Sign in

Lucas McMahon

@chrysoboullon.bsky.social
506 followers 261 following 290 posts

PhD Princeton. The logic and logistics of empire. Foreign affairs, information security, and digital spatial history. Long Roman Empire, sometimes even the Komnenoi. British Academy International Postdoctoral Fellow @ University of Exeter. 🇨🇦

PostsRepliesMedia
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
One of these days I am going to write a comparative piece on heterodox movements on the fringes of empire starring the Paulicians, Bogomils, Kharijites, and early medieval papacy.
020
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
I had fun yesterday giving a paper at the 'Plant Lives: Sacred Interdependencies in the Arts of the Americas' conference at Yale.
151
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
It's fun but hardly uncommon to find some Gothic names in late sixth-century Italy, but I had to do a double-taken when I saw a Mithridates.
050
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
American Society of Church History @aschurchhistory.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
Today's featured title: "The Sons of St Augustine: Art and Memory in the Augustinian Churches of Central Italy, 1256–1370," by Kristztina Ilko, Oxford University Press, 2026 @academic.oup.com @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social global.oup.com/academic/pro...
"The Sons of St Augustine: Art and Memory in the Augustinian Churches of Central Italy, 1256–1370," by Kristztina Ilko, Oxford University Press, 2026
052
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
One of my favourite historical moments took place on 5 November 869 when Peter the Monk from Rome was called before the Fourth Council of Constantinople for signing Photios' documents and his defense is, "What, me? There are lots of monks named Peter from Rome. Could have been anyone, really."
130
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Check mates!
061
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Pretty amazing to see The Guardian reporting on my article winning the Medieval Academy of America's Article Prize in Critical Race Studies and on medieval chess' potential to reveal a vision of equality and mutual respect! Link in the first comment.
3359
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Update on the dire situation of classics in Canada antigonejournal.com/2026/03/clas...
antigonejournal.com
The Situation of Classics at the University of Ottawa and in Canada
GEOFFREY GREATREX The current crises in Canada
000
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Knowing how the empire works, I'm guessing that the "relocation" is to a concentration camp in Louisiana, or maybe a CIA black site in Kuwait? So many options!
000
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Antiquité | Religions | Classics - Ottawa @antrelclaottawa.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
Un plateau de jeu romain découvert aux Pays-Bas. buff.ly/vKaG5iM #Antiquité #HistoireAncienne #HistoireRomaine #archéologie
buff.ly
Grâce aux traces d’usure sur un plateau de jeu antique et à l’IA, des archéologues ont pu établir qu’il s’agissait d’un jeu de blocage romain et reconstituer ses règles
Des chercheurs ont utilisé l’intelligence artificielle pour analyser un plateau de jeu romain découvert à Coriovallum, dans l’actuelle Heerlen, aux Pays-Bas. Une simulation par IA a permis de…
011
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
The whole meeting is actually just a black screen and then some prof at retirement age who got their job decades ago with the promise of a 4-page article in a local bulletin comes on and tells you everything is fine and to keep on trying.
000
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
I know that I'm one of those digital humanities scholars, but I have zero faith in digital archiving or computers being a way to preserve information over the long term. If Cambridge(!) can't keep Richard Talbert's Tabula Peutingeriana thing alive, what hope does anything else have?
030
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
I keep hearing that the Iranian regime's grip is weak, but the lesson from Justinian is that if you tell the security forces to murder the people who complain about you and they do it, maybe you're really not all that weak?
020
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Empires are only as strong as their communication systems. If you're curious how the Romans in the ninth century operated a telegraph that sent messages across 700km from the frontier to Constantinople, the first part of my work on this is now on the Exeter Medieval Studies blog. Link in next post
2115
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
I will be giving a paper at the History of Liturgy seminar at the IHR in London at 5.30pm on Monday, 16 Feb. Link for in-person and Zoom registration in the first comment. 👇
175
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
How to write historical GIS: a: include the minimum technical detail that an expert needs to reproduce your work. Non-GIS reviewers complain it's not detailed enough b: fill 20pp explaining how everything works in detail. No space left for historical argumentation. Reviewers complain it's too long
010
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
The next History of Liturgy Seminar is in London @ihr.bsky.social on Monday 16 Feb 17.30. The award-winning @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social on The Augustinian Friars & their Liturgical Cult of Saint Augustine. In-person (chat! drinks! people!) or online: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/... #medievalsky
0169
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Proofs!
082
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Mike McCulloch 🇨🇦 @vancitymike.com · 08/02/2026
look, if we don't stand up for Canada Post, governments of the future will claim transit organizations need to be profitable, and hospitals need to be profitable, and schools need to be profitable, and they'll chop up as much of the public trust as they can and sell it to their friends for nothing.
14418
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Only a determined course of nation-building backed up with a nuclear arsenal will stave off the American threat. Carney will deliver neither, regardless of how tough he talks.
110
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Geoffrey Greatrex @otavano.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Now it is at the University of Calgary that Classics & Medieval studies are threatened. Please sign the petition : c.org/WrCPMhK2rm
c.org
Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?
Save Classics and Medieval Studies at the University of Calgary!
012
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele @drdragases.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
Once more unto the breach dear friends, once more. Please consider signing and sharing this petition to help saving the major in Greek and Roman Studies and the major in Ancient and Medieval History at University of Calgary.
054
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Send the Americanists and The Chief Enabler back to their hell south of the border.
010
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
Somewhere in the Pentagon right now a nameless logistics officer is furiously calculating how many overflowing port-a-potties fit in a C-5 in case Greenland is invaded and Germany decides to turn off the water and power at Ramstein. It will be the most emblematic airlift of our times.
000
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
With the first copy of The Sons of St Augustine!
191
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Levi Roach @proflroach.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
To Wien! To the Institut für Mittelalterforschung!
091
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Queens' College, Cambridge @queens.cam.ac.uk · 12/12/2025
Queens' JRF (@camhistory.bsky.social) @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social's new book, The Sons of St Augustine, challenges major assumptions about the medieval Catholic Church and early Renaissance. Read more about her publication on our website, and the Cambridge University press release.
152
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
0153
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Wild medieval saints! 🔥🔥🔥 Dragons and miraculously sprouting cherry twigs. An evil walnut tree growing above the tomb of Nero. For these and much more in my book, 'The Sons of St Augustine' (OUP), I am delighted to share the wonderful media release that Cambridge published this morning:
cam.ac.uk
Dragon-slaying saints performed green-fingered medieval miracles, new study reveals
Pope Leo XIV's Augustinian order once performed green-fingered, dragon-slaying miracles. Dr Krisztina Ilko rediscovers their lives and wild power base
1216
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
“The fault lies with your leadership, elected by you.” He's not entirely wrong - that leadership has spent decades cosy-ing up the Americans, with predictably disastrous results.
020
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
Recently submitted an article on the eleventh century. Like all good things written on the eleventh century, it: 1: does not allude to Psellos; 2: does not cite Psellos; 3: does not even mention Psellos.
030
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
You always hear about how those pesky Turkish raiders ruined everything for Byzantium in the twelfth century, but when you put it on a map the reports of raiding tend to go both ways pretty equally. * Danishmendids not included. Non-descendants of Qutlamish sold separately.
060
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Antiquité | Religions | Classics - Ottawa @antrelclaottawa.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
Fascinating talk yesterday at UOttawa Dept. of Classics & Religious Studies / Conférence fascinante hier : Prof. Nick Hedley (SFU) on digital humanities research in Egypt / recherche en humanités numériques en Égypte. #ottawa #DigitalHumanities #AncientEgypt #EgypteAncienne #AncientBluesky
Academic presentation in a modern conference room showing a digital 3D reconstruction of an ancient Egyptian temple (Temple of Isis at Philae) on a large wall-mounted screen. The aerial view shows pink-toned stone temple structures beside the Nile River at sunset. Attendees sit around wooden tables watching the presentation, with a presenter standing at the right side of the room gesturing toward the screen.
062
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Book cover plan, now complete with the blurb on the back! 📕
083
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
This will come as a surprise to approximately no one, but Grokipedia's source for this is *me* and my article totally does not say that.
020
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele @drdragases.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
In 2023, I was a Visiting Fellow at @antrelclaottawa.bsky.social. Got to experience the department as a world class center for our discipline (especially Late Antiquity). University management now wants to axe their honours programme. Please consider signing and sharing this petition for support:
tinyurl.com
Sign the Petition
Save Greek and Latin at the University of Ottawa!
1158
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
Back in the late twelfth century Al-Baghdadi saw your post about how ancient aliens built the pyramids and is embarrassed for you.
210235
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Antiquité | Religions | Classics - Ottawa @antrelclaottawa.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Shocking news from uOttawa: Greek & Roman Studies closed to new students without consultation. Teaching of ancient languages to end. Open letter coming soon - follow for how you can help. #DefendClassicsUOttawa #Ottawa #AncientHistory #SaveHigherEd #HigherEdCuts #AncientGreek #Latin
11623
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
I wrote something. Also made some maps for it. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
021
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
I dunno what you think, internet, but this 19th c. printer in Naples had a very pleasing Greek typeface.
1111
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Mike Glass @m-r-glass.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Book launch TOMORROW at @bplmaps.bsky.social!!! 🏠
0329
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Always good to hear some positive-ish things about a weird computational spatial analysis paper one wrote for a volume on Nikephoros II. deremilitari.org/2025/10/geor...
deremilitari.org
Georgios Theotokis and Mamuka Tsurtsumia (eds.) Nikephoros II Phokas and Warfare in the Tenth Century Byzantine World (Reviewer- Mark Fissel) » De Re Militari
030
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
"... Canada’s billionaires are siphoning off for themselves an ever-larger share of the nation’s wealth, at the expense of the rest of us." Exciting to see a new @lindamcquaig.bsky.social book on the horizon! www.dundurn.com/books_/t2211...
dundurn.com
Cancelling Billionaires Before They Cancel Us - Dundurn
With over 2,300 books in print, Dundurn Press is recognized for producing high quality, award-winning books across multiple genres.
000
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
Just a quick reminder that we are still eagerly awaiting your paper proposals for the next IMC! ⏰🎓👇 @imc-leeds.bsky.social
032
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
Burg on the Berg in Bergland
010
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Krisztina Ilko @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
Very excited to spread the news that @ryan1992reading.bsky.social and I are organising a session for the Leeds IMC next year on political culture in the High Middle Ages! Please drop us a message if interested and share widely.
1127
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Protik Islam-Jakobsson @protik.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
For the EU, this should be a very urgent matter of national security. All EU member states should build on Denmark's wise strategy to phase out Microsoft products
zdnet.com
Why Denmark is dumping Microsoft Office and Windows for LibreOffice and Linux
Before the Danish government announced its move, Denmark's largest cities, Copenhagen and Aarhus, had already announced plans to phase out Microsoft software and cloud services. Here's why.
231362638
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
"...every single one of these concessions to Trump—from axing the Digital Services Tax to slashing environmental regulations for extractive industries to massively increasing military spending—is also a concession to the corporate agenda of the Business Council and its members..."
canadiandimension.com
Under Mark Carney, capital’s leading lobby group is back in the driver’s seat
With Mark Carney in power, the Business Council of Canada has re-emerged as the country’s most influential lobby group. While few Canadians know its name, the Council is advancing a pro-corporate agen...
020
Lucas McMahon @chrysoboullon.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
Sounds good. "They've warned that a single lawsuit raised by three authors over Anthropic's AI training now threatens to "financially ruin" the entire AI industry if up to 7 million claimants end up joining the litigation and forcing a settlement." arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
arstechnica.com
AI industry horrified to face largest copyright class action ever certified
Copyright class actions could financially ruin AI industry, trade groups say.
040
Reposted by Lucas McMahon
Canadian Dimension @canadiandimension.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
Canada has bent over backwards to meet Trump's demands—on defence spending, border security, taxation, and foreign policy—yet the tariffs keep coming. If free trade means surrendering sovereignty with no return, maybe it's time to walk away.
canadiandimension.com
Forget free trade
When compared to price that Canada is already being asked to pay, the cost of walking away from a trade agreement with the US is not so high. Free trade with the US was always a mixed bag. The origina...
12312