Ever wondered why your grape vines never produce good wine? Hi Britta! People like Varro have a lot to say about how your farm can help you cultivate a political career or a reputation as wealthy, tasteful, and virtuous, and we have plenty of evidence for elite Romans vacationing in the countryside and, essentially, glamping. I also have a half-finished article on agricultural tree curses a genre we have more examples of than you might expect and a vaguely thought out piece on the reception of classical antiquity in modern perfumes.
I still need to make some final revisions on the book I finished this spring, The Scent of Ancient Magic, which deals with how Greco-Roman conceptions of magic and smell overlap and interact. That should be out in AP: This sounds like the next, best word in sensory approaches to ancient magic and I am so here for this. What was the most recent academic book you bought? And have you opened it yet? One of these months.
On the plus side, I do actually know where they are, unlike most of my books, which are still in boxes after moving this summer. Surely that counts for something.
The way that the same objects and behaviours can be categorised differently depending on who is using them and who is observing, or even due to factors like the political climate, is one of the aspects of ancient ritual which I find fascinating. Imagine you are on commission and trying to sell me an ancient curse, spell, amulet, or ritual. Choose your favourite and give me the pitch.
I can show you how to get back at that leafy bastard. How are you finding the world of academia right now? Between the lack of familiar seasons and working at home, time has lost all meaning. If you could have a toasty caffeinated beverage with anyone in the field of religious and magical studies, classics, and archaeology, who would it be and why?
