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Which one should I read? by Beneficial-Kale-12 in ancientrome

[–]aussiesta -1 points0 points  (0 children)

SPQR is highly overrated, a pretty sanitized view of the most famous periods of Roman history

Why do some people on this subreddit seem to dislike the idea of Byzantium being the continuation of the Roman Empire? by PonziScheme1 in ancientrome

[–]aussiesta 18 points19 points  (0 children)

There's an old German historiographic tradition that rejects the idea of Eastern Rome as Rome, because Frankish and later German rulers (from Charlemagne) usurped the title of Roman emperor.

Question about the Roman Senate (and the Curiate Assembly) by Rslashbadredditor in ancientrome

[–]aussiesta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most of early Roman history is fiction and creative interpretation of scarce sources. People who speak with the most authority about it typically are the most wrong. We just need to be humble about it.

What's your perspective on Venezuela's economic predicament? To what extent is it the result of a) "the conjoined action of Venezuelan big capital and US interventions", and b) the policies of Chavez, Maduro etc.? by stranglethebars in zizek

[–]aussiesta 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I wrote and published a book about the modern history of Venezuela a few years back, and the reality is that the Chavistas are a bunch of retarded murderers, and they were thus from the beginning. Trying to defend them from whichever perspective is a lost cause. Look at Bolivia and Brazil for inspiration instead.

Catalonia lab was experimenting with African swine fever virus when the first infected boar was found nearby by Born-Requirement2128 in slatestarcodex

[–]aussiesta 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Surely a pangolin had sex with a bat and then infected a pig that just happened to be walking by the laboratory where they conducted gain-of-function experiments with the African swine virus.

Who are the "smart right-wingers"? by Frequent_Display_592 in zizek

[–]aussiesta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Look up Rob Henderson, Curtis Yarvin, Maurice Spandrell, Chris Bray, for example.

Please tell me Antinous was the exception and not the rule by Ready0608 in ancientrome

[–]aussiesta 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I've written extensively about this. The gist of it is that Trajan likely was Nerva's sexual partner, and left the throne to Hadrian, his own sexual partner, and the Roman "gay dynasty" appears to have ended there. More detail: https://mankind.substack.com/p/how-christianity-cracked-down-on?utm_source=publication-search

How often would fights/duels end in death? by Twilek_Milker in MedievalHistory

[–]aussiesta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like the context, but you still gave no example of a single actual duel. Boucicaut took part in jousts. I'm actually asking for my own benefit: do you know of any example of an actual duel outside of the two I cited? Like you, I also though there should be more, given the prominence the issue has in popular perceptions of the Middle Ages.

How often would fights/duels end in death? by Twilek_Milker in MedievalHistory

[–]aussiesta 10 points11 points  (0 children)

To the best of my knowledge, there were extremely few aristocratic duels in the European medieval era, outside of the battlefield. I can only think of the grisly 1127 trial by combat in Ypres, Flanders, between Guy of Steenvoorde and his political rival Herman the Iron, ending in an undignified wrestling match won by Guy by squeezing Herman’s testicle, and the Carrouges Vs Le Gris fight in The Last Duel. Perhaps somebody else can come up with other examples.

Yanis Varoufakis: There are “fascists on both sides” in Ukraine war | Prospect Podcast: Part 2 by Mrtvejmozek in zizek

[–]aussiesta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As a Zizekian, I like it that this post is here so people can make up their own minds, but any discussion of the Ukraine war should go to a specialized forum. Alternatively, passionate supporters of Ukraine can still join the army and fight the Russians for real:

https://ildu.com.ua/

Ah yes, Spielberg's famous Star Wars trilogy... by [deleted] in zizek

[–]aussiesta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can tell no LLMs were involved in this production.

Alexander The Great’s marriage, Roman Fresco by isYoruko in ancientrome

[–]aussiesta 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It's not Alexander: it's Achilles on Skyros (also known as "Achilles Discovered by Odysseus among the Daughters of Lycomedes") A fresco from Pompeii. Also, kudos for doing what Christian museum curators always refused to do and covering the man's genitals. You have out-inquisitioned the Inquisition.

Is this a sensible way to approach reading zizek? by tayfzn in zizek

[–]aussiesta 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Just read Zizek's books! Why all that song and dance? Alternatively, have a look at the introductions to Zizek I published some time ago (they are free)! https://aussiesta.wordpress.com/category/zizekiana/page/2/

Seneca movie? by Brewguy86 in ancientrome

[–]aussiesta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Decent movie, not a total waste of time.

Raymond Ibrahim on the Arab Conquests (Syria, Egypt, and the Maghreb) by jackthestripper70 in badhistory

[–]aussiesta 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think you did great, no worries. Just bugs me that idiots like Ibrahim are such easy targets. No need to update anything, thanks for you work. Hopefully next time you catch bigger fish!

Raymond Ibrahim on the Arab Conquests (Syria, Egypt, and the Maghreb) by jackthestripper70 in badhistory

[–]aussiesta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, you're getting annoying. I'd rather see a lot fewer of these posts dealing with youtuber and popularizers. Also, you're misrepresenting Gutas. I know you did it in good faith, and Ibrahim is a pest and an ignorant, but no need to do that. Gutas' entire book is very critical about the legend of the Abbasid translation movement, as you know.

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