Publisher's Weekly listed my latest nonfiction--Warrior Queens--in its Fall 2019 Children's Sneak Preview issue, so it seemed the right time to show you the cover. TA-DA! Warrior Queens, true stories of six ancient queens who took up arms against invaders and enemies, has been a labor of love long in the making. Thank you Boyds Mills Press for believing in it! The … [Read more...] about Check Out My New Book Coming this Fall!
It Wasn’t All Wine and Song, Ya Know…
I love this article about teaching ancient slavery in the South by professor Sam Flores at the College of Charleston. Living in Georgia, I always bring up slavery in my tours at the Carlos Museum and when I make presentations at schools. Why? Because I think it's important to discuss two points: 1) That most ancient slaves were not from Africa. Especially in the … [Read more...] about It Wasn’t All Wine and Song, Ya Know…
The Myth Behind This Extraordinary Helmet
They call it "Mark Antony's Galea," the legendary helmet created by Cleopatra's Egyptian craftsmen and smiths for her Roman consort, Mark Antony. Featuring Egyptian iconography, this extraordinary helmet is beyond gorgeous. And, if you can believe it, was created completely by a 3D printer! That's right. It's a creation by Custom Prototypes in Toronto and (unsurprisingly) … [Read more...] about The Myth Behind This Extraordinary Helmet
Did You Know Ancient Egyptians Believed Cats Bear Sacred Symbols on Their Heads?
Not all of them, of course. But enough of them that it likely reinforced the ancient Egyptian belief that cats were conduits of the divine. It's right there, smack in the middle of their foreheads: the symbol for Ra, or Khepri-in-the-Morning, the sun god in the form of a scarab beetle. Do you see it? It's not a line for line "stamp" of a scarab beetle, but it is clear enough … [Read more...] about Did You Know Ancient Egyptians Believed Cats Bear Sacred Symbols on Their Heads?
Making Memes with Teens at W. VA. JCL Conference
Thanks to Dr. Nicoletta Sella, I had the pleasure of speaking at the West Virginia Junior Classical League annual conference recently. Every time I attend a JCL event and hear teens talking about ancient Rome and parading about in togas I think, "*sob* These are my people!" The wild and crazy world of ancient Rome and mythology never ceases to fascinate me. I shared some … [Read more...] about Making Memes with Teens at W. VA. JCL Conference