A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry
A look at history and popular culture
Hey folks, Fireside this week! For the musing this week, I want to talk about, at least for a humanities field, what 'research support' from a university means and why it is valuable, but before we get to that, I just want to make a note going forward. In particular, there have been a few … Continue reading Fireside Friday, November 15, 2024
Fireside this week! Apologies for having so many of these so close together, but the recent car troubles I've had have eaten into my time quite a lot. At the same time I am getting ready for the annual Society for Military History conference coming at the end of next week. In an effort to … Continue reading Fireside Friday, April 12, 2024
Fireside this week! We'll pick up looking at some of the successes of Hellenistic armies next week. Percy, having found a use for some of my books. And of course, less I miss a chance to note, at the top of the pile there is the Brill's Companion to Diet and Logistics in Greek and … Continue reading Fireside Friday, February 23, 2024 (On the Military Failures of Fascism)
Fireside this week! I have just finished up a draft of a chapter (to be in one of those multi-multi-author companion volumes) on how video games (particularly more abstract simulation games) depict the ancient world. Writing that chapter led me to reengage with ancient city builders, particularly Caesar IV, Children of the Nile, Pharaoh: A New Era … Continue reading Fireside Friday, February 2, 2024 (On City Building Games)
Fireside this week! We actually haven't had one of these in quite a while; we had a gap week in April but the last Fireside looks like it was in March! In any case, here we are and here's Ollie: Research Assistant Cat Ollie, doing his best impression of a bagel next to his toy … Continue reading Fireside Friday: June 9, 2023
Fireside this week! I had hoped to have the next post in the logistics and foraging series ready to go for this week but we are also moving house next week and a number of things related to that have gotten in the way. One of those things was Ollie: Ollie 'helping' me pack my … Continue reading Fireside Friday, July 22, 2022
Fireside this week! I had hoped to have the next part of the fortification series done by now (its coming along), but between the ends of semester crunch, a few unexpected time-sensitive projects and it being the week of Thanksgiving, that will have to wait. Home Librarian Oliver helping me organize my books. For this … Continue reading Fireside Friday: November 26, 2021
Fireside this week! A little break after wrapping up our look at Europa Universalis IV. The next things coming up on the blog are going to be a look at who the Romans were and who they thought they were and an extension of our examination of EU4 into one of Paradox's other titles, Victoria … Continue reading Fireside Friday: June 4, 2021
Fireside this week, since the last post in our series on pre-modern textile production is not quite done yet (I had a fair bit of other writing to get done this week). Before I dive into this week's musing, I want to note two things, in case you have missed them. First, I am opening … Continue reading Fireside Friday: March 26, 2021 (On the Nature of Ancient Evidence)
It's the first week of classes, so fireside this week. Next week, we'll dive into a short series looking at the question of the 'universal warrior,' the idea - too often repeated - that there is either a single consistent experience or personality true to all combatants to the present day. Also, for those who … Continue reading Fireside Friday, January 22, 2021