Michael J. Taylor
@drmichaeljtaylor.bsky.social
Associate Professor, University at Albany SUNY
Greek and Roman History
PhD UC Berkeley
Greek and Roman History
PhD UC Berkeley
Herz argues that what we call Roman law was largely an elaborate political fantasy, a set of optimistic stories which veiled the violent and unpredictable realities of imperial autocracy, but whose contingent reception nonetheless shaped the nature of late antique and post-Roman law.
November 28, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Herz argues that what we call Roman law was largely an elaborate political fantasy, a set of optimistic stories which veiled the violent and unpredictable realities of imperial autocracy, but whose contingent reception nonetheless shaped the nature of late antique and post-Roman law.
Moar Dad jokes …..
a close up of a man 's face with his mouth open .
ALT: a close up of a man 's face with his mouth open .
media.tenor.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Moar Dad jokes …..
Laundering not launching. Whatever. I
November 28, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Laundering not launching. Whatever. I
NYT Times keeps launching its pro Trump bias.
November 28, 2025 at 12:13 AM
NYT Times keeps launching its pro Trump bias.
+10 just for the muffins.
November 27, 2025 at 11:48 PM
+10 just for the muffins.
Romans pay for the privilege of going to war until 167 BC, although individual soldiers do receive significant material rewards: pay, loot, donatives, and land distributions.
They also get killed a lot.
But Roman voters--all former or future soldiers, vote to go to war virtually every year.
They also get killed a lot.
But Roman voters--all former or future soldiers, vote to go to war virtually every year.
November 25, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Romans pay for the privilege of going to war until 167 BC, although individual soldiers do receive significant material rewards: pay, loot, donatives, and land distributions.
They also get killed a lot.
But Roman voters--all former or future soldiers, vote to go to war virtually every year.
They also get killed a lot.
But Roman voters--all former or future soldiers, vote to go to war virtually every year.
I know my suit doesn’t look good. I’m at peace with that
November 25, 2025 at 12:09 PM
I know my suit doesn’t look good. I’m at peace with that
Here the period after the reforms of Ephialtes in the late 460s, and possibly coinciding with the coining of the term "democratia" itself. And yes, the elite literary sources are democracy-critical, although Old Oligarch admits the system works well on its own terms.
November 23, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Here the period after the reforms of Ephialtes in the late 460s, and possibly coinciding with the coining of the term "democratia" itself. And yes, the elite literary sources are democracy-critical, although Old Oligarch admits the system works well on its own terms.
Or does Pericles position as a seemingly monarchic figure result from spending other people's money?
Its notable how the democracy typically chews up politicians and spits them out (Miltiades, Aristides, Cimon, Themistokles, etc.), but Pericles rides the bronco until his timely death.
Its notable how the democracy typically chews up politicians and spits them out (Miltiades, Aristides, Cimon, Themistokles, etc.), but Pericles rides the bronco until his timely death.
November 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Or does Pericles position as a seemingly monarchic figure result from spending other people's money?
Its notable how the democracy typically chews up politicians and spits them out (Miltiades, Aristides, Cimon, Themistokles, etc.), but Pericles rides the bronco until his timely death.
Its notable how the democracy typically chews up politicians and spits them out (Miltiades, Aristides, Cimon, Themistokles, etc.), but Pericles rides the bronco until his timely death.
Or, do naval and jury pay act like a sort of negative taxation, binding the demos to the extractive and external revenues.
November 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Or, do naval and jury pay act like a sort of negative taxation, binding the demos to the extractive and external revenues.
Or does naval service just overwhelm the fiscal dynamic?
(my gentle critique of fiscal sociology in general is it ignores other ways of interacting with the state, especially military service)
(my gentle critique of fiscal sociology in general is it ignores other ways of interacting with the state, especially military service)
November 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Or does naval service just overwhelm the fiscal dynamic?
(my gentle critique of fiscal sociology in general is it ignores other ways of interacting with the state, especially military service)
(my gentle critique of fiscal sociology in general is it ignores other ways of interacting with the state, especially military service)
Any thoughts from people who know more? (nakhthor.bsky.social, nevillemorley.bsky.social)?
Is Athens just like Norway, which has a ton of oil revenue but already had a democracy, and so was able to mobilize extractive revenues to fund a democratic socialist paradise?
Is Athens just like Norway, which has a ton of oil revenue but already had a democracy, and so was able to mobilize extractive revenues to fund a democratic socialist paradise?
November 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Any thoughts from people who know more? (nakhthor.bsky.social, nevillemorley.bsky.social)?
Is Athens just like Norway, which has a ton of oil revenue but already had a democracy, and so was able to mobilize extractive revenues to fund a democratic socialist paradise?
Is Athens just like Norway, which has a ton of oil revenue but already had a democracy, and so was able to mobilize extractive revenues to fund a democratic socialist paradise?
But overall, the democracy is funded by extractive and external revenues in its most radical phase.
November 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
But overall, the democracy is funded by extractive and external revenues in its most radical phase.
Athens is an exception to prove the rule. The democracy becomes most radical when its funded by a mix of Laurion silver and external tribute (phoros). Citizens only occasionally pay direct tax (eisphora), although they do soak the rich with liturgies.
November 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Athens is an exception to prove the rule. The democracy becomes most radical when its funded by a mix of Laurion silver and external tribute (phoros). Citizens only occasionally pay direct tax (eisphora), although they do soak the rich with liturgies.
It was the abolition of tributum in 167 BC, Tan argues, that really allowed the senatorial elite to dominate the state and extract and exploit provincial resources---voters cared less because it wasn't their money.
The analogy would be Gulf autocracies who run on oil revenues, not taxes.
The analogy would be Gulf autocracies who run on oil revenues, not taxes.
November 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
It was the abolition of tributum in 167 BC, Tan argues, that really allowed the senatorial elite to dominate the state and extract and exploit provincial resources---voters cared less because it wasn't their money.
The analogy would be Gulf autocracies who run on oil revenues, not taxes.
The analogy would be Gulf autocracies who run on oil revenues, not taxes.
In a brilliant book on the Roman Republic, James Tan argued that the populus was most assertive when citizens paid a hefty war-tax (tribute). As a result, they demanded control over war policy (banning fleets, extraordinary elections of commanders, etc.).
November 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
In a brilliant book on the Roman Republic, James Tan argued that the populus was most assertive when citizens paid a hefty war-tax (tribute). As a result, they demanded control over war policy (banning fleets, extraordinary elections of commanders, etc.).
Helpful at the trial for felony bribery.
November 18, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Helpful at the trial for felony bribery.
Operation Doryphoros and Sporus
November 16, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Operation Doryphoros and Sporus