Neo-Assyrians today in ANE/Egypt class…

New German translation of the revised edition of 1177 BC arrived this afternoon. Looks great. 👍😎

ARCE-NT: Speak to the King, my lord and my Sun god”: Love, War, and Diplomacy in Canaan during the Amarna Age by Eric Cline - ARCE

Heading to Dallas to give a lecture on the Amarna Letters tomorrow (Sat, March 28):

arce.org/event/arce-n...

The line for TSA at DCA this morning (6:45 am)? Nope; it’s the line for coffee at Dunkin Donuts. The TSA line was nothing in comparison…

Wonderful brunch this morning with Mary Beard. She’s got a new podcast, called “Instant Classics,” which is a must listen — great guests and topics already: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i.... You can also become a Member of the Instant Classics Book Club: instantclassics.supportingcast.fm

Next up: lecturing on the Late Bronze Age Collapse at an aerospace conference!

Doing the Assyrian and Babylonian Amarna Letters in class today. This is as close as I can get, in terms of a themed tie. Related good news— PUP told me yesterday that Love, War, and Diplomacy will be translated into both Spanish and German, in addition to Czech.

First exam of the semester today…

Finally enroute into school, after a week of teaching online. Today is Old Kingdom Egypt and the introduction of hieroglyphs, hence the tie for the occasion.

Morning has broken…

Teaching virtually via Zoom again today. Time for the second of my three Standard of Ur ties (each is a different color).

Discussing the Sumerians today in my History of the Ancient Near East and Egypt class, so it was obviously time for the Standard of Ur tie. However, teaching virtually via Zoom because of the snowstorm, so no jacket, but headphones instead…

Looking forward to hearing Steve Tuck here at GW next week...Those who cannot make it in person can attend via Zoom; register by scanning the QR code on the poster.

Cuneiform tie today, in honor of the first meeting of the Amarna Letters seminar.

Tried to pick a fairly bright and lively tie for the first day of the new semester! Welcome back everyone!

Giving a lecture locally tonight, as a favor to a friend. Time for my favorite Egyptian tie. Then home to watch the end of the Oregon – Indiana football game. Don’t nobody tell me who wins before I have a chance to watch it!

Thanks for being patient!

Lecturing tonight on the Amarna Letters at ISAC in Chicago. Decided to wear the “cats and ankhs” tie (from the British Museum) for the occasion.

lol

Yes; 9:15 am.

Contemplating the New Year…

(Apparently it will also be streamed live; if you register and wish to watch online, you'll be sent a zoom link via email on the day of the lecture, according to info in the announcement...)

Happy New Year to everyone! Start your year off right, with a free lecture...I'll be giving a talk on the Amarna Letters at ISAC in Chicago next week (at 7 pm on 7 January):

events.uchicago.edu/event/256680...

Ep 258: Eric Cline on the Collapse of Civilizations Podcast Episode · School of War · 12/19/2025 · 52m

The first two links are just audio, while the last link (on YouTube) has video, in which (spoiler alert) I am not wearing a tie...
Apple Podcast Link = podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id15...
Spotify Podcast Link = open.spotify.com/episode/7vgh... YouTube Link = www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNVB...

A fun, informal interview has just dropped, in which I talk with @AaronBMacLean on the @schoolofwarpod podcast, revisiting 1177 BC ten years later plus After 1177 BC. Three possible ways to listen to it: 1/2

Check out an excellent adapted excerpt on The Bible and Interpretation of Eric H. Cline’s new book Love, War, and Diplomacy:

Final exam for Intro to Archaeology class has just ended. To quote from The Aristocats:

Lafayette: Hey, Napoleon. That sounds like the end.

Napoleon: Wait a minute. I'm the leader, I say when it's the end.

[the title "The End" bumps into Napoleon's head]

Napoleon: It's the end.

Finally exam day for both classes. Where did the semester go?

Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate.

(IFKYK)

Professors are turning to this old-school method to stop AI use on exams A small but growing number of educators are experimenting with oral exams to circumvent the temptations presented by powerful AI platforms.

Can't do this (individual oral final exams) with a class of 140 students, but perhaps in my 19-person seminar next semester?

www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...