Richard Ascough has an interesting piece on the meals of associations now out in Classical World (subscription required):

Richard S. Ascough, “Forms of Commensality in Greco-Roman Associations,” Classical World 102 (2008), 33-45.

I’ve just been told that my book, Dynamics of Identity in the World of the Early Christians, has been printed and will now be available for the Society of Biblical Literature conference in New Orleans.  So check it out at the Continuum / T & T Clark booth if you get a chance. If you haven’t already noticed, I have also developed a companion website which touches on some of the issues addressed in the book.  Amazon.com is now offering the book for $19.77, which seems like a bargain to me.

I’ll be going to New Orleans for SBL this year.  On Sunday afternoon (4pm),  I’ll be presiding in one of the “Meals in the Greco-Roman World Seminar” sessions (papers available online on the seminar’s site here).  I’ll also be presenting in the Greco-Roman Religions section (Monday 9am).  This year the theme is “Hybridization and Creolization in the Greek and Roman Worlds” and I’ll be presenting a portion of my new book on Dynamics of Identity in the World of the Early Christians: “Other Diasporas: Syrian Immigrants, Ethnic Identities, and Acculturation”.

Perhaps most importantly, I’ll be looking for some Jazz and beer.  Hope to see some of you there.

Here I explain emperor worship and the various types of honours for the emperors as gods, including imperial cults at the provincial, civic, and local levels in Asia Minor.  This is the final episode in series 4 (Honouring the Gods in the Roman Empire) of the Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean podcast.

Podcast 4.6: Honouring the Emperors as Gods (mp3; archive.org page with various downloading options here).

You may also subscribe to this and subsequent episodes through iTunes or another podcatcher. View credits for my introductory music.

Here I discuss the active role of the gods in punishing transgressors by focusing on indigenous practices in the region of Lydia, particularly the propitiation or confession inscriptions.  This is part of series 4 (Honouring the Gods in the Roman Empire) of the Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean podcast.

Podcast 4.5: Justice from the Gods in Lydia (mp3; archive.org page with various downloading options here).

You may also subscribe to this and subsequent episodes through iTunes or another podcatcher. View credits for my introductory music.