Who reads military manuals? This is the question I have been (and still am) grappling with over the past couple of months in preparation for the Shifting Frontiers X Conference, which finished this past weekend in Ottawa. I gave a paper that tackled (well - tackled is a bit strong) this very issue and as I prepare to write it up for publication it's something I plan on discussing in more detail. In fact, I'll probably make it the primary focus of the published version.
My decision to shift (or narrow) my focus - (from how to approach the transformation of the military manual in late antiquity to genre and readership in the late antique manual) was inspired in part by the useful discussion that followed my talk, which was in turn aided by the absence of one speaker (there was more time for me to speak and answer questions). Admittedly, in the paper itself I only discussed readership a few times and in passing. In fact, it was in the run-up to the presentation itself (a day or so beforehand) that I started thinking about it in greater detail. There were select other papers that discussed technical subject matter, and given that genre was a big part of the conference as a whole it's not surprising that I was given more pause for thought.
Getting back to the question and subject, who did read these things? I was particularly interested in the anonymous De Rebus Bellicis, Vegetius' Epitoma, Urbicius' assorted works, Syrianus' (I still lean towards a sixth century date) assorted works, Maurice's Strategicon, and Apollodorus (for other reasons - not late antique). Their subject matter varies (I prefer to think of them as one genre), and one of the principal issues in scholarship is whether they were there descriptive or theoretical sort. This, as you can well imagine, has some bearing on the readership.
In the questions afterwards some questioned whether anyone read them - their existence had more to do with survival rates (not much survives from antiquity and we just happen to have these) than anything. It's a fair question. Have we lost any more than those we know about? Were there more?
Some of these manuals have some bearing on reality. Maurice's, for example, is the one often held up as the best example of this, though there are some out there who think even Syrianus might have fall into this category. Vegetius seems to as well, at least in part. The best earlier example is Arrian's treatise about the Alans. But is this true? Is Maurice really practical? And for whom?
A related issue (that came up - and that I delved into) is military training. Was there some sort of military academy that the would-be officers could attend in late antiquity to hone their skills and learn the tricks of their trade? If not, how did they acquire these assorted skills and the varied knowledge? Would they have read these manuals? Maybe the generals read some manuals like Maurice's. Maybe they read the others. But would manuals espousing Roman military details really be easily available? Might not there be some concern of it falling into the wrong hands? So, maybe these were read for fun by the literate of the capital and beyond. After all, a lot of modern readers read assorted military stuff. Officers might have learned their trade anyway from conversation with their peers, or through other means we just don't know or have.
Anyway, these are things for me to consider. More to follow.
Monday, 25 March 2013
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
How to Drive in Winnipeg: A Novice's Guide
This guide is designed for those of you who are new drivers in Winnipeg, or new to Winnipeg. Luckily for you, Winnipeg's urban planners have been working for years to ensure that the only way to get around most of the city is by car. Thus, your driving skills will come in handy in no time!
By following some or all of the steps listed below, you too can learn to drive like a Winnipegger. Whether you've just turned sixteen, or have moved here from a different city, province, or even country, I'll tell you how to own the road in the heart of the continent!
NOTE: with the exception of the first step and the final step, all of the items listed are in no particular order.
1. There are two classes of driver in this fine city: a) those who own cars; b) those who own minivans, trucks, or SUVs. If you all into the latter category (b), all of the following pointers are optional. Your vehicle is likely big enough that few obstacles pose a significant threat to your safety - or ability. Please proceed to the final step.
2. When changing lanes, simply change lanes. There's no need to signal, check your blind spot, or look for an opening. If you feel like it, do it!
3. Although we get to enjoy winter four to sixth months of the year, don't expect to expect snow. In other words, if it should happen that there is a significant accumulation of snow, you should be surprised, like your fellow Winnipeggers. So, those of you with some previous winter (those from the UK or the southern half of the US can ignore this) driving experience can toss that knowledge out the window with confidence! Pretend you've never experienced snow before!
4. Treat all road conditions the same, as along as you treat the roads as if they are dry and clear. This is true whether it's raining or it's snowing. Remember, always pretend that the roads are dry and clear!
5. Sometimes, there are many lines going in the same direction. Although in other jurisdictions the inside lane (left lane in Canada) would be considered the passing lane, this is not the case here. So, feel free to drive the same speed as the person in the lane next to you.
6. Although in other jurisdictions speed limits are considered by the layperson as the speed which you should strive for, this isn't the case in Winnipeg, especially if the speed is above 50km/h, with the exception of rush hour. Here, if the posted speed is above 50, make sure you don't exceed 50, regardless of how high that limit might be. Even if it says 70 or 80, don't feel you have to drive that fast within city limits. Chances are, no one knows what the speed limit is anyway.
7. If you are in a parking lot, back lane, or something comparable and you want to join a main road, don't wait for a big and clear opening to pull out, particularly if you're turning right. Rather, wait until you have a small opening and then pull out, being careful to drive as slowly as possible (regardless of conditions). If you do decide to speed up to match the flow of the traffic, take your time.
8. If you see a pedestrian, do what the British do and accelerate. You're sure to win a lot of friends if you manage to mow down a pedestrian (the enemy of the Winnipeg driver!). The same applies to cyclists.
9. You need only devote 5% of your attention to the road. Anything more than that is a felony. This doesn't mean you ought to be on the phone (most of us don't do this); simply, that you need not pay attention to the world around you.
10. Make sure to leave between two and five feet between your vehicle and the one in front of you, regardless of the conditions. If you leave any more, you're unlikely to be able to nudge the bumper in front of you - so that you know where you are on the road - in the event of a sudden stop. This is particularly true if you drive a large vehicle.
11. You ought to adopt one of two road personas: a) the overly cautious driver who will only pull out into oncoming traffic if there are no other vehicles in sight; b) the true Winnipeg driver, for whom stop signs are optional, signals are unnecessary, and an awareness of the traffic around them is a terribly unnecessary.
12. Stop signs are usually optional, regardless of whether there is oncoming traffic or not, especially if you have a large vehicle.
13. Red lights are merely a suggestion that you should stop, not a requirement, at least when the traffic light first changes to red.
14. No Right Turn signs do not apply to you.
15. Advanced Green for right turns are optional.
16. Beware of roundabouts. They are a product of some sort of socialist European invasion and should be avoided at all costs. The fact that they are like four-way stops but backwards, should tell you as much.
17. Don't pay attention to where you need to go. If you need to turn right at some point and you're in the right lane, don't feel the need to get into that right lane until the last possible moment.
18. Expect the roads to change direction, name, and so forth without warning, and drive accordingly. For example, even though Waverley continues to the right if you're heading in a southerly direction (south of Bishop Grandin), and has done for some months, expect it to change without warning, and so be sure to act surprised, and drive as such, as a result (in other words - stick to the left lane - then veer right suddenly in front of other drivers).
19. If you're behind another driver at a stop sign, set of traffic lanes, or ramp onto another lane, be sure to honk at them if they don't pull out immediately, especially if they're waiting for a safe opportunity to do so.
20. If you've reached this stage - and you can master as many of these as you wish - then congratulations! You are now a true Winnipeg driver!
By following some or all of the steps listed below, you too can learn to drive like a Winnipegger. Whether you've just turned sixteen, or have moved here from a different city, province, or even country, I'll tell you how to own the road in the heart of the continent!
NOTE: with the exception of the first step and the final step, all of the items listed are in no particular order.
1. There are two classes of driver in this fine city: a) those who own cars; b) those who own minivans, trucks, or SUVs. If you all into the latter category (b), all of the following pointers are optional. Your vehicle is likely big enough that few obstacles pose a significant threat to your safety - or ability. Please proceed to the final step.
2. When changing lanes, simply change lanes. There's no need to signal, check your blind spot, or look for an opening. If you feel like it, do it!
3. Although we get to enjoy winter four to sixth months of the year, don't expect to expect snow. In other words, if it should happen that there is a significant accumulation of snow, you should be surprised, like your fellow Winnipeggers. So, those of you with some previous winter (those from the UK or the southern half of the US can ignore this) driving experience can toss that knowledge out the window with confidence! Pretend you've never experienced snow before!
4. Treat all road conditions the same, as along as you treat the roads as if they are dry and clear. This is true whether it's raining or it's snowing. Remember, always pretend that the roads are dry and clear!
5. Sometimes, there are many lines going in the same direction. Although in other jurisdictions the inside lane (left lane in Canada) would be considered the passing lane, this is not the case here. So, feel free to drive the same speed as the person in the lane next to you.
6. Although in other jurisdictions speed limits are considered by the layperson as the speed which you should strive for, this isn't the case in Winnipeg, especially if the speed is above 50km/h, with the exception of rush hour. Here, if the posted speed is above 50, make sure you don't exceed 50, regardless of how high that limit might be. Even if it says 70 or 80, don't feel you have to drive that fast within city limits. Chances are, no one knows what the speed limit is anyway.
7. If you are in a parking lot, back lane, or something comparable and you want to join a main road, don't wait for a big and clear opening to pull out, particularly if you're turning right. Rather, wait until you have a small opening and then pull out, being careful to drive as slowly as possible (regardless of conditions). If you do decide to speed up to match the flow of the traffic, take your time.
8. If you see a pedestrian, do what the British do and accelerate. You're sure to win a lot of friends if you manage to mow down a pedestrian (the enemy of the Winnipeg driver!). The same applies to cyclists.
9. You need only devote 5% of your attention to the road. Anything more than that is a felony. This doesn't mean you ought to be on the phone (most of us don't do this); simply, that you need not pay attention to the world around you.
10. Make sure to leave between two and five feet between your vehicle and the one in front of you, regardless of the conditions. If you leave any more, you're unlikely to be able to nudge the bumper in front of you - so that you know where you are on the road - in the event of a sudden stop. This is particularly true if you drive a large vehicle.
11. You ought to adopt one of two road personas: a) the overly cautious driver who will only pull out into oncoming traffic if there are no other vehicles in sight; b) the true Winnipeg driver, for whom stop signs are optional, signals are unnecessary, and an awareness of the traffic around them is a terribly unnecessary.
12. Stop signs are usually optional, regardless of whether there is oncoming traffic or not, especially if you have a large vehicle.
13. Red lights are merely a suggestion that you should stop, not a requirement, at least when the traffic light first changes to red.
14. No Right Turn signs do not apply to you.
15. Advanced Green for right turns are optional.
16. Beware of roundabouts. They are a product of some sort of socialist European invasion and should be avoided at all costs. The fact that they are like four-way stops but backwards, should tell you as much.
17. Don't pay attention to where you need to go. If you need to turn right at some point and you're in the right lane, don't feel the need to get into that right lane until the last possible moment.
18. Expect the roads to change direction, name, and so forth without warning, and drive accordingly. For example, even though Waverley continues to the right if you're heading in a southerly direction (south of Bishop Grandin), and has done for some months, expect it to change without warning, and so be sure to act surprised, and drive as such, as a result (in other words - stick to the left lane - then veer right suddenly in front of other drivers).
19. If you're behind another driver at a stop sign, set of traffic lanes, or ramp onto another lane, be sure to honk at them if they don't pull out immediately, especially if they're waiting for a safe opportunity to do so.
20. If you've reached this stage - and you can master as many of these as you wish - then congratulations! You are now a true Winnipeg driver!
Monday, 11 March 2013
The E-Presence Grow-eth
To be as integrated in the wider world as I can be I'm working on boosting my e-presence.
You can find me at academia.edu here: http://uwinnipeg.academia.edu/ConorWhately
You can follow me (if you're not already) on Twitter here: @ConorWhately
You can find me at academia.edu here: http://uwinnipeg.academia.edu/ConorWhately
You can follow me (if you're not already) on Twitter here: @ConorWhately
Sunday, 10 March 2013
Situating Classical in World History
I just read a pedagogy-themed essay on world systems, history, and Greece and Rome ("Placing Greco-Roman History in World Historical Context", E. A. Pollard, Classical World 102, 1, 53-68). I'm also slowly working my way through Ian Morris' Why the West Rules. It's not that often that you find ancient historians dabbling in the worlds outside their frontiers. Pollard and Morris, in their own ways, make the case that this should happen more often. But, significant obstacles stand in the way of the situating of ancient history into the wider world.
It's not easy to manage in the classroom. If you have limited resources - many departments are quite small - you have to be quite selective with what you teach. In this country (Canada), at least, most ancient (read Classical) history is taught as part of a Classics programme. Though this isn't always the case, Classicists tend to prefer to stick to hardcore Classics stuff: classical Athens, late republican and early imperial Rome, myth, Greek, and Latin. This makes a lot of sense: the languages are fundamental, and a significant chunk of the best-known literature comes from those historical periods. Those Classicists who might call themselves historians (not to mention those who aren't) are often called upon to teach courses outside of their specialist interests. Courses might be cross-listed with other relevant departments, such as history departments, but those other departments have little or no say in whether a particular course is taught in a given year.
Despite these challenges - and this might surprise the lay-person - Classics has moved on. It's now peopled not only by elite men from Athens and Rome, but slaves from across the Mediterranean (and beyond), women, both rich and poor, and, occasionally, barbarians, not to mention children (among many others). Moreover, the chronological scope too has broadened. It might stretch back to the Bronze Age and the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures (the reality rather than the Homeric version), include the competing empires of the Hellenistic world, and extend into the second, third, or even fourth centuries AD/CE, not to mention to the provinces (post-colonialism).
The range of evidence that's deployed is much more diverse now too. Reading Sallust, Tacitus, Herodotus, and Thucydides won't suffice - or at least reading them in the traditional ways (reconstructing political and military history). Latin military diplomas as evidence of family life in the provinces, the small finds (hair pins) for the presence of women (possibly) in male spaces, and provincial art (long belittled as inferior) as a reflection of the melding of the melding of centre and periphery among many other things have gone quite a long way towards broadening our understanding of the ancient world.
There is hope, and this much more inclusive understanding of the ancient Mediterranean has worked its way into the course offerings at universities around the Western World. In mine, for example, you can now take courses on the use of space in antiquity, Roman Egypt, the ancient family, and Persians, all with a chronological scope that runs from ancient Knossos (the Heroic Age) to medieval Constantinople (Arab conquest). But, there's good reason to think that we've pushed the boundaries in our department as far as they're likely to go, at least for some time.
How can we go about situating Classical history into wider world history when it's already taken this long to incorporate what we have? And, what sort of courses would serve these purposes? One on ancient empires, for example? Or the different ways that cultures have described the past? But how would you teach these? It's hard enough offering team-taught courses with members of the same department. How would you manage with faculty working across departments? There's also the issue of teaching load: who would get credit? Plus, if these courses were to have any measurable impact I imagine they would have to be taught as often as possible. Could this be managed year after year? Plus, although this might benefit Classics, how would it benefit other departments? Why would they agree to this?
Then there's the publication side. It's all well and good for established scholars like Ian Morris and Walter Scheidel to publish studies that explore comparative world history at large and wealthy universities like Stanford. But what about the rest of us (young and at small universities)? Can young scholars of the ancient world eager for jobs, promotion, or tenure really expect to write these sorts of things when it's entirely possible that those who determine their fates might be loathe to give credit for work that discusses certain materials cursorily (the comparative material)?
Fact is, there are still many Classicists who are vehemently opposed to anything non-traditional. Although I'm employed, I sometimes wonder if my choice to focus my research on parts of the ancient world far removed from the centre was worth the risk (Procopius, late antiquity, the Roman military, Balkans). On the other hand, if things do have to change (and I haven't even discussed if they ought to), someone has to start somewhere.
It's not easy to manage in the classroom. If you have limited resources - many departments are quite small - you have to be quite selective with what you teach. In this country (Canada), at least, most ancient (read Classical) history is taught as part of a Classics programme. Though this isn't always the case, Classicists tend to prefer to stick to hardcore Classics stuff: classical Athens, late republican and early imperial Rome, myth, Greek, and Latin. This makes a lot of sense: the languages are fundamental, and a significant chunk of the best-known literature comes from those historical periods. Those Classicists who might call themselves historians (not to mention those who aren't) are often called upon to teach courses outside of their specialist interests. Courses might be cross-listed with other relevant departments, such as history departments, but those other departments have little or no say in whether a particular course is taught in a given year.
Despite these challenges - and this might surprise the lay-person - Classics has moved on. It's now peopled not only by elite men from Athens and Rome, but slaves from across the Mediterranean (and beyond), women, both rich and poor, and, occasionally, barbarians, not to mention children (among many others). Moreover, the chronological scope too has broadened. It might stretch back to the Bronze Age and the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures (the reality rather than the Homeric version), include the competing empires of the Hellenistic world, and extend into the second, third, or even fourth centuries AD/CE, not to mention to the provinces (post-colonialism).
The range of evidence that's deployed is much more diverse now too. Reading Sallust, Tacitus, Herodotus, and Thucydides won't suffice - or at least reading them in the traditional ways (reconstructing political and military history). Latin military diplomas as evidence of family life in the provinces, the small finds (hair pins) for the presence of women (possibly) in male spaces, and provincial art (long belittled as inferior) as a reflection of the melding of the melding of centre and periphery among many other things have gone quite a long way towards broadening our understanding of the ancient world.
There is hope, and this much more inclusive understanding of the ancient Mediterranean has worked its way into the course offerings at universities around the Western World. In mine, for example, you can now take courses on the use of space in antiquity, Roman Egypt, the ancient family, and Persians, all with a chronological scope that runs from ancient Knossos (the Heroic Age) to medieval Constantinople (Arab conquest). But, there's good reason to think that we've pushed the boundaries in our department as far as they're likely to go, at least for some time.
How can we go about situating Classical history into wider world history when it's already taken this long to incorporate what we have? And, what sort of courses would serve these purposes? One on ancient empires, for example? Or the different ways that cultures have described the past? But how would you teach these? It's hard enough offering team-taught courses with members of the same department. How would you manage with faculty working across departments? There's also the issue of teaching load: who would get credit? Plus, if these courses were to have any measurable impact I imagine they would have to be taught as often as possible. Could this be managed year after year? Plus, although this might benefit Classics, how would it benefit other departments? Why would they agree to this?
Then there's the publication side. It's all well and good for established scholars like Ian Morris and Walter Scheidel to publish studies that explore comparative world history at large and wealthy universities like Stanford. But what about the rest of us (young and at small universities)? Can young scholars of the ancient world eager for jobs, promotion, or tenure really expect to write these sorts of things when it's entirely possible that those who determine their fates might be loathe to give credit for work that discusses certain materials cursorily (the comparative material)?
Fact is, there are still many Classicists who are vehemently opposed to anything non-traditional. Although I'm employed, I sometimes wonder if my choice to focus my research on parts of the ancient world far removed from the centre was worth the risk (Procopius, late antiquity, the Roman military, Balkans). On the other hand, if things do have to change (and I haven't even discussed if they ought to), someone has to start somewhere.
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