Yes, I have been away for a long time. Luckily I have good reason. I had to focus on the six-legged Myrmidons so as to finish my Ph. D. this May. In July I will be starting a post-Doc working on Macrotermes termites that build huge air conditioned mounds wherein they practice agriculture by rearing fungus in what seems eerily like a Biodome. My job will be to analyze the manner in which the termites build their mounds and help a group of robotisists and physicists model the system and teach robots how to build for us. The eventual goal is to have robots that we can send to places we cannot easily get to, like mars, go there and construct habitats for us that will be ready-made when we arrive.
I have not been completely away from hoplites. I am featured on a YouTube channel:
Come, sip the black broth and discuss Sparta. My hope is that together we can lift the "mirage" of biased history that has led to Spartans being held up as either demi-gods or demons depending on the political and social beliefs of those writing history. I will be posting my opinions on diverse topics related to Laconian history, including social institutions and warfare, and urge all to respond.
All are Homoioi at the Phitidion as long as you do not prove yourself to be a drunken helot.