Adam Benkato and I have launched Berkeley Working Papers in Middle Iranian Philology. We will publish short & longer articles or research reports on the philology and epigraphy of Middle Iranian languages (Middle Persian, #Parthian, #Bactrian, #Sogdian, #Chorasmian, #Khotanese). We warmly invite our colleagues to contribute to the #journal.

We start issue 0 with a manifesto where I show a possible direction for the journal by discussing #Nietzsche’s views on #philology.

https://escholarship.org/uc/bwp_mip

Looking for something else, I just came across a cute description by Ammianus Marcellinus of the Chinese making silk (he lived in the 4th c CE). #Romans had access to Chinese silks but there was no direct trade. Instead it was conducted by #Parthian and #Kushan intermediaries. So the Romans were a little bit vague on the 'Seres' #LateAntiquity