James Romm

James H Ottaway Jr Professor of Classics, Bard College, New York

James Romm is an author, reviewer, and the James H Ottaway Jr Professor of Classics at Bard College in Annandale, New York. His latest books are the edited Seneca How to Have a Life: An Ancient Guide to Using Our Time Wisely (2022) and Demetrius: Sacker of Cities (2023).

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Written by James Romm

Marble bust of a bearded man with detailed hair, prominent eyes, and minor surface wear, set against a grey background.

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Thinkers and theories

The sage and his foibles

Scholars cannot agree whether the letters of Plato are fake or genuine. Is this just a symptom of misplaced reverence?

James Romm

Ancient Greek vase painting depicting multiple figures including soldiers and horses with inscriptions and geometric patterns.

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Stories and literature

The depths of Okeanos

To the ancient Greeks, Ocean – at once a monster and a god – was what the Big Bang is to cosmologists today

James Romm