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Gabriele Passabì

@gabpassabi.bsky.social
346 followers 566 following 92 posts

Medievalist. Manuscripts enthusiast. Film addict. Research Associate at @ghilondon.bsky.social Research fellowships at PIMS (Toronto), SISMEL (Florence), and Trier University (Germany). PhD | University of Cambridge

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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Reminder that our conference CfP "Media of Memory and the Pre-Modern Economy" (5-7 May 2027) is now live! Feel free to get in touch if you are interested in memory and economic awareness in the pre-modern world.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
I am thrilled to share that I have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. This achievement would not have been possible without the support and trust of an education system that turned my passion for history into a method and a habitus. royalhistsoc.org/society-elec...
royalhistsoc.org
Society elects 223 new Fellows, Associate Fellows, Members and Postgraduate Members - RHS
At its latest meeting on 1 July 2026, the RHS Council elected 82 Fellows, 44 Associate Fellows, 36 Members and 61 Postgraduate Members, a total of 223 people newly associated with the Society, from to...
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Leonie V. Hicks @lvhicks.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Normans at #IMC2027! Call for papers sponsored by the Battle Conference. Full details in the alt text and pasted in successive posts. Deadline for abstracts 15 Sept. #medievalsky #archaeology #skystorians @imc-leeds.bsky.social
Communities, Change and Collaboration in Norman History
Organised by Dr Mark Hagger (Lincoln) and Prof. Leonie Hicks (Canterbury Christ Church University)
Sponsored by the Battle Conference on Anglo-Norman Studies

2027 marks two significant anniversaries: the 50th anniversary of the Battle Conference on Anglo-Norman Studies and the millennial anniversary of William the Conqueror’s birth in 2027. It also marks the European Year of the Normans. We hope to organise sessions reflecting communities, change and collaboration in Norman history and welcome proposals that draw on historical, literary, archaeological, and art-historical approaches and sources. Potential contributors might like to think about the following themes although these are not exclusive:

-	communities of practice: writing, researching and teaching the Norman past in the middle ages and now
-	comparative approaches across different areas conquered and settled by the Normans to communities and change
-	communities of different sorts, e.g. financial, administrative, religious, ecological, social and cultural etc.
-	landscapes 
-	tools and theories for understanding change, communities and collaboration as applied to the Normans e.g. digital humanities, knowledge exchange, mapping, etc.
-	modelling collaborative approaches to Norman history
-	how Norman historiography has change/is changing the way we understand the Normans

Please send abstracts for 20 minute papers (in person or virtual) to Prof. Leonie Hicks (leonie.hicks@canterbury.ac.uk) by no later than 15 September 2026. 

Proposals should include
•	Title
•	Abstract (max 200 words)
•	Your name, institution, and role
•	Full contact details (these will be used by Leeds IMC to contact you)
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
I'm thrilled to see my article in print in the latest issue of the Haskins Society Journal! A huge thank you to Bill North and the editorial team at @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social for their work in bringing this issue together. I'm delighted to be part of it.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
What's the best strategy to escape a heatwave? Go to a warmer place but with the sea next to it! Here is a view of Mount Vesuvius from Naples.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
All 'bout the 💰! New blog post on our project "Money, History, and Moral Economies: Communicative Functions of Monetary Information in the Institutional Historiography of the Later Middle Ages" is out now! Kindly published by @ghilondon.bsky.social.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Thrilled to give a paper at the fourth Congress of Italian medieval studies. This year we are hosted by the University of Naples, founded by the one and only Emperor Frederick II below represented in a bronze statue placed at the very entrance of the university. Feeling very Ghibelline right now.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Carlo Ginzburg has just passed away. There is little I can add in memory of a scholar of his stature. I'll recall only what he said during a fortunate conversation at the Betty Behrens Seminar in Cambridge: “Read everything. Your research path will find its way". And I live by that advice.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Rosamond was a towering scholar and an unfailing source of support both during my time as PhD candidate at Sidney Sussex and long afterwards. This is truly shocking news. The whole field of medieval studies will miss her scholarship, energy and enthusiasm very much.
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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
This has been something I've been meaning to write for quite some time and the Homer contretemps gave it the opportunity. The thing I most wanted to draw out is that it isn't one fool on Twitter with a helmet, but a radicalization pipeline designed to lead antiquity-curious young men into fascism.
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Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 04/06/2026
Ten years on from the Brexit vote: a new @yougov.co.uk poll finds that 77% of the British public have trust in the expertise of historians bit.ly/49I9NV7 It's heartening to hear that so many value, and certainly haven't had enough of, the historian as expert. #Skystorians 1/4
Screen shot of YouGov ranking of experts showing 'historians' and a Royal Historical Society 'Trust me, I'm a historian' badge.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
This is going to be excellent.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Looking forward to speaking in Madrid on manuscript layout and the visualisation of universal history. I'll be talking about Robert of Torigni, sharing a bit from my new book with @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social, and test some new ideas on Norman Italy along with some brilliant scholars. Can’t wait!
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Still thinking about last night’s conversation with David Nirenberg reflecting on the impact of his Communities of Violence 30 years after its publication. A thought-provoking evening expertly organised by the @ghilondon.bsky.social at the stunning Art Workers’ Guild in London.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Some exciting discovery here!
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Levi Roach @proflroach.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Exciting times for the study 11thC England: the 'lost' seal of Edward the Confessor has been rediscovered in the Archives nationales de France! #SkyStorians #MedievalSky
news.exeter.ac.uk
Lost seal of Edward the Confessor found after being missing for 40 years
An 11th-century Anglo-Saxon seal belonging to Edward the Confessor has been rediscovered more than 40 years after being declared lost. The wax impression of the ‘Saint-Denis seal’ disappeared without ...
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Sam Ottewill-Soulsby @samottewillsoulsby.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
This is a really excellent idea that is extremely valuable!
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The English Historical Review @enghistrev.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Please share! EHR is hosting a free one-day symposium at St John's College, Oxford, on Friday 17 April, 10-6, on the theme 'When there are no sources'. Further details and how to sign up here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/when-there...
eventbrite.co.uk
When there are no sources: an English Historical Review symposium
The EHR is hosting a one-day symposium in St John's College, Oxford, to celebrate the recent publication of the journal's 600th issue.
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Ana Roda Sánchez @arodsan95.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of 'Communities of Violence' by Prof David Nirenberg! He will be engaging in conversation with other scholars about his work and the history of religious persecution. Join us on 14 April at @ghilondon.bsky.social 😊 #skystorians #medievalsky #earlymodern #medieval
Delighted to share the news of an upcoming public event organised by Queen Mary University and German Historical Institute of London.
 
This event celebrates the 30th anniversary of the publication of ‘Communities of Violence’, by Prof David Nirenberg. This was a ground-breaking book that changed scholarly perspectives on religious violence and attitudes towards religious minorities in the late medieval and early modern periods. We are incredibly grateful to say that we will have Prof Nirenberg himself joining us and engaging in conversation with other scholars. They will discuss Prof Nirenberg’s work, its ongoing impact on the field, and the history of religious confrontations and religious persecution more broadly.
 
We would like to warmly invite you all to join us for this event. It will take place on 14th April 2026, 5:30-7:30pm at the Art Workers’ Guild London.
 
If you wish to attend, please register via the link provided.
 
We look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible!
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
My definition of quality time in Paris. Indulging in a café noisette just outside the Sorbonne with a newly (and proudly) acquired first edition of Jacques Le Goff's Saint Louis.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
I'm happy to share that I've recently joined @ghilondon.bsky.social as a Research Associate! A few weeks into this new chapter, and I'm already enjoying working with @marcusmeer.bsky.social, combing my work in historiography with new research avenues in medieval economic culture. Thrilled!
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Universal chronicle-writing finally receives the international attention it deserves. Very much look forward to be giving a paper at this conference 📚
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
You know what makes your day? Receiving the author copies of your book at home! It's genuinely great to hold it finally in my hands, ink on paper and real weight. If you'd like a copy, the code BB135 gets you 35% off all formats when buying from boydellandbrewer.com. I’m positively chuffed✨
I may have experimented with building various forms of architecture, yes.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
Original thirteenth-century pilgrim canteen found in Brindisi, southern Apulia. I am sure it contained only the least sinful of refreshments.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
If you ask my favourite spot in a library, it has to be the temporary storage. This is where books pile up waiting (im)patiently for their place. No shelves yet, no topic categories, no genres. There is only a natural stratification of discovery. Here curiosity leads and the unexpected finds you.
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Laura Cleaver @laurajcleaver.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
And for graduate students wanting to edit Latin texts we have a specialist training at London International Palaeography Summer School 2026. #MedievalSky 👇 ies.sas.ac.uk/study-traini...
ies.sas.ac.uk
Textual Editing: philosophical and theological texts throughout the Middle Ages
This course introduces students to textual editing, especially of Latin writings belonging to the earlier and later medieval philosophical and theological tradition
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Very sad news. Professor Stephen Baxter was a remarkable scholar and I will always be grateful for the opportunity he gave me when he interviewed me for the MA in Medieval History at KCL in 2014. That moment set me on the path to my life in the UK and my career in research. May he rest in peace.
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St Peter's College, University of Oxford @spcoxford.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
It is with deep sadness that the Master and Fellows of St Peter’s College share news of the death of Professor Stephen Baxter, Fellow and Tutor in Medieval History. Our full tribute will be shared soon. ow.ly/cy8J50Y0yrB
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Daniel Bellingradt @dbellingradt.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
Sometimes, the devil is in the details. When scanning this book from 1531, something went wrong badly. Not one page is complete, only nonsense scans. This is #bookhistory too. A story of mistakes and #digitization gone wrong.
A wrongly scanned page from the book "Anzaygung grüntlicher || natürlicher vrsachen der natur..." (1531), nowadays in München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek -- Res/4 Astr.p. 528,44. Another wrongly scanned page from the book "Anzaygung grüntlicher || natürlicher vrsachen der natur..." (1531), nowadays in München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek -- Res/4 Astr.p. 528,44. And another wrongly scanned page from the book "Anzaygung grüntlicher || natürlicher vrsachen der natur..." (1531), nowadays in München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek -- Res/4 Astr.p. 528,44. a screenshot of a couple of scanned pages, all not readable, from the book "Anzaygung grüntlicher || natürlicher vrsachen der natur..." (1531), nowadays in München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek -- Res/4 Astr.p. 528,44.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
High quality doodles at the end of this 13 c. manuscript from Piacenza (London, British Library, Harley 3678). Here is a fine example of medieval good boi to help go through your Monday.
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Dr Mark Purcell @camlibresearch.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Munby Fellowship in Bibliography based @theul.bsky.social in Cambridge - closes on 1 February, so still time to apply.
jobs.ac.uk
Munby Fellowship in Bibliography 2026 - 2027 at University of Cambridge
Searching for an academic job? Explore this Munby Fellowship in Bibliography 2026 - 2027 opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academic jobs.
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Dr Bryony Coombs @bryonycoombs.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
This 👀: I run a class on late-medieval political satire and this ⬇️ is going straight in there. Visual literacy has always been important and using animals in images to underscore the abuses of the world is perennial...
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
Just back in Cambridge and glad to see that certain things don't change 🍂🦆
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Sometimes, when browsing through a good library, the books you are looking for may have a history of their own or can contain fragments of tangential stories, often intimate ones. A brief 🧵
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
This is *positiv(ist)ly* cool.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
This is (also) what happens when one stops making assumptions about a text and, especially, about who may have written it.
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Francesca Tinti @francescatinti.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
The serpent head of the Oseberg Viking ship, carved in 820, and shown for the first time to the public in the Oslo Historical Museum
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
There is much to look forward to in the next issue of @parergon.bsky.social. I'm keeping my eyes peeled.
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Cambridge University Library @theul.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
🧪Hold on to your urine flasks, there are only a few weeks left to visit Curious Cures! 📍 Open until 6 December 2025 at the University Library 🔗Book your FREE ticket: loom.ly/kVqsPRY Music by Vlad Bakutov from Pixabay
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Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele @drdragases.bsky.social · 16/11/2025
The golden age of diversity and democracy in Oz.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
Looks like an exciting read from @puc-ed.bsky.social. The Colloque de Cerisy always gathers stellar scholarship, and this book seems like it’s going to be a banger. Can’t wait to dive in. #medievalsky
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IHR Earlier Middle Ages Seminar @earliermiddleages.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
📣 Next week we are delighted to host a book launch for Local Priests in the Latin West, 900-1050, by Alice Hicklin, Steffen Patzold, @jbwaagmeester.bsky.social & @pseudo-isidore.bsky.social, who will be joined by John Arnold, Julia Barrow & Conrad Leyser. Weds 19 Nov, 5.30pm, King's. All welcome!
history.ac.uk
Book Launch: Local Priests in the Latin West, 900-1050
Earlier Middle Ages Seminar- Session 3
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Here is an example of what a politics of temporality looks like in practice and why it is relevant today. It's fascinating that modern Iranian nationalism, which once suppressed its pre-Islamic past, now celebrates the pagan king Shapur I as a national symbol. theconversation.com/a-roman-empe...
theconversation.com
A Roman emperor grovelling to a Persian king: the message behind a new statue in Tehran
The statue, titled Kneeling Before Iran, shows the emperor grovelling before Persian king Shapur I. Where did this imagery come from? And why now?
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Monica H Green @monicamedhist.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
@kawulf.bsky.social wrote this piece in April. But if you haven't read it yet, take some time to do so now: scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2025/04/02/t...
scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org
The Humanities as Canary: Understanding this Crisis Now - The Scholarly Kitchen
The Humanities have always been the canary in the coal mine of the full knowledge industry. What information can help us understand this crisis and its implications?
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
Spent the morning at @theul.bsky.social with this remarkable volume from 12 c. Worcester. A fine example of medieval knowledge aggeagation for the community. It also comes with impressive decorations, which is always a plus.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
So… I just learned that the Vlad III Țepeș, also known to later legend as Dracula, may be buried in Naples, Italy. 1) Is this true or clickbait? 2) Should I be worried for Neapolitans? A short🧵 between history and fiction.
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
What a piece. One of the best proofs that Cato was right when he said 'Rem tene verba sequentur'. Also, next time they tell me that AI must be integrated into literally everything, I'll say that this is a "bathetically unscholarly corporate-sponsored piece of risible chaff".
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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
We're delighted to digitally contribute to @theul.bsky.social Curious Cures project Curator James Freeman highlights some of way Middle English medical writings have survived to us: specialcollections-blog.lib.cam.ac.uk?p=30906 One more month to catch the physcial exhibition, do not miss it!
specialcollections-blog.lib.cam.ac.uk
In their own words: medical writings in Middle English – Cambridge University Library Special Collections
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Gabriele Passabì @gabpassabi.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
Proofs done. Book imminent. Panic level: yes.
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