The blog post discusses the proper name of God in the Hebrew Bible, known as the tetragrammaton (YHWH), and its historical pronunciation. It explains how the name was used in ancient Israel and Judah, the taboo against pronouncing...
About:
Spencer McDaniel is a historian mainly interested in ancient Greek cultural and social history. Some of their main historical interests include ancient religion and myth; gender and sexuality; ethnicity; and interactions between Greeks and foreign cultures. Spencer holds a BA in history and classical studies (Ancient Greek and Latin languages and literature), with departmental honors in history, from Indiana University Bloomington (May 2022) and an MA in Ancient Greek and Roman Studies from Brandeis University (May 2024).
Website:
Incoming Links:
Outgoing Links:
Subscribe to RSS:
The blog post explores the historical and linguistic relationship between the goddess Athena and the city of Athens, suggesting that Athena may have derived her name from the city rather than the other way around. It discusses Ath...
The blog post explores the depiction of ancient Egyptian gods with animal heads, arguing that this practice is not unique to Egypt but is found in various ancient cultures. It discusses the historical context and significance of t...
The blog post explores the history of constructed languages (conlangs), emphasizing that they were not solely created for fictional purposes but also for philosophical and theological reasons. It discusses notable examples such as...
The English word 'pander' derives from the character Pandaros in the Iliad, reflecting a complex literary evolution from ancient to modern interpretations.
Unicorns, often seen as gentle creatures today, were historically depicted as fierce and untamable animals in ancient and medieval texts, reflecting deeper cultural beliefs.
Organized crime has existed since ancient times, with notable examples from Egypt, Greece, and Rome showcasing its historical prevalence and evolution.
The author reflects on their decision to abandon a career in academia, specifically ancient history, after realizing the low chances of securing a tenure-track position. They have decided to pursue law school instead, motivated by...
The author, Spencer McDaniel, shares his experiences during the first few weeks of law school, expressing enjoyment in the material and highlighting the relevance of his background in history and Latin. He discusses a specific cas...
The United States bombed three Iranian nuclear sites in an act of war, which was unconstitutional and illegal. A YouGov poll found that 85% of Americans do not want the United States to be at war with Iran. This is compared to 9% ...
The title 'don' has a common etymological root and was originally used in ancient Rome. It was adopted by early Christians as a translation for the Greek word 'Kýrios' meaning 'Lord'. During the Middle Ages, it became a title of r...
The text discusses the existence of lost ancient cities, such as Akkad, Thinis, and Itj-tawy, whose exact locations are still unknown or disputed. It also mentions that many other ancient cities are inaccessible to archaeologists ...
The text discusses the film 'The Return', an adaptation of the last twelve books of the Odyssey. It highlights the visual aspects of the film, the depiction of some of the original Odyssey scenes, and the mischaracterization of Od...
The author shares the disappointment of not being accepted into a PhD program in classics and ancient history, and the challenges of finding a job outside of academia. They express feelings of disillusionment and uncertainty about...
The author shares the news of being admitted to a PhD program in classics at the University of Washington in Seattle, but is unsure if the offer will be funded. They also discuss their progress on writing a novel and their struggl...
The author is working on a novel and waiting to hear back from PhD programs. They have been invited for an interview at the Graduate Group in Ancient History at Penn. The author's main historical interests include ancient religion...
The author is applying to PhD programs for the third time, focusing on programs where they think they would be a good fit and have a realistic possibility of getting in. They are also working on a novel and are interested in ancie...
The author is working on PhD applications and a historical fiction novel. They intended to write about the reception of classical antiquity in media, but never finished. They are excited about an upcoming film based on the second ...
The author apologizes for lack of recent posts due to working on a novel. They plan to write about Netflix's Kaos, Gladiator II, and The Return. They are considering starting a YouTube channel. The author expresses despair over th...
The author provides an update on the historical fiction novel they have been working on for several months. They discuss the progress, plans, and historical context of the novel, as well as the premise and main characters. The nov...
The text provides advice on reading Homer in translation, including the importance of understanding the context of the poems, preparing to read them, and choosing a translation. It also discusses the strengths and shortcomings of ...
Elon Musk's tweet recommending 'The Iliad' has sparked controversy in the classics community. The problems with Musk's recommendation are related to right-wing dog whistling and bad practical advice. The use of ancient Greek liter...
The text discusses the proposal to fully restore the Athenian agora to how it looked in antiquity. It explains that many of the ancient structures of Athens have already been heavily reconstructed, and the restoration of the agora...
Two classics professors at the University of Colorado Boulder have discovered substantial previously unknown sections from two of Euripides's lost tragedies on a papyrus recently discovered in Egypt. The papyrus bears a partial sc...