Musk and other conservatives often omit the role of queer soldiers in ancient military successes when extolling the virtues of Greek warriors.
Sarah E. Bond
Sarah E. Bond is associate professor of history at the University of Iowa. She blogs on antiquity and digital humanities, and is the author of Trade and Taboo: Disreputable Professions in the Roman Mediterranean and the forthcoming Strike: Labor, Unions, and Resistance in the Roman Empire (Yale University Press, February 2025).
Posted inBook Review
Why Are We Still Obsessed With Pompeii?
In The Buried City, the director of the archaeological park brings a more humane and soulful version of the site to life.
Posted inFeatures
New Research Shows Slavery’s Outsized Role in Pompeii’s Economy
It was the violent profitability of slavery as an exploitative labor system that allowed for the region to prosper, the study demonstrates.
Posted inNews
Archaeologists Reconstruct the Scents of Ancient Mummification
A new study underscores the ubiquity of pleasant smells attached to commonly displayed objects, like sarcophagi and wrappings used in mummified remains.
Posted inArt
The Revisionist History of the Nazi Salute
Elon Musk’s defenders were quick to claim that his hand motion was actually an ancient “Roman salute” — but that gesture never existed.
Posted inArt
Uncovered Medieval Tattoos Flesh Out a Misunderstood Practice
Archaeologists discovered the second known example of Medieval Nubian tattoos in Sudan, bringing us closer to unraveling the art form’s longer history.
Posted inArt
Top 10 Archaeology Stories of 2024
From nationalist ancient bread and unearthed cities to protecting cultural heritage, archaeologists brought a wealth of stories to light in what has been a dark year.
Posted inFilm
The Insidious False History of Gladiator II
The film’s casting of Africa and Africans as largely rebellious, uncivil, and above all outside of the bounds of the Roman empire is incorrect and dangerous.
Posted inNews
Lebanon’s Ancient Heritage Under Threat as Israel Ramps Up Attacks
The Israeli army has issued new evacuation orders for residents of Baalbek, home to Ancient Roman temples and archaeological ruins.
Posted inArt
The Elementary School That Welcomed Keith Haring
To My Friends at Horn is a reminder that artists do not exist in a vacuum and context illuminates the impact of the artist and activist.
Posted inNews
Is the “Lion of Venice” Actually From China?
A new study traces the winged leonine artwork back to the Yangtze River basin, hypothesizing that it was likely a colossal, reassembled “tomb guardian.”
Posted inArt
The Ancient Art of the Labor Strike
Though the term “strike” was coined in 1768, the history of work stoppages is much older and artists have been involved from the start.