the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
LightNews LightNews
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
@the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
13 followers 26 following 97 posts
My name's Patrick Wiley. I'm a writer, filmmaker, archaeologist, tour guide and museum educator.

Ma, Archaeological studies, Yale University
MPhil, Archaeological Geophysics and Remote Sensing
Posts Replies Media Videos
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
Cave canem. #PompeiFriday #RomanArt #Mosaic #SPQR
January 23, 2026 at 3:39 PM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
Is there anything British at the #BritishMuseum? #ArtRepatriation #BronzeAge #IronAge #Roman #SuttonHo #AngloSaxon
January 20, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
richardkadrey.bsky.social
Read the whole thread. "If your art didn’t matter, they wouldn’t be working so hard to steal it."
sethanikeem.bsky.social M. Belanger @sethanikeem.bsky.social · 4d
One tiny comfort I experience as a creator right now:

Some of the richest people on the planet have poured billions into a plagiarism machine because they are so utterly desperate to be us

But no machine learning program can give them our skills, our vision, or our heart

And they hate that
January 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
theduncanmackay.bsky.social
The new Norfolk Iron Age carnyx find featured on #DiggingForBritain with @profaliceroberts.bsky.social is beyond spectacular, dating to that crucial period for the Iceni between Caesar’s expeditions & Boudica’s rebellion. Already my find of the decade, today is a day to worship the carnyx…
1/…
A reproduction of the bronze boar-headed Deskford carnyx held in the air.
January 7, 2026 at 9:34 AM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
From 2018-2019 I worked as a research assistant at the #Yale conservation lab photographing, cataloguing and researching objects from their #history of #science and #technology. It was exciting to see some of these items on display at the #PeabodyMuseum
January 7, 2026 at 2:34 AM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
A bit of #contemporaryarchaeology this wreck has been sitting in the state Forest in Glastonbury #Connecticut for decades. I’m not a #carguy, can anyone estimate how old this is?
January 7, 2026 at 1:10 AM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
I’m an #archaeologist now but as is the case with many, #paleontology was my first love, and I’ll never tire of marveling at the remains of ancient life. The #YalePeabodyMuseum has so many amazing specimens.
January 4, 2026 at 8:20 PM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
The #YalePeabodyMuseum will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s one of the first museums I can remember visiting. It was a thrill to see it again over holiday break, especially after its $150 million refurbishment.
January 4, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
fakehistoryhunter.net
The spirit of Ea-nāṣir lives on ;)
londondaily.com/trader-buys-...
Trader buys $36 million of copper and gets painted rocks instead - London Daily
Commodities trader Mercuria says it is the victim of fraud. Thieves in Turkey switched painted paving stones for copper
londondaily.com
January 3, 2026 at 2:23 PM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
Happy #PompeiFriday everyone. #archaeology #Roman #SPQR
January 2, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
doccrom.bsky.social
#OnThisDay - 31 December - in AD 192, the Roman Emperor Commodus was assassinated by conspirators. When poison failed, he was strangled in the bath by the athlete Narcissus (Dio 73.22). #History 🏺

Image: RIC III Commodus 237Ae; Münzkabinett Berlin (18278371). Link - numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric....
December 31, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
chapps.bsky.social
A Roman terracotta lamp with Victory holding a shield inscribed with a wish for a happy and prosperous new year. Around her are representations of things that were usually given as gifts to celebrate the New Year: money (here three coins), and dried fruit (dates and figs). 🥳 🏺 1/

#MetMuseum 📸 me
Winged Victory holds a shield inscribed with a New Year's wish for happiness: ANNV / NOVM FAV/STVM FEL/ICEM MI/HI, which transliterates as 'Annum Novum Faustum Felicem Mihi' - literally 'A happy, fortunate, and prosperous New Year to me'. It's a self-referential wish for happiness and good fortune in the new year. Around her are representations of things that were usually given as gifts to celebrate the New Year— money (in the form of three coins) and dried fruit (dates and figs). Roman, mold-made, 2nd half of 1st century CE. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (06.1021.291)
December 31, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
chapps.bsky.social
It’s a wonderful mosaic. That’s a charioteer for the white faction. The others are the greens, the reds, and the blues.

flic.kr/p/2pHi4at
Mosaic pavement depicting the four charioteer factions of the Roman circus
This mosaic pavement depicts aurigae (charioteers) and lead horses of the four colored factions of the Circus Maximus in Rome. Clockwise from upper left, the factions are Greens, Reds, Blues, and Whit...
flic.kr
December 30, 2025 at 5:04 AM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
I’m a sucker for #castles. #EdinburghCastle was my first and to this day remains one of my favorites. #MedievalHistory #Scotland
December 30, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
anthonymajanlahti.bsky.social
#EpigraphyTuesday comes to us from #Florence this week, where we find this #altar with a dedication by a head postman to the Undefeated Sun and #Mithras from 183 CE. It first appeared in the #Maffei collection in #Rome and then entered palazzo #Medici #Riccardi. #AncientBluesky 🏺
ALTAR TO SOL INVICTUS AND MITHRAS, 183 CE. PALAZZO MEDICI RICCARDI, FLORENCE Soli inbicto Mitre (!) / M. Ulp(ius) Maximus prae/positus tabellari/orum aram cum / suis ornamentis / et bela domini / insicnis habentes (!) / n(umero) IIII / ut voverat d(onum) d(edit) This inscription dedicates the gift of this altar to the Undefeated Sun and Mithras by M. Ulpius Maximus, chief postman, along with its decorations, perhaps in metal, and four sails of lord (Mithras) that he had vowed. A smaller inscription above names one Sextus Creusina Secundus, a priest, as being present for the placing of the altar, as Maximus and his son Maximinus had vowed, when Commodus was consul for the fourth time and Victorinus was consul for the second time (ie, 183 CE). The regular replacement of "b" for "v" is interesting. The "vela" or sail was a Mithraic symbol, but here seems real, not symbolic. Postmen or messengers (tabellarii) were imperial workers, and this one might be the son of a freedman of Trajan's.
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
“Salve! Quid vis?”

#PompeiFriday #RomanEmpire #SPQR
December 27, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
chriswoodyard.bsky.social
The Ghost Story, Alfred Bestall, 1930
#Christmasghoststories
An old man with a cane in a chair is silhouetted against the fire. He is telling a Christmas ghost story to a group of adults and children while a giant ghostly knight leans on the mantlepiece, listening.
December 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
#TheBreakers Mansion in #Newport #RhodeIsland, decorated for the holidays. The #Vanderbilts considered this to be their “Summer cottage”, so did they ever actually celebrate Christmas there? #MerryChristmas. #museums #USHistory
December 24, 2025 at 6:41 PM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
No! This is people food!

#Dogo #DogsofBluesky #RomanSculpture #3D
December 23, 2025 at 4:54 AM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
@patrickwyman.bsky.social Hi. I've been enjoying your Fall of Rome podcast. I have a question. I've long thought that Rome had a bit of a critical mass problem that contributed to its decline.
December 23, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
thehistorianshut.bsky.social
A quote from the ancient philosopher, Mo Tzu (5th century BCE), about reciprocal emotion.

Source: thehistorianshut.com/2019/08/04/m...

#quotes #history
December 20, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Reposted by the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
thehistorianshut.bsky.social
A quote from the Roman poet, Virgil (c. 70-19 BCE), about life and love.

Source: thehistorianshut.com/2024/04/24/v...

#history #quotes
December 22, 2025 at 10:16 PM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
To all history content creators on social media, I implore you, please stop using #Ai-slop as images or video content. We should not be encouraging the use of AI generated images to promote the humanities and social sciences.
December 22, 2025 at 9:01 PM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
Sarcophagus at the #NationalEtruscanMuseum in #Rome, 6th century BCE. Depicting a man and woman at a drinking party, originally their hands would have been holding cups.
December 22, 2025 at 12:17 PM
the-past-with-pat.bsky.social
#Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller. #Rhodes #Greece
December 21, 2025 at 7:31 PM