iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I was in the midst of thesis rewrites when this released, so I never got to say thanks for the credit in the preface... Until now! Thanks!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Graduation day - a big ceremony to send off my work on ceremonies. Here are some choice photos from the day, including my attempt to make use of the hood that came with my robe.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Just a few weeks away until this year's CCC in Maynooth - the Late Antique Microhistories panel looks especially strong, so I am excited (and terrified) for my own contribution on two women named Olympias!

Paper title: (14.30-15.20) Euan Croman

Entering and Leaving the Imperial Family: The case of the two Olympiases

Abstract Text: Olympias the Elder and Olympias the Younger were two women with similar stories, but differing outcomes. They lived a few decades apart in the fourth century and were both descendants of the once great, then disgraced and executed, Flavius Ablabius. Both women were betrothed to men from the imperial family, but in neither case did the marriages pan out as intended.
For the elder Olympias, her betrothed died before their marriage, and she would end up instead marrying an Armenian king, becoming little more than a historical footnote to the modern scholar. Meanwhile the younger Olympias’ husband died shortly after their wedding, but she refused to re-marry and devoted herself to the life of a deaconess, her exploits made famous through the writings of the church fathers and hagiographers. While both women faced similar circumstances as intended additions to the imperial family, they came to different ends against the backdrop of the wider context of social and political changes between the mid-fourth and the late-fourth century.
This paper focuses on how investigating the lives of comparatively peripheral figures can reveal much about the dynamics of how the imperial family operated within Roman society. It considers the dynamics of imperial dynastic planning, the ‘qualifications’ for entry into and the methods of ‘exiting’ the imperial family. The paper explores how individuals and family units reacted to the changing circumstances of life in the upper echelons of Roman society, where virtue, shame and politics came together in a very public manner.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

It was up to 30 degrees over the weekend, so returning to the Irish rain has been nice all things considered.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

I had a lovely time in Düsseldorf on very non-academic business.

Picture of me at a park with a view of the Rhine Tower in Düsseldorf.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

An excellent paper - I never would have guessed Valentinian was so concerned with swine related fraud!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Naturally, this encourages my worst habit of going down very long and inconclusive rabbit holes when it comes to the details - but hopefully some benefit will come out of it in the long run!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

It's still a work in progess, but the idea is to provide a guide and research tool for readers by providing my 'data' so-to-speak (it is also helpful to me, as my own notes are much less organised). Ideally it will be an appendix to the monograph.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

A little sneak peak at something I'm working on... As I have been going through the process of transforming my thesis into a monograph, I decided to make a start on something which was mentioned in my Viva - a list of all the major ceremonies mentioned in the thesis!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Would you believe it if I told you this happened on my birthday too?

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

My first time in Glasgow was eventful to say the least

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

Interesting charity shop find (I didn't pick it up because I'm not sure I can even run this?)

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Reposted by Dr Euan Croman

Conor Brockbank @conorbrockbank.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Looking forward to this semester‘s @qubhistory.bsky.social seminar series which starts this Friday! Drinks and snacks provided as usual. All welcome!

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Reposted by Dr Euan Croman

Dr Crom @doccrom.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

#OnThisDay - 9 January - in AD 400 Aelia Eudoxia, the wife of the emperor Arcadius, was elevated to the status of 'Augusta'. On the Obverse below she is shown being crowned by the 'Hand of God'. #AncientHistory 🏺 Image: RIC X Arcadius 15; ANS 1948.19.1945. Link - numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric....

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

This time four years ago I had just finished my MA, quit my retail job (cruelly just before Christmas), and was awaiting the start of my PhD programme in January. I don't know what I expected the thesis to look like back then - but I am very happy with how it turned out.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

This week my e-thesis was officially uploaded to PURE, marking the end of all work on the thesis. Do you think I added enough key words?

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Thanks! Doesn't feel like I'll ever get used to the title! 😂

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Really I just enjoy using the return shoot

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Now that my thesis corrections are done, I ceremonially returned the last books I had loaned out.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

I have been very busy since September (jumping between jobs, teaching two modules, and finishing thesis revisions), hence my lack of activity here. So this was a nice break just before the end of the semester (with marking and revisions deadline impending).

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

I was in Stockholm yesterday with my partner and came across this bookshop. I had to indulge a little (and my partner sneakily took pics). There were a lot of cool books - but I was most impressed by the Swedish edition of Theophanes and the entire section devoted to esoteric religious literature.

Me peaking at the ancient history section, partially hidden under the shelves.

Me pointing out the new Aeneid translation, coffee in hand.
The coffee was just okay, but necessary.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

I left it tastefully long, but I have now updated my Bsky title accordingly.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

It was an honour and a pleasure to talk about my thesis with one of the giants of the field of late antiquity!

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Reposted by Dr Euan Croman

Mark Humphries @profmarkhumphries.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Congratulations to Dr Croman @croeuan.bsky.social

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

I presume this is the point where I throw the sacred chickens overboard and go ahead with the plan.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

My Viva is today and so far the omens have not been promising: 1. Heavy rain forecast for the rest of the day. 2. My phone passed away, peacefully, in its sleep last night.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Love him or hate him, he was of the few emperors to celebrate a tricennalia ceremony!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Submitted my first article for peer review today. I'm curious to see what the infamous 'Reviewer 2' I've heard so much about has to say about it.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

It's been a long 3 and a half years, but today I submitted my thesis at long last. It has been a wonderful experience to undergo this research - though I must say I am happy to be done with the editing process for now!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

And they all lived happily ever after!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

I have this one - I highly recommend it!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

Oh, and I had fun finding replicas of Constantine's disembodied feet.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

Some select photographs from my trip to Trier. I had an excellent time, despite the poor weather most of the week. In particular the folks from the University of Trier were extremely welcoming and provided fascinating insights into the city and their own research. And now back to work...

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

One for each wife I suppose!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

If I had a nickel for every time researching a claim about a wife of Theodosius I led me down a winding chain of references that eventually culminated with Du Cange's Historia Byzantina (1680), I'd have two nickels...

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

Star Wars Battlefront Renegade Squadron (2007) on the PSP? The campaign takes place over the course of the original trilogy, ending with Endor. You essentially play as rebel special forces if I remember right.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

I'm currently working on an article about Valentinian's daughters (which I will hopefully submit sometime during the summer), so I'd definitely be interested to hear more about Justina/Galla/Theodosius as falling into a 'bride show' topos!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Interesting! I was vaguely aware of the 'bride shows' of Theodosius II and Arcadius, but I had not realised it had a longer history. I'll definitely have to read that article and catch your paper if I can.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

I've always been fascinated by the Severa-Valentinian-Justina relationship(?). I've still never figured out if it's a covered up divorce/separation (the evidence is thin), or some sort of polyamorous situation. Socrates' version is definitely the most intriguing...

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Reposted by Dr Euan Croman

Dr Crom @doccrom.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

#OnThisDay - 19 January - in AD 379 Theodosius was elevated to the rank of 'Augustus' with the approval of Gratian, taking responsibility for the Eastern Empire. #AncientHistory 🏺 Image: RIC IX Constantinople 71A; Münzkabinett Berlin (18268558). Link - numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric....

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

I've got a dozen of this guy's emails in my junk box. I believe he mass emails people on the Liverpool list, as I only started getting them when I subscribed.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

*Small typo on my behalf: Niederbieber

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

I was recently made aware of this surviving Roman dragon standard in Niederbierber. These are often highlighted in descriptions of late Roman adventus ceremonies, and as someone who studies imperial ceremony it's amazing to see what they actually looked like!

Dragon standard of Niederbierber.
Metal head of a dragon on a pole, with an open mouth, teeth, and scales.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 06/01/2025

Loathed: Taming of the Shrew Loved: Gatsby, Macbeth, King Lear, A Streetcar named Desire, The Glass Menagerie.

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

Late to the party but this was an excellent read. Highly recommended!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

I have actually met two people associated with the old Byzantine institute - one of them still works at Queen's and is currently teaching me Greek. There's definitely still some life left!

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Dr Euan Croman @croeuan.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

The department's closure may predate my arrival, but I like to think I'm keeping the lights on (I have slightly updated the late antique section of the library through my library requests).

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