The Ancient and Medieval Sciences Working Group meets monthly to discuss a colleague’s works-in-progress or to discuss readings on the history of ancient and medieval sciences that are of particular interest to participants.

Meetings are usually held at the Consortium offices in Philadelphia from noon to 1:30 on third Fridays.  Scholars located anywhere can also participate online.

To join this working group, click "Request group membership" at right. You will receive instructions for participating online or in person.

Please set your timezone

Participants at Consortium activities will treat each other with respect and consideration to create a collegial, inclusive, and professional environment that is free from any form of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.

Participants will avoid any inappropriate actions or statements based on individual characteristics such as age, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, nationality, political affiliation, ability status, educational background, or any other characteristic protected by law. Disruptive or harassing behavior of any kind will not be tolerated. Harassment includes but is not limited to inappropriate or intimidating behavior and language, unwelcome jokes or comments, unwanted touching or attention, offensive images, photography without permission, and stalking.

Participants may send reports or concerns about violations of this policy to conduct@chstm.org.

Past Meetings

Harun Küçük of UPenn introduced his draft paper, "The Compass and the Astrolabe: Religion and Empirical Knowledge in the Early Modern Ottoman Empire."

Bruce Moran of the University of Nevada, Reno introduced his draft paper "Preserving the Cutting Edge: Traveling Woodblocks, Material Networks, and Visualizing Plants in Early Modern Europe"

Elly Truitt introduced chapter six, "The Trouble with Taxa," from Daryn Lehoux's What did the Romans Know? An Inquiry into Science and Worldmaking.

Alisha Rankin of Tufts introduced her draft paper, "To Cure a Thief: Testing Poison Antidotes in Early Modern Europe."

Darin Hayton of Haverford College introduced his paper "Byzantium: the Other East."

Joel Klein of Indiana University introduced his "Daniel Sennert and the Quest for a (Nearly) Universal Medicine".

Nicholas Harris of UPenn introduced a chapter from his dissertation Better Religion through Chemistry: `Izz al-Din Aydemir al-Jildaki and Alchemy under the Mamluks. This chapter examines the alchemist al-Jildaki's legacy, and, more broadly, discusses the implications of the omission of early modern Arabic alchemy from the history of alchemy.

Darin Hayton of Haverford College introduced the "Introduction" to his book Astrology and Politics in the Holy Roman Empire

Joel Klein of Indiana University introduced selections from "Communities of Learned Experience: Epistolary Medicine in the Renaissance" by Nancy G. Siraisi

Stephen Greenblatt's "The Swerve"

Selections from Ann Blair's "Too Much to Know"

Elly Truitt introduced her draft chapter "From Texts to Technology: Mechanical Automata in Courtly and Liturgical Pageantry".

Nicolas Wey-Gomez of CalTech introduced selections from his "The Tropics of Empire. Why Columbus Sailed South to the Indies". Transformations: Studies in the History of Science and Technology. Ed. Jed. Z. Buchwald. Cambridge, Mass. and London: The MIT Press, 2008.

Jonathan Seitz introduced a discussion of digital editions, their advantages and disadvantages and the possibilities they offer for new uses. The group also planned the rest of the year's meetings.

Susan Wells of Temple introduced "Oratory and Rhetoric in Renaissance Medicine" by Nancy Siraisi and "Rhetorical and Medicine in Descartes' Passions de l'âme: The Issue of Intervention" by Nancy Struever.

Jonathan Seitz of Drexel introduced selections from "The Professor of Secrets: Mystery, Medicine, and Alchemy in Renaissance Italy" by William Eamon

"Politics and Astrology in Renaissance Hungary" by Darin Hayton, Haverford College

"'A very imperfect trial': Notes on Martin Lister's Book of Shells" by Jessica Rosenberg, UPenn

Elly Truitt introduced "The Empire of Observation, 1600-1800" by Lorraine Daston, and "Frogs on the Mantelpiece: the Practice of Observation in Daily Life" by Mary Terrall.

Elly Truitt introduced "Networks of Travel, Correspondence, and Exchange" by Steven J. Harris and selections from "Matters of Exchange" by Harold J. Cook

Group Conveners

155 Members

You must be a member to view resources. Create an account or login to join group.