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SASA held its second annual Virtual Conference on August 14th - 15th, 2022, on the theme of Who Has the Power? Leaders and Leadership in the Ancient World. The free, live-streaming conference was a smash success, with over 10,000 people tuning in over the two days to its 5 sessions, 3 keynotes, and 3 special sessions. SASA thanks our partners, Digital Hammurabi, Voices of Ancient Egypt, World History Encyclopedia, World of Antiquity, Per-Hay Studio, and By Jove Theatre Company, for their help with advertising and livestreaming the conference. There were a total of 13 academic presentations given by Independent Scholars from around the world. In addition to three returning Independent Scholars who had presented in SASA’s first annual Virtual Conference in 2021, we welcomed ten new presenters this year. These scholars work in a variety of professions, both adjacent to and completely separate from academia, yet devote a portion of their personal time to pursuing their scholarship. The presentations, which were divided into 5 sessions, provided insight on leadership through different periods of ancient history and different cultures, including but not limited to the Ancient Mayans, Indians, Greeks, Egyptians, Mesopotamians, and Biblical persons. The keynote presentations, given by world-renowned scholars, ranged from the projection of Egyptian Pharaonic royal power to the creation of royal power in Mesopotamia by the collaborative members of the palace institution to the use of royal ideology for legitimation in ancient China. The academic presentations delved into practicalities and ideologies of power in ancient contexts, including how rulers positioned themselves and manipulated their constituencies to create, maintain, and expand their power. Some investigated how historical leaders were reconstrued later in time to suit the needs of the writers and communities in those chronologically subsequent ancient times. The conference also had three special sessions to encourage discussion on a range of topics focused on building a joint community of scholars including both those whose occupations are inside and outside academia. These sessions included a roundtable on Independent Scholar Community Building and Integration, a panel of Storytelling by Inspirational Independent Scholars, and a workshop on different publishing forums. With panelists from different academic, professional, and personal backgrounds and an engaging audience, these special sessions stimulated a lot of discussion and advice to other students, early career scholars, and independent researchers. SASA invites you to catch up on any sessions you may have missed, to join us at next year’s conference in Summer 2023, and to check out our many free public online events over the next year.

SASA is excited to announce that we are now using TikTok! This is our latest venture to improve awareness and access to the field of Ancient Studies. Building upon our already wide social media presence (Instagram, Twitter, Discord, Twitch), our Summer 2022 Intern and current volunteer, Charlotte Davies, created our TikTok account, posting informative, entertaining content about SASA and the ancient world. We already have over 270 followers and 3,300 likes of our page, tiktok.com/@saveancientstudies. One of our TikToks has over 11,000 views - check it out! TikTok is a short-form video platform that is incredibly popular with younger audiences. TikTok videos usually satirize popular culture through sound bites and contrasting visuals with auditory memes. But overlapping this media we also find niche communities drawn together by interest and knowledge. By branching out on TikTok, we can leverage the power of the internet even further, to draw in a bigger audience for our movement and share the excitement we feel about the Ancient World. If you have a creative mind and are enthusiastic about short-format videos you might be interested in helping SASA create TikToks. If you’re interested in helping out, please be in touch with Charlotte Davies, cdavies@saveancientstudies.org.

The Save Ancient Studies Alliance is proud to announce that we have completed our New Jersey Council for the Humanities grant. With this grant, we have produced 4 educational ‘Archaeogaming’ modules, which combine the engagement of interactive gaming with the study of the Ancient World, in order to introduce Ancient Studies to young people in an educational setting. In conjunction with our development of Archaeogaming videos, this grant has enabled us to provide ‘bundles’ as part of each module, to aid in the educational distribution of our product. These bundles include the Archaeogaming video and a powerpoint, as well as a teacher’s packet and additional activities to accompany the lesson. Each module therefore provides a cohesive lesson about the Ancient World, incorporating the entertainment of video games into classroom learning. These were on the topics of: Ancient Pottery: the Material World of Ancient Greece All Roads Lead to Rome: Making and Maintaining the Roman Empire Building the First Cities: Early Urbanism in Egypt and Mesopotamia Introduction to Medieval Ireland The New Jersey Council for the Humanities grant has enabled us to infuse scholarly expertise with contemporary technology to create high quality resources. The grant also allowed us to provide opportunities for early career scholars in helping us develop the lessons. Because the grant funded our research and production, we are able to distribute the learning materials for free, fulfilling our aim of improving access to Ancient Studies for all. If you’re a teacher interested in our existing Archaeogaming Modules, please sign up to receive them for free.

Save Ancient Studies Alliance (SASA) is pleased to announce a volunteer position with an immediate start date. This volunteership is a fantastic way for experienced scholars to get involved with a vibrant educational community, gain exposure to an outreach-oriented non-profit, and make a lasting impact on Ancient Studies. The fundraising and grant writing volunteer position would involve co-ordinating a team in weekly meetings, focussing on finding funding for projects and developing our public outreach. You will have the opportunity to strategise about new ways of developing SASA, through overseeing grant applications, meeting with potential donors and cultivating relationships with exciting organisations and individuals. SASA is looking for people from all kinds of backgrounds, who are interested in growing their analytical and creative skills in an environment focussed on providing access to Ancient Studies education for all ages. Alongside a team of passionate individuals with a variety of interests and specializations, you would be developing innovative methods of promoting Ancient Studies and reversing the downtrend in the field. SASA aims to inspire a broad, inclusive community of learners and students by building a grassroots movement through outreach, collaboration, accessibility, and public scholarship. These positions are diverse and incorporate a range of different skill sets. For more information, please click on the specific position linked here.

SASA is very proud to announce that we have signed a contract with the publishing house ArchaeoPress ahead of our upcoming Virtual Conference! This contract will help SASA to publish the proceedings of our previous virtual conference in a volume titled Opening the Ancient World: Culture, Memory, and Identity, Then and Now. These proceedings will be a part of their open access “Access Archaeology” book series. As ever, reducing barriers to access in Ancient Studies is at the core of SASA’s mission, so it has been important to us to publish in open-source formats. ArchaeoPress is an industry leader in this regard, so publishing with them will continue our work in supporting open access in Ancient Studies within our own work and in the wider industry. Open access has costs, which we are able to meet through the volunteer efforts of our editorial team, David Danzig, Bryan Kinzbrunner, Megan Lewis, Georgina Longley, and Anh Nguyen. More information on the publication of this work will be circulated once a release date has been established. SASA is incredibly proud of the hard work that has gone into establishing the Virtual Conference and into all the submissions for this year’s conference. This publication marks the continued fruition of SASA’s vision of an accessible delivery of Ancient Studies content to all, and provides proof of the demand for education beyond the conventional mediums and without the barriers that are so often put in place in Ancient Studies. These efforts will be continued in August of 2022, as we deliver our second open-access Virtual Conference. With the help of ArchaeoPress and our contributors, SASA hopes to continue to spearhead the development of accessible and open opportunities for learning in Ancient Studies.

Save Ancient Studies Alliance (SASA) is pleased to announce that the Fall 2022 period of our Internship Program is open for application s. These unpaid internships are a fantastic way of getting involved with a vibrant educational community and outreach-oriented non-profit in the Ancient Studies sector. SASA is looking for people from all kinds of backgrounds, who are interested in growing, developing their skills, and making a difference. The aim of these internships is to be mutually beneficial for interns and for SASA, to help raise awareness of the Downward Trend, and work to counteract it. Salary: unpaid Duration: September 1st to December 20th 2022 Hours: 10-15 hours per week (or up to 25 hours per week for college credits) Location: Remote. Must be available for weekly team meetings online Requirements: must be at least 18 years old, studying at undergraduate or higher education levels. Application Deadline: July 31st 2022 Applicants are interviewed on a rolling basis with a final deadline of July 31st. We seek interns with experience in any of the following areas: Communication skills (i.e social media, mass email, website, copywriting) Excellent writing skills Event coordination Research Journalism Graphic design Video editing Data mining and management Fundraising Grant writing Nonprofit administration Project management Recruitment procedures Education or classroom experience Ancient Studies knowledge General work experience, especially in remote settings As part of our Internship Program, we provide the following opportunities: Monthly Professional Development Events Career Guidance/Mentoring by Appointment Opportunity to cycle between multiple teams for academic-year-long internships Greater familiarity with non-profit management, as well as workplace experience Orientation, Fun Events, and Goodbye Party Please see our Internship Program brochure for more information about SASA Teams and Projects. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to internships@saveancientstudies.org or upload them in the webform on our applications page. Please specify in your cover letter which skills you have. We look forward to your application. SASA is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity organization. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for internships without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We also welcome applicants from diverse educational backgrounds, aside from Ancient Studies, and those on any career trajectory.

SASA would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest SASA Ambassador, Dr. Aren Maeir. SASA ambassadors, influential Ancient Studies advocates, are an exceptionally important part of our team. They help us spread our mission far and wide and assist in SASA’s fundraising. Dr. Maeir is the latest addition to our Ambassadorial team and his appointment reflects the importance of his research and the wide-reach of his delivery, using a SASA-favorite medium - blog posts! Leading digs for 25+ years, with thousands of students learning under his guidance, Dr. Maeir has been at the forefront of connecting enthusiastic potential Ancient Studies scholars directly to the material reality of ancient peoples. Dr. Maeir is an expert in the archaeology of the Ancient Levant, having written and edited close to 20 volumes on the subject while publishing c. 300 papers. A prolific writer and archaeological director, Dr. Maeir brings three decades of teaching and research experience to his role with SASA and will be an integral asset in expanding our outreach to new frontiers. We are incredibly excited to welcome Dr. Maeir to the team in a formal capacity and we are very much looking forward to his work with us. His work will support our growth into our third year of development as SASA continues onward and upward in our mission to promote Ancient Studies, by helping us reach our fundraising goals and expanding our network of public advocates.

SASA is delighted to welcome Julie Levy to the team as our new Programming Coordinator! This role helps connect all of our teams and support their work to ensure continued progress on all fronts. As we’ve been looking to fill this role for so long, we are so happy to have such a competent, engaged new Programming Coordinator! Julie was first introduced to SASA via our Archaeogaming projects. Julie had been interested in Archaeogaming and ancient world reception in gaming for quite some time, and having met several SASA members through that interest at panels, events, and online in the realm of academic Twitter, she felt like she should reach out. After speaking to our former Fundraising Team Leader, Tine Rassalle, Julie contacted the director, and less than a week later she was onboarded. More than just an educator, Julie has a range of working experience. In addition to her many years teaching and researching as a graduate student, she also worked as an editor, project manager, and video essayist. As the new Programming Coordinator, her project management skills are particularly apt. SASA has many diverse and exciting projects happening all the time, and it's a tough job to make sure everyone is supported the way they need to be - but one that she is more than up to the challenge on. Julie has extensive experience in Ancient Studies. With three degrees in Ancient Greek and Roman studies, focusing primarily on Ancient Greek poetry and comparative linguistics and history, her expertise is significant. Whether giving talks on comparative mythology, ancient Greek wedding rituals, Roman tragedy, the reception of Greekness into Roman literature, or the reception of Greek and Roman antiquity in modern gaming, Julie is an expert in the Classical World and its reception. Right now, she runs a YouTube channel where she gives scholarly commentary while livestreaming video games and makes video essays on ancient world topics. As well as an inspirational educator and team player, Julie is a glowing example of what a modern independent scholar can do. Having left her PhD program ABD (all but dissertation) in protest over graduate student working conditions, Julie maintained connections through the internet. This ensured that she could still be invited into academic spaces for talks and projects that would once have been barred to her. This is a perfect example of SASA’s aims - to continue to support the growth of academic spaces for those outside of the traditional academic requirements. SASA is founded on our collective passion for Ancient Studies, and Julie has characterized that as supporting her mission statement here at SASA. In her words, “we're all working together out of love for our subject, so I'm here to support everyone in that goal”. Julie hopes that her work with SASA will give me experience working in a larger non-profit environment than she has ever had the chance to serve in before. Career-wise, she “couldn't ask for a better fit”: working with a large non-profit where she can exercise her scholarly and logistics skills fits her resume to the ground, whether she continues into nonprofit work or returns to academia. For herself, she says that she is looking forward to making forays into areas of ancient world studies that I haven't had the chance to explore. SASA's aims of portraying the ancient world as a whole, human place and of making that place accessible to the average person are some of her dream goals. All told, Julie is an excellent fit here at SASA and we are incredibly excited to have her aboard.

SASA is delighted to announce that our founder and director, David Danzig, has successfully defended his Doctoral Thesis and will be receiving his PhD. Dr. Danzig studied for his MA in Assyriology at Yale University, with his thesis focusing on the production of literary works through a cycle of exegesis, as seen in the interplay between the Mesoptamian mythological text Enuma Elish and its final section, the explication of Marduk’s 50 Names. For more information on David's research, follow the link here to see his academia.edu page. Following this, David studied at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW), at New York University, in New York City. ISAW has a focus on interdisciplinary scholarship that spans Gibraltar to Japan, from the Neolithic to Late Antiquity. ISAW was a great opportunity for David, as it provided the perfect academic environment to support his expansive view of the ancient world. His research approach, wherein he incorporated strands of evidence from a broad purview and any possible sources, was welcomed and encouraged with their support. ISAW was a fantastic opportunity, as it housed both a doctoral program and research institute, allowing for a mix of scholars at all levels, creating countless possibilities for research across disciplines. His studies have focused on Ancient Near Eastern Literature and History, which attracted him to his doctoral topic - the exploration of immigration history and identity development in the 6th and 5th century BCE Babylonia. People from numerous areas migrated or were forced to migrate to Babylonia at this time. These events have a prescient mirror to the modern day, in the migration events that are ongoing in Ukraine, and over the last decade in Central America and the Middle East. He worked on this topic out of his interest in understanding how cultures, communities, and individuals interact and change in situations of close contact, a theme that is just as poignant today as it was in ancient times. David is aiming to publish his first book, stemming from his dissertation research, that builds to two new theories of interpretation of social phenomena in the Ancient Near East. The first is a reappraisal of the mass transplantation of populations by the 1st millennium BCE ancient Near Eastern empires, and the outcome of their resettlement on a network of large estates of high imperial officials. It also develops an understanding of Babylonian society at this time as consisting of three key strata - an agrarian peasantry, a rural local elite, and the urbanite elite. In addition, he traces a number of long term identity developments of four immigrant groups and connects these identities to their immigration histories into the region. David also runs and oversees the Shanati Project. This project aims to recreate the ancient Babylonian chronology from the 1st millennium BCE with day-level granularity, from ancient cuneiform sources, in an accessible format for the modern day. Running in collaboration with a range of excellent scholars in the field of the History of Science in Ancient Babylonia, this project is supported by a Digital Humanities Advancement Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities that he wrote. This project also works toward David’s goals of bringing Ancient Studies to the general public, as it will tightly connect the ancient Babylonian calendar with our modern western calendar and will create a free embeddable date conversion widget for chronology nerds everywhere. From the outset, David aspired to incorporate three key facets of development into his professional academic role - research, teaching, and outreach. He firmly believes that this approach is a necessary change and forms the foundations of the future of Ancient Studies - a field ripe for a course-correction. Dr. Danzig has research interests in ancient immigration, ethnic identity, and social history in the past - a broad range of passions that stem from his life experience. His view is that studying these ancient phenomena offer a way of “contributing to a better world in which people learn how to understand and accept differences without fear”. These interests brought David to Ancient Studies, as he finds that the nature of Ancient Studies as a subject within the Humanities is a fantastic vehicle for education regarding social cultural differences. Moreover, he is dedicated to ensuring that that is the focus of Ancient Studies education moving forward, and continuing what he believes is its current path. Taking a positive attitude to making change in the world has helped David to bring people together from all walks of life and in many guises, such as Save Ancient Studies Alliance. This organization is the distillation of David’s motivation to take proactive steps in supporting and empowering himself and others to make the change necessary to bring people together. David has found this empowerment he seeks to give to others in teaching, in a process he describes as “multi-dimensional”. The nature of guiding students to learn, offering them insight into career development, and exploring aspects of personal growth can be a rich and rewarding experience for an educator such as David, and create a two-way street of development for the involved groups. To this end, David has also cited his experience with SASA and leading the interns and volunteers there as simultaneously mentor-based and collaborative, further supporting his ability to teach, lead, and educate. David’s vision for SASA began to come to life in March 2020, and he has led its project development and day-to-day operations ever since. David’s work with SASA has emphasized his vision for Ancient Studies as a rising star within the Humanities, reversing the Downward Trend of engagement to encourage continual new developments within the field from fresh perspectives. To this end, David has guided SASA to work to reduce barriers to entry and widen accessibility to the subject through a range of initiatives that have made Ancient Studies accessible to those with a non-traditional background or approach to scholarship. David founded SASA with the recognition that there is no one-size fits all approach to studying the past and the inclusion of scholarship and ideas from across the spectrum is the best way to encourage greater engagement and a connection to the past that ensures it maintains relevance today. Founding SASA drew on David’s experience in nonprofit organizations and the attitude and organizational ability to bring people together toward a common goal that he attributes to his mother. David has also endeavored to give SASA the direction to connect students across all ages and backgrounds and equip them with the necessary tools to develop their skills and support their prospects for future entry to higher education in the context of Ancient Studies. His work has also helped provide opportunities for individuals of all ages who traditionally do not have access to institutional resources to participate in their academic development and gain exposure for their own research. The removal of barriers to access and widening engagement has been a part of David’s mission for creating a community for Ancient Studies scholarship as a calling that transcends occupation. David has described his time developing SASA and working with our teams with tremendous positivity. He has described the organization “as a group of incredible volunteers” who he sees as good friends, and referred to the journey of SASA as “an amazing ride, one that I never could have seen for myself”. With his help, he is hopeful that SASA can continue to work together toward a “thriving, healthy future of Ancient Studies” - a goal that he calls “tremendously fulfilling”. We at SASA would like to be the first to congratulate David for his achievement and wish him all the best for the future as he makes his next steps into academia.

SASA is delighted to announce that we will be continuing our Summer Reading Groups into the Summer of 2022. Our Reading Groups are free to anyone interested in the topic and provide a forum to engage with ancient texts in English (and Spanish) translation in the context of a discussion group with like-minded individuals from around the world. Thanks to the generous grant from the Delmas Foundation, SASA presents a wide range of excellent groups this summer. This Summer, we are joined by a team of fantastic leaders who will facilitate 15 reading groups across a breadth of fascinating subjects in the Ancient World, offering students of all levels, backgrounds, and support networks an opportunity to dive into the study of the past with a subject expert. This year’s reading groups cover topics from many locales in the ancient world, from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Through discussion of texts and ancient history, topical issues of antiquity and today, participants will engage with the past in rich and vibrant ways that apply to modern contexts. Reading Groups are of either 8 weeks or 3 weeks in duration. Groups run weekly, falling between June 2 and August 4, . RSVP NOW! Our reading groups: Ancient Egyptian Gods in Ancient Texts and Modern Media. Led by Brianna Jackson and Kate Minniti, running 14th - August 2nd, 8 Weeks, Tuesdays @ 12pm EST Affairs, Scandals, Treason: Misdeeds in Ancient Egypt. Led by Charlotte Dietrich, running June 12th - July 11th, 3 Weeks, Monday @ 12pm EST From Soapy Slaughter to Soap Opera. Led by Georgina Longley, running June 14th - August 2nd, 8 Weeks, Tuesday @ 11am EST World History through the Environment: How Ancient Cultures Viewed and Observed their Natural Surroundings. Led by Gregory Allen Viessmann Jr, running June 14th - August 2nd, Tuesday @ 2pm EST. Hidden in plain sight: uncovering the life of a Roman slave. Led by Jamie Young, running June 13th - 27th, Mondays @ 1pm EST. Communicating Power in the Ancient Maya World: A Study of Glyphic Text, Monumental Art, and Architecture. Led by Catherine Nuckols-Wilde, running June 2nd - July 21st, Thursdays @ 2pm EST. What was the Ancient Indian Religion?. Led by Pratishta Mukherjee, running June 3rd - 17th, Fridays @ 11am EST. Literatura y Filosofía en la antigua Grecia: de los Presocráticos a Platón (administered in Spanish). Led by Javier Maldonado Fernandez, running June 9th - July 28th, Thursdays @ 11am EST. Life and Times in Ancient Persia. Led by John Haberstroh and Babette Margolies, running June 10th - July 29th, Fridays @ 2pm EST. Understanding the Vikings through their Texts. Led by Dr Lillian Céspedes González, running July 13th-27th, Wednesdays at 11am EST. Ancient Egypt in Africa. Led by Talawa Adodo, running June 2nd - July 21st, Thursdays @ 12pm EST.

We at SASA are delighted to announce that our Fundraising Team Leader, Dr. Tine Rassalle, has been awarded a post as the Curator at the Museum of Southern Jewish Experience, in New Orleans. This is a fantastic post and we are very pleased to see her enter a new role after her recent PhD defense and graduation. Tine has a range of excellent experience in the studies of the past, having been engaged with ancient cultures prior to her PhD studies. Having worked previously in Providing Financial Services Level 6public facing roles including at museums, Tine’s devotion to sharing knowledge with anyone and everyone with a willingness to learn made her a perfect fit for SASA, and in turn will allow her to excel as a public educator. Tine’s unique doctoral thesis at University of North Carolina focused on expressions of Ancient Judaism through the nature of Coin Deposits in Ancient Synagogues in Late Antique Palestine. Tine’s passion for her subject and commitment to continually sharing her knowledge has made her Twitter feed a constant and transparent view into the life of an academic, complete with highs and lows - and historical insights thrown in for good measure. Tine has been an essential part of the team here at SASA, having led our fundraising efforts throughout SASA’s past, stepping up to form and lead the team at a critical time in our organization's history. She has been absolutely instrumental in helping SASA grow, providing the expertise and guidance to acquire a number of significant grants, including $7,150 from the New Jersey council for humanities, $10,000 from the Delmas Foundation, and $21,000 from the University of North Carolina. Her work has been a cornerstone in keeping SASA moving forward, for which we thank her immensely. We wish Tine all the best with her new role moving forward and hope she continues to exemplify the passion she has always shown to us in her new place of work.

SASA would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Executive Assistant, Dr. Lillian Céspedes González, whose position is supported by our CORE Fund. The executive team is a core team at SASA that works directly with our director, Dr. David Danzig, to implement key administrative changes, support workflow procedures, and support our teams as we grow and attract new team members! For more information on SASA’s CORE fund, please click here. Dr. Céspedes González is a long-time supporter of SASA, having collaborated with us prior through her work with the historical tour company, Travelusion, on virtual tours of archaeological sites in the UK. Through Travelusion, Dr. Céspedes González brings people from all over the world right into historical sites with her expert knowledge and quick wit. Thanks to the burgeoning market for tours that have been limited by travel restrictions, Travelusion has been a perfect way for many prospective fans of the past to explore ancient settings, city-scapes, and points of interest with a personalized tour and all the breadth and depth of knowledge of Dr. Céspedes González’s expert understanding! Dr. Céspedes González’s work offered an incisive and fresh perspective on the medieval viking subjects. More specifically, her research has focused on the representations of medieval Norse women and the way they are depicted in visual media - such as comic books, and films - and how this translates into wider forms of representation of the medieval viking population in modern popular culture and memory. As well as this, Dr. Céspedes González also hosts a podcast and runs blogs online regarding various topics in popular culture. We are incredibly excited to welcome Dr. Céspedes González to the team in a formal capacity and we are very much looking forward to her work with us. She will be an integral part of the team within SASA and will help us continue our work into our third year of development and growth as SASA continues onward and upward in our mission to reverse the Downward Trend in Ancient Studies.