Julia Hillner

@writinghelena.bsky.social

1.1K followers 240 following 390 posts

Writing about imperial women to understand late antiquity:
history - ideology - dynasty - violence - agency - memory

Also working on: crime, punishment, imprisonment, prosopography, digital humanities, and 👆 the city of Rome
@dependencybonn.de .. more

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Julia Hillner is Professor for Dependency and Slavery Studies at the University of Bonn. She was previously Professor of Medieval History at the University of Sheffield. She is an expert on late antiquity, applying digital methods of social network analysis to large data sets drawn from a wide variety of late antique and early medieval sources. .. more

History 61%

Philosophy 13%

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Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 24d

For real!

Female torso holding the two volumes of A Companion to Rome, c. 400-1050

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 13h

Thanks! Same here - I just feel so worn out by this. But this is good, thanks for sharing. Just had a man explain to me how the Epstein affair "transcends...human trafficking and sexual offences", because it is about international politics, doh. Really, not making this up.

Reposted by Julia Hillner

Susanne Hakenbeck @shakenbeck.bsky.social · 15h

I've been so disgusted by everything that's come out about Epstein that I can only handle it in small portions, but this article is such a good survey of the times we live in. It's really worth reading www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...

Sex and snacks, but no seat at the table: the role of women in Epstein’s sordid men’s club

Files reveal a world of flattery and fratboy tones, where rich men are cultivated and women provide services

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Charles West, Richard Toye, Margot C. Finn , and 2 more Charles West, Richard Toye, Margot C. Finn, Pauline Stafford, Julia Hillner

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 18h

Our great thanks to Professor Charles West for his excellent Society lecture yesterday evening: ‘”Alike in Appearance but not in Scope”: Queens and the Making of Medieval Europe’ bit.ly/4tluezd

The recording of Charles's lecture will be available shortly.
@pseudo-isidore.bsky.social #Skystorians

Charles West gives the Society's annual medieval lecture on European queenship - RHS

On Friday 6 February the Society hosted the first lecture in its 2026 programme. Our great thanks to Professor Charles West (University of Edinburgh) who spoke on: ‘"Alike in Appearance but not in Sco...

bit.ly

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 23h

Actually, the main news story should be how a large group of men abused women and girls over many years while everyone was looking away. Because by making this about current Uk politics, Peter Mandelson or whatever, we are still looking away. As Marina Hyde says.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 4d

@unibonn.bsky.social

bsky.app

Reposted by Charles West, Julia Hillner

Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies @dependencybonn.de · 4d

Explore Roman Bonn through the eyes of Bassiana, a free Ubian woman living near the legionary camp of Bonna.

Our new self-guided digital heritage trail is now online via the free app – with places, stories, and small challenges along the way.

More: buff.ly/4QtrLc9
@unibonn.bsky.social
@dfg.de

Reposted by Julia Hillner

Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies @dependencybonn.de · 5d

A big welcome to Anita Kporkpor Pobi, who joins the BCDSS as a Predoctoral Fellow!

We are excited to have Anita’s important perspective at our Cluster!
👉 To learn more about her work, visit: buff.ly/U8k9TAd
@unibonn.bsky.social
@dfg.de

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 6d

That is so kind of you, thank you 😊 And good luck with the book!

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 7d

This 👇 took me at least 4 solid working days, several library trips and ILL, and 6 pages of response. Each of the comments forced me to rethink, rephrase, and find new evidence to support my points, even where at times I felt annoyed by them. The revised ms is infinitely better. ❤️peer review.

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · Dec 2

Because peer reviewer complains are making the rounds (again): I do a lot of peer review & also receive peer review; just now (in sum) about 7 pages of tightly argued and detailed comments. Yes, some of it will be impossible to apply, but omg - I feel privileged people are reading my work so closely

Reposted by Julia Hillner

Kevin Wilbraham @kpw1453.bsky.social · 7d

The rebuilt foundations of three buildings that formed part of the settlement (vicus) that developed around the Roman fort at Manchester (Mamucium). The foundations and reconstructed North Gate are located in the Castlefield area of the city. 📸 My own. #RomanSiteSaturday

Reposted by Charles West, Julia Hillner

Ed Roberts @ecroberts.bsky.social · 8d

"The problem of the lack of papyrus [after c.1000] forced a receptiveness to new forms of papal government which the high medieval 'reformers' were able to move into and exploit from about 1050"... Absolutely enthralling new article by @cjg70.bsky.social and Ben Savill (Open Access). #medievalsky

Papyrus Economies and the Experience of Early Medieval Papal Documents*

Abstract. The medium of papyrus, a ubiquitous, state-sponsored product in the Roman world, was turned by the empire’s loss of Egypt in the 630s–640s into a

academic.oup.com

Reposted by Andrew Jacobs, Julia Hillner

Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture @mjcbac.bsky.social · 9d

New book: Susan Ashbrook Harvey. Ministries of Song: Women's Voices in Ancient Syriac Christianity (University of California Press, 2025) ttps://maryjahariscenter.org/blog/ministries-of-song-womens-voices-in-ancient-syriac-christianity

Ministries of Song: Women’s Voices in Ancient Syriac Christianity | Mary Jaharis Center

maryjahariscenter.org

Reposted by Julia Hillner

Charles West @pseudo-isidore.bsky.social · 9d

Final call for the @bsrome.bsky.social and Early Medieval Europe early career fellowship, for a month's stay in Rome plus some travel costs to get there. Deadline tomorrow.
bsr.ac.uk/awards-resid...

https://bsr.ac.uk/awards-residencies-humanities/bsr-early-medieval-europe-fellowship/

Reposted by Scott G. Bruce, Lucy Delap, Julia Hillner

Cambridge University History Faculty @camhistory.bsky.social · 11d

NEW 🙌 'A Companion to Rome c. 400-c. 1050' edited by
Caroline Goodson and Julia Hillner.

A new urban history of late antique and early medieval Rome - the result of over seven years' scholarship by 32 contributors from across Europe and America.

🔗 brill.com/display/titl...

A Companion to Rome c. 400-c. 1050 is a major new volume edited by Professor of Early Medieval History Caroline Goodson (University of Cambridge) and Professor Julia Hillner (Universität Bonn).

Part of Brill’s series Companion to European History, it is the result of over seven years' scholarship by 32 contributors from across Europe and America.

Reposted by Julia Hillner

Jon Hawke @archaeohawke.bsky.social · 11d

#TombTuesday
the Weiden Roman #tomb is today one of the best-preserved and most impressive burial sites from #Roman times north of the Alps. It shows a large part of its original furnishings - pure antiquity. 🧵 (1/2) 📸 A Thünker
#Archaeology #History #RomanArchaeology

Reposted by Julia Hillner

Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies @dependencybonn.de · 12d

We are happy to welcome Jakob D. Jung, who has joined the Bonn BCDSS as a Predoctoral Fellow!
👉 To learn more about Jakob's work, visit: buff.ly/7duWJtn
@unibonn.bsky.social
@dfg.de

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 16d

Thank YOU! And hopefully see you soon; we’re trying to organise further celebrations…

Reposted by Andrew Jacobs

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 16d

We had a blast yesterday launching A Companion to Rome (c. 400-1050) into the world. Thank you to our kind hosts, the KFG Religion & Urbanity, Jörg Rüpke and Susanne Rau, our respondents Mateusz Fafinski and Cinnamon Ducasse, and the audience. And our authors and further collaborators, of course!!

People sitting along a table in a seminar room, one speaking, the others listening

Julia Hillner and Caroline Goodson each holding one volume of the book

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 16d

and it’s here that misrepresentation comes in, which in my experience happens more often than you think

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 16d

Yes I just skimmed it. Funnily enough it talks about 2 of the REF holy trinity criteria, significance and rigour (interest and plausibility), but not on the third, originality. Think what you might of REF but I always found this quite good reviewing directions on a general level…

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 16d

Or not being critiqued but misrepresented or cited on a minor point and plagiarised on the big idea. Does happen! Feels petty to call this out in a review but equally bad to have your work stolen. Will read the article, thanks!

Reposted by Caroline Krafft, Margot C. Finn, Julia Hillner

Katie Barclay @katieebarclay.bsky.social · 18d

Call for papers: Childhood, Gender and Crises: Living at the End of the World. for Gender & History

This is a call for papers for a special issue of gender and history on childhood, gender and crises. For more details email katie.barclay@mq.edu.au

Reposted by Andrew Jacobs, Mark Humphries

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 18d

Tomorrow, 21 January, 4-6pm, in person and online!
Until March, you will also be able to get a 35% discount, see below.
(I realise that the volumes are still prohibitively expensive 😢)

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 21d

At least they advice not standing too close to the train to avoid the fire alarm accidentally going off 👀
The continuing normalisation of smoking in this country is quite something.

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 21d

Deutsche Bahn encouraging passengers to take a smoking break while waiting for a train’s delayed departure is peak Germany.

Reposted by Julia Hillner

Laury Sarti @laurysarti.bsky.social · 23d

I would like to point to a forthcoming workshop on "Introduction into nodegoat" (nodegoat.net), anyone is welcome, please register per email. www.igw.uni-bonn.de/de/institut/...

nodegoat

nodegoat is a web-based data management, network analysis & visualisation environment. Using nodegoat, you can create and manage any number of datasets by use of a graphic user interface. Your own dat...

nodegoat.net

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 24d

Thank you!

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 26d

And thank you and Cinnamon for your support! Looking forward to your thoughts!

Reposted by Charles West, Andrew Jacobs

Julia Hillner @writinghelena.bsky.social · 26d

The Brill Companion to Rome, c. 400- c. 1050, co-edited by Caroline Goodson and myself, will be published on 22 January (online) and on 19 February (print).

There will be a hybrid book launch on the eve of the online publication.

More info here
👇
www.uni-erfurt.de/fileadmin/Bi...

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