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Romani ite nostrum domum*

* [Yesss… I know… and I’m sorry-not-sorry!]

Well goodness me, that was quick…! Autumn’s online WEA outing for Imperial Rome: From Augustus to Severus was almost fully booked by the end of members’ priority booking, and completely full, we’re told, within an hour of general booking being opened, and it already has a burgeoning waiting list.

We know that several of you were very disappointed not to have been able to get on the course, and unfortunately, WEA cannot offer us another channel to run an extra outing under the auspices of WEA during the autumn.

But (with apologies for repetition) your wish is our command… bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, alakazam… and ta-daaaah!

Voila - one online Imperial Rome course, available for booking now!


Imperial Rome: From Augustus to Severus

Tuesdays, from 21 September, 2.45-4.45
Online via zoom


I'm afraid that the registration fee is a little more than WEA's. As I’ve said elsewhere, we need to cover our investment in Zoom and associated tech (along with the occasional bottle of wine, Duffy-treat, or gas bill) and don't, alas, qualify for the educational subsidies or funding support which are available to larger organizations. Apologies for that, but as WEA cannot offer us another slot in autumn, hopefully that the course is at least available will be some compensation. Rest assured that it is exactly the same course as the one running via WEA. The only difference will be that Robert will feel as if he’s fallen into a Groundhog Day scenario every Tuesday!*

* [Don’t worry - I once did something similar with an oversubscribed undergraduate course, when I ended up needing to run the same seminar for four (FOUR!) groups. By the end of the term, admittedly the odd glass of wine and an occasional hug from a colleague were increasingly important, but I’m here to reassure you that it is perfectly possible!]

You, sharing interesting recommendations in an appropriately socially-distanced manner

aka Illumination from Justin, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus (C15¾)

Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. D’Orville 14, f. 001v: https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/0548b04f-ac41-451a-ae7f-f1dfca3f6094/

In other news, many thanks indeed to those of you who have offered recommendations for other Denizens of Wright History. If you’ve not had a chance to see, do please check out Readers’ Corner here. And do please feel free to add any recommendations of your own - the more the merrier!

Joanna getting a migraine from trying to understand obscure tech stuff; Robert saying “Well done, darling”

aka: The fire of holy inspiration falls on Hildegard of Bingen's head as she records her vision on a wax tablet and reports them to the monk Volmar, from Eibingen facsimile (1927-33) of illumination from now-lost Rupertsberg manuscript of Liber Scivias (ca. 1165)

Image here from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hildegard_von_Bingen.jpg

Finally, as some of you know, I’ve been working behind the scenes on the less exciting but nonetheless necessary business-y things. I’ve been putting in some serious research time into whether how we set everything up this time last year (how is it a year already…??!) is still the best way now that we’ve all had time to let it settle in and see what works.

Most dauntingly, once term is over I need to change our email host. I’m not entirely confident that there won’t be glitches (eep!). There are, of course, trained professionals who can do this sort of thing, but alas we can’t afford them, so…. #lockdownlearningcurve!

Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience when I finally pluck up the courage to make the shift. I’ll give you all another email address for ongoing communication, in the hope of avoiding anything falling through any gaps.