Dr. Michael Economou

Historian of ancient Palestine, Jewish history, the Roman Empire, and religion. Unpacking the past to understand faith, power, and culture today.

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

@RenovatioOnline That's astonishing, it suggests an ongoing awareness of the Islamic lunar calendar. Fascinating article

[Héraklès Citharède @HeraklesCithare]

Le théâtre de Pétra creusé à même la montagne.

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

@yuanyi_z The recent French panel discussion on China where not a single representative could name a Chinese political figure exemplified this ignorance. Outside of specialised China scholars, our intellectual elite are basically wholly unaware of Chinese politics

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

@ProudBavaria Victoria 3 is such an odd case. They took the time to develop amazing systems and created something potentially incredible, and then scuppered it with obviously terrible UI and warfare designs

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

@POLITICOEurope This hasn't been the case in recent history. Sunak, Truss, and Brown didn't. Boris did, but only after 6 months because he was unable to get Brexit through Parliament, not because he felt any need to seek a new mandate. Theresa May did, but only after a year. Not a rule at all.

[Dr Theo Nash @theo_nash]

The @scrollprize team have achieved a full, digital unrolling of P.Herc. 1667 -- albeit still very damaged, this is a remarkable and historic recovery of Classical Greek.

[Chas LiBretto @ChasLiBretto]

pronouncing ‘Mamdanites’ like it’s an Ancient Greek word

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

@Jacob_Rees_Mogg This is interesting, but I would actually suggest that crude, personal insults against politicians tend to endure when tyranny takes root (see the Roman transition to Empire, Stalin's Russia, etc.). It's substantive, factual, elegantly argued critiques which die with liberty.

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

@TheEconomist Part of what makes this so concerning, is that we've seen similar strategies (such as turning settlements into fenced compounds) deployed in Africa by governments losing wars with insurgencies in the 20th century. It suggests a political breakdown is imminent.

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

Those familiar with Hebrew will notice that the script on the legends is not the modern Hebrew script. This is because the designers used an ancient script, Paleo-Hebrew, which was rarely deployed in contemporary documents but evocative of earlier Hasmonean coin issues. (4/4)

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

The coins minted by the rebel authorities during the First Jewish Revolt are some of the most beautiful, strange, and distinctive artefacts from Roman Palestine (1/4)

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

Instead, the coins feature images of plants which are significant in the Hebrew Bible (such as pomegranates and vines), and cultic objects from the Temple. This coin (minted in the Revolt's 4th year) show images associated with the harvest festival of Sukkot (3/4)

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

A stunning summer sky in the beautiful Kingdom of Bahrain

[Roma Aeterna 🏛 @ValeriaAugusta8]

#Etrusques : urne cinéraire à tête féminine et aux bras articulés (terre cuite, Chiusi en Etrurie, vers 550-500 av. J.-C.). Elle avait été exposée dans la galerie du temps du #louvrelens.

[Héraklès Citharède @HeraklesCithare]

Une beauté méconnue que cette monnaie d’argent frappée à Tarente pendant l’éphémère conquête du sud de l’Italie par Alexandre, roi des Molosses et homonyme de son neveu macédonien.

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

@ProudBavaria The school acquitted itself admirably during the war. Braudel was also sent to a Nazi prison, where he drafted his enormous work on the Mediterranean from memory.

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

As the UK guts humanities from its universities, it's important to remember this is not inevitable. Countries around the world (especially here in the Gulf) are heavily investing in protecting, studying, and promoting their culture and heritage as vital national assets.

[Dr Dorka Tamás📝🌸🌊 @dorkatamas]

While everyone is mourning job losses, I would also highlight that ECRs like me and PhDs never even got a chance, we are moving from unemployment to short term contracts to unemployment while still having prestigious publications. It’s all of us.

[Dr. Michael Economou @MSEconomou]

@samueljessecox @NonwayneWayne @timeshighered Yes! This is such an important point. While a minority may find them intimidating, for most lectures are an opportunity to meet fellow students, interact with their teachers, and be out in the world.