Ellen Muehlberger
@emuehlbe.bsky.social
Michigander with ideas about ancient history, writing, cats, bikes
I'm probably gonna ask you what you're writing
Things Unseen, available open access from University of California Press: https://luminosoa.org/books/m/10.1525/luminos.253
I'm probably gonna ask you what you're writing
Things Unseen, available open access from University of California Press: https://luminosoa.org/books/m/10.1525/luminos.253
Pinned
I say this enough that I should just make a permanent pinned post, but people: if you're feeling down, just go get yourself a hit of other people's good news---it's the richest espresso, the driest prosecco, the warmest sunshine, the gooey-ist brownie
Going through old NAPS board minutes to make a list of past winners of first article prize, and shocker, we have had the same three issues for the last thirty years:
1) Should our conference be strict or inclusive of papers?
2) Money, what do we do with it/how do we get it?
3) What's our name?
1) Should our conference be strict or inclusive of papers?
2) Money, what do we do with it/how do we get it?
3) What's our name?
December 7, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Going through old NAPS board minutes to make a list of past winners of first article prize, and shocker, we have had the same three issues for the last thirty years:
1) Should our conference be strict or inclusive of papers?
2) Money, what do we do with it/how do we get it?
3) What's our name?
1) Should our conference be strict or inclusive of papers?
2) Money, what do we do with it/how do we get it?
3) What's our name?
"Time held me green and dying
Though I sang in my chains like the sea."
can make me weep at the drop of a hat
Though I sang in my chains like the sea."
can make me weep at the drop of a hat
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 7, 2025 at 7:23 PM
"Time held me green and dying
Though I sang in my chains like the sea."
can make me weep at the drop of a hat
Though I sang in my chains like the sea."
can make me weep at the drop of a hat
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
Current* conditions near Manistee, MI:
December 7, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Current* conditions near Manistee, MI:
I don't think people realize how absolutely weird it is to have IU winning football games, like records playing backwards weird
To be winning games against Ohio State---like, am I on mushrooms? What world is this???
To be winning games against Ohio State---like, am I on mushrooms? What world is this???
December 7, 2025 at 12:24 PM
I don't think people realize how absolutely weird it is to have IU winning football games, like records playing backwards weird
To be winning games against Ohio State---like, am I on mushrooms? What world is this???
To be winning games against Ohio State---like, am I on mushrooms? What world is this???
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
I'm an "alum" of this prize and being recognized this way really had a deep impact on me!
December 5, 2025 at 9:00 PM
I'm an "alum" of this prize and being recognized this way really had a deep impact on me!
all the Best First Article Prize details are here: www.patristics.org/grants-and-p...
NB: the piece does not have to have been published in JECS to be considered!
NB: the piece does not have to have been published in JECS to be considered!
Grants and Prizes – NAPS – The North American Patristics Society
www.patristics.org
December 5, 2025 at 7:05 PM
all the Best First Article Prize details are here: www.patristics.org/grants-and-p...
NB: the piece does not have to have been published in JECS to be considered!
NB: the piece does not have to have been published in JECS to be considered!
📣Did you read someone's great first article from either 2024 or 2025? Is the author a NAPS member? Would they like cash money?
Nominate them by sending a PDF of their piece to jecs.editor@gmail.com by January 31, 2026
Best First Article prize and a cool $250 awarded at the NAPS annual meeting!
Nominate them by sending a PDF of their piece to jecs.editor@gmail.com by January 31, 2026
Best First Article prize and a cool $250 awarded at the NAPS annual meeting!
December 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
📣Did you read someone's great first article from either 2024 or 2025? Is the author a NAPS member? Would they like cash money?
Nominate them by sending a PDF of their piece to jecs.editor@gmail.com by January 31, 2026
Best First Article prize and a cool $250 awarded at the NAPS annual meeting!
Nominate them by sending a PDF of their piece to jecs.editor@gmail.com by January 31, 2026
Best First Article prize and a cool $250 awarded at the NAPS annual meeting!
📣Are you a NAPS member? Did you publish your first article in 2024 or 2025? Do you like cash money?
Send a PDF of that first article to me at jecs.editor@gmail.com by January 31, 2026
Best First Article prize and a cool $250 awarded at the NAPS annual meeting!
Send a PDF of that first article to me at jecs.editor@gmail.com by January 31, 2026
Best First Article prize and a cool $250 awarded at the NAPS annual meeting!
December 5, 2025 at 7:01 PM
📣Are you a NAPS member? Did you publish your first article in 2024 or 2025? Do you like cash money?
Send a PDF of that first article to me at jecs.editor@gmail.com by January 31, 2026
Best First Article prize and a cool $250 awarded at the NAPS annual meeting!
Send a PDF of that first article to me at jecs.editor@gmail.com by January 31, 2026
Best First Article prize and a cool $250 awarded at the NAPS annual meeting!
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
I had a great time talking with Anthony Kaldellis on his Byzantium & Friends pod about Things Unseen
the episode is up here: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5ccaq-...
first question out of the gate is about the dedication
the episode is up here: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5ccaq-...
first question out of the gate is about the dedication
145. Seeing into the minds of others, with Ellen Muehlberger
A conversation with Ellen Muehlberger (University of Michigan) about how some people in late antiquity tried to model, confirm, or interpret what they thought was going on in the minds of others. We b...
www.podbean.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I had a great time talking with Anthony Kaldellis on his Byzantium & Friends pod about Things Unseen
the episode is up here: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5ccaq-...
first question out of the gate is about the dedication
the episode is up here: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5ccaq-...
first question out of the gate is about the dedication
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
this is crucial. broligarchs need data, they've stolen most of what they can, there's virtually no business use case, student data capture is the whole bag
December 5, 2025 at 3:19 PM
this is crucial. broligarchs need data, they've stolen most of what they can, there's virtually no business use case, student data capture is the whole bag
I need two permanent copy-pastes, accessible on any device:
my zoom room URL
and
"Ellen (which you should call me if you're comfortable with that)
my zoom room URL
and
"Ellen (which you should call me if you're comfortable with that)
December 5, 2025 at 5:25 PM
I need two permanent copy-pastes, accessible on any device:
my zoom room URL
and
"Ellen (which you should call me if you're comfortable with that)
my zoom room URL
and
"Ellen (which you should call me if you're comfortable with that)
that day when one bibliographic entry leads you to another, and another, on high alert, like "has *this* piece already done what I want to do with this chapter I'm writing?" and it's high stakes until you work through the German, or the Spanish, or whatever and finally learn: no, not this one!
December 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
that day when one bibliographic entry leads you to another, and another, on high alert, like "has *this* piece already done what I want to do with this chapter I'm writing?" and it's high stakes until you work through the German, or the Spanish, or whatever and finally learn: no, not this one!
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
I’ve been thinking about the intellectual and affective labor involved in reading AI Generated student papers. I’m forecasting a little of the proposal that @cnygren.bsky.social and I advance in a piece that’ll be out soon but here’s where I’ve personally landed (o speak for myself not for us both):
December 4, 2025 at 11:21 PM
I’ve been thinking about the intellectual and affective labor involved in reading AI Generated student papers. I’m forecasting a little of the proposal that @cnygren.bsky.social and I advance in a piece that’ll be out soon but here’s where I’ve personally landed (o speak for myself not for us both):
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
Looking for an MA in Classics and Ancient History? Look no further! We are very excited about the launch of our new MA in Classics and Ancient History, now open for applications for a September 2026 start.
For more information and to apply, please visit:
courses.leeds.ac.uk/k149/classic...
For more information and to apply, please visit:
courses.leeds.ac.uk/k149/classic...
Classics and Ancient History MA | University of Leeds
The Classics and Ancient History MA is unique to Leeds and explores the ancient Mediterranean world, spanning literature, history, philosophy, religion and material culture.
courses.leeds.ac.uk
December 5, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Looking for an MA in Classics and Ancient History? Look no further! We are very excited about the launch of our new MA in Classics and Ancient History, now open for applications for a September 2026 start.
For more information and to apply, please visit:
courses.leeds.ac.uk/k149/classic...
For more information and to apply, please visit:
courses.leeds.ac.uk/k149/classic...
I had a great time talking with Anthony Kaldellis on his Byzantium & Friends pod about Things Unseen
the episode is up here: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5ccaq-...
first question out of the gate is about the dedication
the episode is up here: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5ccaq-...
first question out of the gate is about the dedication
145. Seeing into the minds of others, with Ellen Muehlberger
A conversation with Ellen Muehlberger (University of Michigan) about how some people in late antiquity tried to model, confirm, or interpret what they thought was going on in the minds of others. We b...
www.podbean.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I had a great time talking with Anthony Kaldellis on his Byzantium & Friends pod about Things Unseen
the episode is up here: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5ccaq-...
first question out of the gate is about the dedication
the episode is up here: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5ccaq-...
first question out of the gate is about the dedication
I'm reminded today of that time that all of us in the field got an email letting us know that a NT/EC job was filled---and it was supposed to be BCC, but was not
December 4, 2025 at 6:40 PM
I'm reminded today of that time that all of us in the field got an email letting us know that a NT/EC job was filled---and it was supposed to be BCC, but was not
Anyway, all the cool people know that the *real* color of the year is the new cover color for next year's Journal of Early Christian Studies---subscribe now and get four issues in Pantone 165, a gorgeous, nicely saturated orange for 2026
December 4, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Anyway, all the cool people know that the *real* color of the year is the new cover color for next year's Journal of Early Christian Studies---subscribe now and get four issues in Pantone 165, a gorgeous, nicely saturated orange for 2026
White? This year?? C'mon
December 4, 2025 at 5:12 PM
White? This year?? C'mon
If you're not already following Professor Antonovich, well, today's the day to fix that error!
Historian of eugenics here. I don't normally like to retweet bad arguments, but this is such a fundamental misunderstanding of eugenics, I think it's important to point out. I don't have time to debunk all of the ways this is inaccurate, but I'll highlight a few things and then recommend some books🧵
December 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
If you're not already following Professor Antonovich, well, today's the day to fix that error!
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
this is my #1 advice to grad students: anyone can reproduce jargon; the bigger flex is being able to make the argument in straightforward prose. clarity is indicative of deep thought and engagement. even chatGPT can write word salad.
i strongly, strongly believe that good writing is downstream of clear thinking and a strong understanding of the subject matter at hand. without fail, tortured writing comes from writers who don’t know and can’t think clearly about anything.
Oh man! This paragraph is brutal. The best thing about this review is it's not trying to be mean. It's just listing how bad the writing is.
December 3, 2025 at 7:36 PM
this is my #1 advice to grad students: anyone can reproduce jargon; the bigger flex is being able to make the argument in straightforward prose. clarity is indicative of deep thought and engagement. even chatGPT can write word salad.
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
Proofs day for my chapter in _Listen to the Sibyl: The History, Poetics, and Reception of the Sibylline Oracles_ (ed. Olivia Stewart Lester et al)! The volume should be out in February via JSJSupp: brill.com/display/titl...
brill.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Proofs day for my chapter in _Listen to the Sibyl: The History, Poetics, and Reception of the Sibylline Oracles_ (ed. Olivia Stewart Lester et al)! The volume should be out in February via JSJSupp: brill.com/display/titl...
Hear me out: how different would it all be if you took a position as dean or provost or president knowing that you'd return to being a regular line colleague at the end of it?
December 1, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Hear me out: how different would it all be if you took a position as dean or provost or president knowing that you'd return to being a regular line colleague at the end of it?
About a decade ago my current institution hired the shiny bow tie from outside rather than the inside person everyone knew and trusted
Shiny bow tie collected his CV line and moved back to what was clearly his home institution; we lost the insider to an Ivy that saw its good fortune in our mistake
Shiny bow tie collected his CV line and moved back to what was clearly his home institution; we lost the insider to an Ivy that saw its good fortune in our mistake
The worst thing to happen to academia was the emergence of a nomadic administrative class like the one in corporations who just move from institution to institution setting fires and walking away.
Say what you will about the flaws of faculty governance, but at least they believe in the mission.
Say what you will about the flaws of faculty governance, but at least they believe in the mission.
December 1, 2025 at 4:47 PM
About a decade ago my current institution hired the shiny bow tie from outside rather than the inside person everyone knew and trusted
Shiny bow tie collected his CV line and moved back to what was clearly his home institution; we lost the insider to an Ivy that saw its good fortune in our mistake
Shiny bow tie collected his CV line and moved back to what was clearly his home institution; we lost the insider to an Ivy that saw its good fortune in our mistake
Reposted by Ellen Muehlberger
Out now in Oxford Bibliographies in Classics: My biblio on "Jews in the Roman empire." My goal was to invite classicists/ancient historians into the rich world of rabbinic literature, which can transform (if we let it) how we talk about the Roman empire
www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/docu...
www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/docu...
www.oxfordbibliographies.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Out now in Oxford Bibliographies in Classics: My biblio on "Jews in the Roman empire." My goal was to invite classicists/ancient historians into the rich world of rabbinic literature, which can transform (if we let it) how we talk about the Roman empire
www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/docu...
www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/docu...