Madeleine
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empressofbyzantium.bsky.social
Madeleine
@empressofbyzantium.bsky.social
280 followers 390 following 160 posts
Dealer in digital artefacts of Byzantium. Writer of invective and diatribe. Unapologetic Theodora stan. DPhil Candidate in History at Oxford. OUBS President 2025/6. Making Byzantium Great Again! empressofbyzantium.substack.com
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For the Byzanto-curious, my latest #substack introduces my new, weekly series #ByzantiumforBeginners! Check it out if you want to read a rant abt #Byzantium & follow along for adventures into the weird world of the Eastern Roman Empire.
#history empressofbyzantium.substack.com/p/byzantium-...
Byzantium for Beginners
Part I: My Roman Empire.
empressofbyzantium.substack.com
Happy Byzantoween!!! I posted about some spoooooky & *phrike* Late Antique & Byzantine stuff over on Substack… check it out — if you dare!

empressofbyzantium.substack.com/p/getting-ph...
Getting φρίκη (phrikē)
Some spoooooky Late Antique & Byzantine finds
empressofbyzantium.substack.com
Calling all Late Antiquist Byzantinist or interdisciplinary friends!
All graduate students are welcome to submit an abstract for the OUBS’ 2026 conference: DECLINE AND FLOURISH.
I’m SO excited to be organising this. Please share widely! Cannot wait to read submissions. ❤️❤️
28th OUBS INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE CONFERENCE - Call for Papers

Decline and Flourish: new Paradigms of Decline and Renewal in Late Antiquity and Byzantium.

Find the full CfP here! oxfordbyzantinesociety.wordpress.com/2025/10/28/2...

Submit your abstracts by Nov 29th - we can't wait to see them. 🦅
As ever Ben is being the coolest & nicest.
If you’re not listening to his pod yet you’re probably (definitely) missing out.
If you haven't subscribed to Empress of Byzantium, you should. There's a post up about Theodora. This is a great history of Byzantium or the Roman Empire or Romanland or whatever term you want to use. @empressofbyzantium.bsky.social
!!!! THANK you Ben!!! Quite literally whatever terminology you wish to use ☺️☺️
😇😇😇
⭐ Meet the 2025/6 Committee! ⭐
Starting with our new President, Madeleine Duperouzel, a 2nd year DPhil student in History. Her research interests include women in the Late Antique countryside, papyri, visual & material culture, and she thinks everyone needs to go see the mosaics at Piazza Armerina.
Reposted by Madeleine
OUBS Member Dr. Chloé Agar has recently been involved in 2 great digital humanities projects: creating an archive of Egyptian graffiti and contributing to the Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity database. Have a gander below!
portal.sds.ox.ac.uk/Graffiti_Gaz...
csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?r...
Definitely… especially when combined with seeing the news daily…!! But finally got some energy back so hopefully going to be putting out more fun stuff soon!! 😁😁😁
Support sooo appreciated as ever Ben!! Been on a mini social media hiatus and just getting back into the swing of it all!!
Reposted by Madeleine
Caught up on Empress of Byzantium's articles this morning. @empressofbyzantium.bsky.social
Very appropriate word of the day from the TLG: συγχωνεύω / “to melt down.”

Not inspired by any current events, I’m sure!
Sooo exciting Ben! Hope you have the most wonderful time!!
I absolutely will!! I have already had a cheeky flick through the first chapter and I can tell I’m going to love it.

It’s my perfect holiday binge read haha!!! I can’t think of anything better, so we’re the same in that regard! :)
Finally got my hands on this beauty! @rhigarthjones.bsky.social
Going to be binge read on my holiday & I can’t waiiit 😇😇😇
#romanhistory #classics
Reposted by Madeleine
🥹🥹🥹🥹 soo appreciative — thanks Ben!
I was recently elected Oxford University Byzantine Society President for 2025/26!

If you’re interested in keeping up w/ our activities, as well as being the first to know when we release our Grad Conference CfP, you can now follow us on Bluesky: @oxunibyzantinesoc.bsky.social
No worries at all!! All the episodes that have come out have been absolutely brilliant & informative. Thank you again & thanks for keeping up with the Substack!
Ah!!!! I can’t believe it’s finally here! This was such a great conversation abt my queen #Theodora & Ben is a wonderful host. As he mentions, there are adult themes (TW for mentions of CSA). Check it out & make sure to listen to Ben’s whole podcast! He’s doing great work. 🫡. Ty Ben for having me!
🚨🚨 Emergency #substack on the OG namesake of the new Pope! 🚨🚨

Returned to my undergrad thesis to talk about Leo I, one of the greatest popes of all (Chalcedo or Chalcedon’t you agree?!)

Minor correction in comments🤨
#conclave #historian #byzantium

empressofbyzantium.substack.com/p/the-pope-f...
The Pope Files: Leo I
Yes, I rushed to get this done as soon as the Papal name was announced!
empressofbyzantium.substack.com
Reposted by Madeleine
Do we think this is the first pope to have eaten a deep dish Chicago style pizza