Simcha Gross
@simchagross.bsky.social
2.6K followers 220 following 150 posts
Associate Professor of Ancient Jewish History, UPenn
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simchagross.bsky.social
I ran a similar exercise, but with this card "game" - phariseesgame.com. The video lays bare how the Pharisees are cast as the eternal Christian other, the Christian antithesis. But the game’s playful tone highlights how deeply embedded these assumptions still are.
Pharisees Party Group Game
Pharisees Game
phariseesgame.com
Reposted by Simcha Gross
relicsclerics.bsky.social
Warsaw Late Antique Seminar on Thursday 9 October (4.45 p.m.): Simcha Gross @simchagross.bsky.social (University of Pennsylvania), "Good Fences Make Bad Neighbors: Communities and Empire on the Roman-Sasanian Frontier". In person and online, as usual.
Reposted by Simcha Gross
annetteyreed.bsky.social
Hmm… I wrote a piece about the epistemic erasure of Jews & my institution posted about it in a manner that doesn’t mention Jews—should I be happy they proved my point or upset…? 🤔
Reposted by Simcha Gross
relicsclerics.bsky.social
Warsaw Late Antique Seminar. The programme for Winter Semester is ready. Take a look!
More on the seminar's website...
simchagross.bsky.social
Very honored to have been invited by @relicsclerics.bsky.social to present at the Warsaw Late Antique Seminar, and to be included in this incredible roster.

Join us!
Reposted by Simcha Gross
relicsclerics.bsky.social
CRAC is getting five! And is going to celebrate this anniversary with a conference The Shady Trade of Hermes: Theft, Thieves and Thievery in the Ancient World to be held on 25-27 September 2025 at the University of Warsaw. If you happen to be in town, do join us!
Programme: bit.ly/42JturY
Reposted by Simcha Gross
thejqr.bsky.social
We are thrilled to announce that beginning with our winter issue in January 2026, the Jewish Quarterly Review will become fully open access, including future issues and our whole 136-year back catalog!

Learn more about this exciting change on the blog:
katz.sas.upenn.edu/resources/bl...
A Gift from JQR and the Katz Center
A century and a third of Jewish scholarship goes open access
katz.sas.upenn.edu
Reposted by Simcha Gross
drewjakeprof.bsky.social
and the podcast is up! sorry I'm in such dim light it's, uh, the mystery of biblical conspiracy surrounding me

www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9o1...
Reposted by Simcha Gross
thejqr.bsky.social
(1/5) It's peer review week! #PRW2025 Thank you to those who have reviewed for JQR over the years. We would not be here without you.

Check out this thread for insights and reflections from the JQR editors on the peer review process, including advice for authors and reviewers. 🧵
Reposted by Simcha Gross
emuehlbe.bsky.social
With the caveat that I've been the editor for all of three minutes, here's a thread about the goings on at the Journal of Early Christian Studies---far rosier, for reasons that I think have to do with size
benpatrickwill.bsky.social
Academic authors, here's a peek into the black box of journal publishing from an journal editor if you can bear it:
Reposted by Simcha Gross
caperry.bsky.social
Excited to announce my book that is forthcoming in January. I’m looking forward to sharing more soon. Let me know if your faculty, students, or community would be interested in a talk or class.
Slavery and the Jews of Medieval Egypt | Princeton University Press. Description at: bit.ly/PerrySlavery
This is the front cover for the book Slavery and the Jews of Medieval Egypt.
Reposted by Simcha Gross
annetteyreed.bsky.social
If you're itching to read about "Apocalyptic" in the most arcane senses of that term, perhaps to distract you from much else apocalyptic in our times, this is the series for you! humanhistoriesofkn.substack.com/p/away-from-...
Text = "Away from a Definition of Apocalyptic, pt. 1" / Image = Alice and Humpty Dumpty Text = "Away from a Definition of Apocalyptic, pt. 2" / Image = mysterious figure with Scythe Text = "Away from a Definition of Apocalyptic, pt. 3" / Image = Angel, swooping down with a chain
Reposted by Simcha Gross
thejqr.bsky.social
Why do Jews cover their heads?

In JQR 115.3, @simchagross.bsky.social looks at norms of Jewish male head covering as a proxy for cultural assimilation and difference in rabbinic Rome and Sasania.

Learn more on the blog and read his essay FREE thru September 5!
katz.sas.upenn.edu/resources/bl...
Why Do Jews Cover Their Heads?
In JQR 115.3, Simcha Gross looks at norms of Jewish male head covering as a proxy for cultural assimilation and difference in rabbinic Rome and Sasania
katz.sas.upenn.edu
Reposted by Simcha Gross
thejqr.bsky.social
JQR 115.3 is here! We've got:
-Early Jewish head coverings
-The Talmud & the Aramaic incantation bowls
-Israel Naraja
-The Palestinian vocalization signs
-Yosef Yerushalmi & Walter Benjamin
-James Baldwin & Louis Finkelstein

Read the TOC +2 free essays!👇
katz.sas.upenn.edu/resources/bl...
Reposted by Simcha Gross
letteney.bsky.social
Publication day for a book that Matthew and I spent six years on, anguished over, fought for, rewrote twice, and nearly abandoned. I hope it proves useful in continuing important conversations about the ancient world and about the societies we choose to build today.

www.ucpress.edu/books/ancien...
Cover for Ancient Mediterranean Incarceration, featuring Titus Kaphar's portrait "Jerome II"
simchagross.bsky.social
On these last two points, see my recent article "From Togas to Turbans: Jewish Male Head Coverings between the Roman and Sasanian Worlds," free download here: muse.jhu.edu/pub/56/artic...
Project MUSE - From Togas to Turbans: Jewish Male Head Coverings between the Roman and Sasanian Worlds
muse.jhu.edu
Reposted by Simcha Gross
greggiven.bsky.social
Leave it to @simchagross.bsky.social to break new ground in the typography of academic journals. Now that we can evidently us emojis, I’m going to save thousands of words with 😒
Screen shot of title of article by Simcha Gross: “Beyond Coexistence: Social Boundaries and Violence Between Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity.”  Three purple emojis representing religious traditions are incorporated into the word “Coexistence” as it is spelled in the title, in evident mimicry of the popular “Coexist” bumper sticker: A crescent moon and star stands in for the C, a Star of David for the X, and a cross for the T
Reposted by Simcha Gross
akjp89.bsky.social
Space... The Final Frontier... and coincidentaly the main subject of my essay that just came out in the Studies in Late Antiquity. online.ucpress.edu/SLA/issue/9/3
Reposted by Simcha Gross
drewjakeprof.bsky.social
the new issues of Studies in Late Antiquity has our SBL forum on the 20th anniversary of THE WAYS THAT NEVER PARTED (co-ed @annetteyreed.bsky.social): ft. me, @simchagross.bsky.social, Heidi Wendt, and Jae Han's intro!

online.ucpress.edu/SLA/issue/9/3
Volume 9 Issue 3 | Studies in Late Antiquity | University of California Press
online.ucpress.edu