Author Archives: Peter Kruschwitz

About Peter Kruschwitz

Berliner. Classicist. Scatterbrain.

Fake News and Post-Truth Politics

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

There is a widespread, distinct feeling that Western politics has entered a phase of what tends to be called ‘post-truth politics‘. The term ‘post-truth politics’, often accompanied by references to fake news and disinformation campaigns, looks like a euphemism for … Continue reading →

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A little help?

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

Please forgive me a short moment of self-promotion, but … do you enjoy The Petrified Muse? If so, would you consider giving it your support for the Blog Awards UK 2017? I’d be ever so grateful! Voting remains open until … Continue reading →

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Winter is coming

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

In his poem De Bello Gothico (‘On the Gothic War’), the late antique poet Claudian describes the Roman general Stilicho‘s movements in wintery Germany (Claudian, De Bello Gothico 350–386; transl. from here): Near to the Hercynian forest the uplands of … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Sneering at Experts

Posted on November 26, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

Defamatory remarks and jokes about entire professions, regardless of the individuals pursing them or their actual performance, are a stock element of western comedic culture. Among the most ridiculed group of professionals, since ancient times, are teachers, professors, and other … Continue reading →

Posted in Prose | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

No safe (and therefore a special) place

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

American Vice-President-Elect Mike Pence went to the theatre to enjoy a performance of ‘Hamilton’, when this happened: President-Elect Donald Trump apparently was not particularly happy with this and felt compelled to put his own trademark (a.k.a. low-fact, boastful) spin on … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hope, Freedom, and Being Human: A Poetic Approach

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

The 2016 Being Human Festival – a festival of the Humanities, sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy – commences today. This year’s theme is ‘Hope and Fear’, and my university, the University of Reading, … Continue reading →

Posted in Carmina Epigraphica, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

False Etymologies

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

With a little (and really only just a little) too much time on my hands, I recently thought: why not enter terms that are on my mind a lot as search strings into the Packhum Latin database and see what … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Prose | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Lesser Known Ballads (and Other Art Work) of Reading Gaol

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

Built in 1844, HM Prison Reading (also known as Reading Gaol and famous through Oscar Wilde‘s poem The Ballad of Reading Gaol) was decommissioned in 2013. Since September 2016 the prison has opened its doors to the public for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Carmina Epigraphica, History of Reading, Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hello Stranger, or: Pompeian Greetings from Beyond the Grave!

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

The Roman town of Pompeii has provided us with many a remarkable piece of evidence for virtually all aspects of Roman life and civilisation. Yet there are a number of things which are conspicuously lacking (and not for all of … Continue reading →

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A Chilling Letter from Ancient Rome

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Peter Kruschwitz

It has been a couple of years since I last posted a chilling Halloween story from the ancient world, and it has also been quite some time now since I last blogged: I blame a spooky-scary workload! At any rate, … Continue reading →

Posted in Prose | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment