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benpaites.bsky.social
🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
@benpaites.bsky.social
3.7K followers 460 following 840 posts
Senior Curator at Colchester Museums. Mainly Roman archaeology and LGBTQ+ history. Also cat dad to Artemis and enthusiastic Gaymer. He/Him

Author of 50 LGBTQ+ Finds: https://www.amberley-books.com/50-lgbtq-finds.html

Website: https://www.ben-paites.com
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benpaites.bsky.social
🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️ @benpaites.bsky.social · Apr 15
Today is the day! My book is finally available to buy. After years of work, I’m so excited to finally share it with the world! But this isn’t the end. I will be promoting the book across the country over the next year, so stay tuned for more info.
#BookLaunch
A man with short dark hair and a short beard in a cream jumper holding a book. The book title reads “50 LGBTQ+ Finds” and is dark brown in colour with a picture of an object on the front in the form of a bust that is green in colour.
benpaites.bsky.social
Colchester Castle is full of graffiti. Many of it in the form of names, but there are plenty of drawings too. This ship was carved into one of the gaol cell doors. Sadly these can’t be dated, but the door is over 300 years old.
A wooden door with a sail ship carved into it. A wooden door with a sail ship carved into it. Red has been used to highlight the design.
December 9, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
colmuseums.bsky.social
Some objects are coy, but these ones wink. A Roman charm that really takes off, a medieval figure with nothing to hide, a pot that makes a race rather racy, and the Castle’s finest seat in the house, all after a loving adopter. From £10: colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/adoptanobject
Promotional graphic for Colchester Museums’ “Adopt an Object” campaign. The design features large black and gold text reading “Adopt an Object” in the centre, surrounded by images of historical artefacts. These include a framed photograph of a person in medieval-style armour inside a stone chamber, a textured ceramic vessel, a bronze object with a looped end, and a sculpted relief showing a seated figure. At the bottom, the website address “colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/adoptanobject” appears in black text.
December 8, 2025 at 8:00 AM
benpaites.bsky.social
Santa round 2 this morning.
Father Christmas taking a selfie in a red sleigh with brown fur trim. Lanterns are ok the back of the sleigh and Christmas trees surround it behind.
December 7, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
workingclassicists.bsky.social
🎉 SOLIDARITY SATURNALIA! 🎉

IO SATURNALIA! Our annual festive giveaway is here!

12 bundles of gifts, and all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is:
🎄Follow us,
🎄Repost this thread,
🎄And fill out this form: forms.gle/zMcHKZqGNC...

Read on for prizes and T&Cs (UK&I only)...🧵
Solidarity Saturnalia 2025 poster showing a handful of the gifts listed below
December 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
traumainformedcontent.com
The Warren Cup at the British Museum today, an ancient Greco-Roman silver drinking cup decorated in relief with two images of male same-sex acts. It was purchased by the British Museum for £1.8 million in 1999, the most expensive single purchase by the museum at that time. 🗃️🏺
Silver cup in a museum. Detail of a silver cup in a museum.
December 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM
benpaites.bsky.social
Cats are always found in the ruins of civilisation. Coincidence…?
An illustration of a ruined Roman town. Two people walk in the foreground and children run in the background. A black cat sits on top of a wall to the left of the scene, looking down at the street.
December 6, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
sachacoward.bsky.social
Today at 2PM in London I'll be at the wonderful @queerbritain.bsky.social talking about myths, monsters and all the gay things that go bump in the night...
🧜‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️👹🏳️‍🌈👻
See you there?
www.outsavvy.com/event/31166/...
Me, holding my book, in front of a lecture theatre with an image of 'Queer As Folklore' on the projector.
December 6, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
benpaites.bsky.social
When we took some objects off display the other day, they left a strange object shadow in their display case. #MuseumOfShadows
An empty display case with spotlights in the top corners. Where the lights are projecting the shadows of long thing objects are still visible. At the bottom right, white text reads “finds from the doctor’s grave”:
December 5, 2025 at 9:16 AM
benpaites.bsky.social
When we took some objects off display the other day, they left a strange object shadow in their display case. #MuseumOfShadows
An empty display case with spotlights in the top corners. Where the lights are projecting the shadows of long thing objects are still visible. At the bottom right, white text reads “finds from the doctor’s grave”:
December 5, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
jackshoulder.bsky.social
Please sign, if you haven't already: www.change.org/p/allow-tran...
Sign the Petition
Allow transgender women and girls back into GirlGuiding UK
www.change.org
December 3, 2025 at 1:56 PM
benpaites.bsky.social
One of the many perks of the job is, when researchers come in to look at objects, we get to take things off display. These objects from the Lexden Roman tumulus are being analysed for their metal composition.
A red tray with soft black lining. A variety of objects inside, green and brown in colour. There is a boar figurine, a bull, a foot and various round shaped objects.
December 3, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
emmadabbadoo.bsky.social
Can you lovely lot song and share this around please

@greenparty.org.uk
@zackpolanski.bsky.social

www.change.org/p/allow-tran...
Sign the Petition
Allow transgender women and girls back into GirlGuiding UK
www.change.org
December 2, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
belovedofoizys.bsky.social
If you're in striking distance of Chester on the 15th of January, come and hear me talk about the tangled topic of women and the Roman arena at the beautiful Grosvenor Museum. Tickets available below: visitcheshire.com/events/women...
Women of the Roman Arena | Visit Chester & Cheshire
Join ancient historian Alexandra Sills as she uncovers the forgotten story of female gladiators in Rome's most masculine arena.
visitcheshire.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:59 PM
benpaites.bsky.social
Helmingham Hall is magical this time of year!
Two winged horses made of lights with their reflections in water. Behind are trees and bushes covered in colourful lights.
December 2, 2025 at 8:58 PM
benpaites.bsky.social
I’ve somehow wangled my way into the thumbnail too! This is a great documentary about the history of migration in Essex. Yours truly give a very short intro to the Roman impact on the county.
colmuseums.bsky.social Colchester Museums @colmuseums.bsky.social · 8d
Signals, a Colchester creative digital learning charity, has released a new documentary from its three‑year “Peoples of Essex” project, tracing arrivals from early humans to today. Early on, our curator Ben Paites introduces Roman Colchester. Watch: youtu.be/Obb2wbC3bag?...
Peoples of Essex Documentary
Peoples of Essex Exhibition and Documentary Series Peoples of Essex is an exhibition and documentary project exploring the history of migration and settlement in Essex. From early humans arriving…
youtu.be
December 2, 2025 at 3:15 PM
benpaites.bsky.social
In Cambridge for something so had to stop off for a late breakfast at Fitzbillies (too early for Chelsea Buns for me).
A pain au chocolat, dark pastry filled with chocolate, on a white plate with the name Fitzbillies in black font at the top of the plate. A coffee with foam in a light blue cup to the right. All on a wooden table.
December 1, 2025 at 10:14 AM
benpaites.bsky.social
Festive season has official begun 🎅🏻🎄
Me dressed as Santa, white beard and hair with a red hat and white trim. Behind are several Christmas trees and a brown fur lined red sleigh. A few white lanterns provide light.
November 30, 2025 at 3:01 PM
benpaites.bsky.social
I’ve been screaming for an Assassin’s Creed series set in Ancient Rome for years (we got close with Origins), and now theyre making a series?! 😒 movieweb.com/netflix-assa...
a man in a hooded jacket says malaka in a video game scene
Alt: a woman in a white hooded jacket says malaka in a video game scene. Waves move behind.
media.tenor.com
November 29, 2025 at 11:24 AM
benpaites.bsky.social
Had a very busy day yesterday doing something exciting and we had the opportunity to get this gorgeous Kingfisher out from the stores. 🤴🎣
A taxidermy mount of a kingfisher. It has a long beak and beautiful blue and feathers on its back with white and orange underneath. It sits on a branch.
November 28, 2025 at 4:06 PM
benpaites.bsky.social
Having been on Sacha’s video game tour of the British Museum more than once, this is going to be epic!
sachacoward.bsky.social Sacha Coward (who did NOT die!)🎄🎅🌲 @sachacoward.bsky.social · 12d
The Meowth is out of the bag.

I am currently researching and writing my next book, 'Space Invaders' a queer history of videogames.

Just like 'Queer As Folklore' this is a subject very very close to my heart. It's very bloody exciting. What a lucky sod!

Thanks @manchesterup.bsky.social!
November 27, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
sachacoward.bsky.social
The Meowth is out of the bag.

I am currently researching and writing my next book, 'Space Invaders' a queer history of videogames.

Just like 'Queer As Folklore' this is a subject very very close to my heart. It's very bloody exciting. What a lucky sod!

Thanks @manchesterup.bsky.social!
November 27, 2025 at 9:51 AM
benpaites.bsky.social
Colour!? In prehistory!? What novelty!
fakehistoryhunter.net The Fake History Hunter @fakehistoryhunter.net · 12d
Tres bien!
New reconstruction of a neolithic house at the Samara Parc Archéologique:
www.facebook.com/samaraparcar...
November 27, 2025 at 8:30 PM
benpaites.bsky.social
The @mercurytheatre.bsky.social have just released the cast list for the upcoming Manningtree Witches play. Nothing beats the OG cast though.
A black and white drawing from the 1600s. In the centre at the top is a man with a tall hat and cape. Two women are sat in chairs in the centre. Various animals are in the centre including a cat, dog, rabbit, ferret and what looks like a cow. At the top are the words Matthew Hopkins Witchfinder General. Fictional names of the various animals label them.
November 25, 2025 at 12:56 PM
benpaites.bsky.social
The @mercurytheatre.bsky.social have just released the cast list for the upcoming Manningtree Witches play. Nothing beats the OG cast though.
A black and white drawing from the 1600s. In the centre at the top is a man with a tall hat and cape. Two women are sat in chairs in the centre. Various animals are in the centre including a cat, dog, rabbit, ferret and what looks like a cow. At the top are the words Matthew Hopkins Witchfinder General. Fictional names of the various animals label them.
November 25, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Reposted by 🏰 Ben Paites 🏛️
benpaites.bsky.social
In case you missed it, in the October episode of the Bethnal Archives I discuss the history of the witch trials and the significance of Colchester in this period of speculation and fear. youtu.be/lgnM56MCLqk?...
The Real Reasons The Witch Trials Happened| Ben Paites | Bethnal Archives Podcast
YouTube video by Bethnal Archives
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 3:27 PM