but never any sort of subarmalis/gameson type garments.
August 26, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Probably only tunics, where we can see sleeves coming out from under the mail shirts.
But we also get several quite intensive clothing requisitions in Livy, and these mention tunics, togas (!) and cloaks, but never any sort of subarmalis/gameson type garments.
But we also get several quite intensive clothing requisitions in Livy, and these mention tunics, togas (!) and cloaks, but never any sort of subarmalis/gameson type garments.
My solar panels just generated their 50th megawatt/hour of electricity.
The equivalent of burning 25 tons of coal!
And a cool ten thousand dollars my current utility rate.
The equivalent of burning 25 tons of coal!
And a cool ten thousand dollars my current utility rate.
August 21, 2025 at 3:18 PM
My solar panels just generated their 50th megawatt/hour of electricity.
The equivalent of burning 25 tons of coal!
And a cool ten thousand dollars my current utility rate.
The equivalent of burning 25 tons of coal!
And a cool ten thousand dollars my current utility rate.
Beach Read # 3 Rafael Scopacasa's Ancient Samnium, bringing the full force of archaeological evidence to bear. We are presented with vibrant, varied and dynamic communities on their own right, not merely pagi in a larger ethnos. A much needed update to Salmon.
August 21, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Beach Read # 3 Rafael Scopacasa's Ancient Samnium, bringing the full force of archaeological evidence to bear. We are presented with vibrant, varied and dynamic communities on their own right, not merely pagi in a larger ethnos. A much needed update to Salmon.
What’s in your man-cave?
August 16, 2025 at 1:44 PM
What’s in your man-cave?
Depictions of female anatomical cuirasses are relatively rare in the ancient world, even on mythical female warriors.
But this Amazon terracotta from Canosa shows that "boob armor" pairs quite well with a Montefortino helmet.
Note the drill holes on top for plumes!
But this Amazon terracotta from Canosa shows that "boob armor" pairs quite well with a Montefortino helmet.
Note the drill holes on top for plumes!
July 16, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Depictions of female anatomical cuirasses are relatively rare in the ancient world, even on mythical female warriors.
But this Amazon terracotta from Canosa shows that "boob armor" pairs quite well with a Montefortino helmet.
Note the drill holes on top for plumes!
But this Amazon terracotta from Canosa shows that "boob armor" pairs quite well with a Montefortino helmet.
Note the drill holes on top for plumes!
Summer Beach Read #2: @profbernard.bsky.social 's *Historical Culture in Iron Age Italy.*
Fascinating survey of the material evidence for how Italians conceptualized their past, and how those conceptualizations changed alongside the development of urban states.
Fascinating survey of the material evidence for how Italians conceptualized their past, and how those conceptualizations changed alongside the development of urban states.
July 15, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Summer Beach Read #2: @profbernard.bsky.social 's *Historical Culture in Iron Age Italy.*
Fascinating survey of the material evidence for how Italians conceptualized their past, and how those conceptualizations changed alongside the development of urban states.
Fascinating survey of the material evidence for how Italians conceptualized their past, and how those conceptualizations changed alongside the development of urban states.