Carlos Noreña

@carlosfnorena

Ancient Historian @ UC Berkeley • 🇪🇦 • politics | sports | electronic music • He/Him

838 Folgt5.027 Follower4.631 Posts

Bluesky

Ist das dein Profil?Übernimm es — dann gehört dir carlosfnorena.dirty.social.Profil übernehmen

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· 10d

Wow. Recently released still shot from the first reading of the screenplay for The Odyssey. Remarkable behind-the-scenes illustration of Sir Christopher Nolan's commitment to his "vision."

Kylo Ren "More" meme. Text on left: "But Sir, we have already invoked 'Zeus' Law' so many times."

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· 10d

Anakin and Padme meme. Can't wait to sort facts. In order, though, right? Right?

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· 18d

We did see it (in 70mm) at the historic Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland, and that was quite something...

Interior of theater with large colored columns and heavy drapery and ornate details.

Wide angle view of theater, with draped screen in the distance, flanked by tall columns and a golden domed ceiling above.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· 29d

This fellow gazing upon Richter's *4096 Farben* might disagree with your assessment.

Man standing in museum looking at painting with 4096 squares of color.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· 29d

Went to SFMOMA to check out Matisse's *Femme au chapeau*, displayed in a recreation of the gallery in which it first appeared (Salon d'Automne, Paris, 1905). But what grabbed me on today's visit was *256 Farben* by Gerhard Richter (1974-1984). Have seen it many times, but today it really hit!

Femme au chapeau: a colorful, stylized painting of Matisse's wife, Amelia, seated and wearing a large, colorful hat.

256 Farben: a 16 × 16 panel of horizontal blocks of color, randomly arranged.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jul 15

🇪🇸 vs. 🇦🇷 To be the champion, one must dethrone the champion. That's the only way. ⚽️ ¡Vamos La Furia Roja!

Spanish flag, with thin red bands on top and bottom surrounding larger yellow band with image of royal crest, fluttering in the wind, to the left, in front of dark blue sky in full daylight.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jul 12

where you can find me

Home study with long wooden table at 3/4 angle with computer, lamps, and books and three bookshelves above. Sliding glass doors look out to slate patio with potted plants.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jul 8

My fortune ("fortune") today. I will henceforth refer all of the haters to this document.

Chinese fortune that reads, " You are loved. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jul 7

This is my Platner. (Samuel B. Platner, American classicist and archeologists, 1863-1921).

Grainy black and white photo of bespectacled middle-aged man in a tuxedo jacket and tie.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jul 6

Time for new sunglasses?

Ad for Meta sunglasses with online image displayed on lens.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jul 5

😂

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jul 5

San Francisco: Let's have a giant fireworks show from the Golden Gate Bridge to celebrate the 250th! Fun! Karl the Fog: Nope.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jun 29

The elimination of Germany would normally fill me with glee, but I had them in my World Cup fantasy league (long story), and now my only path to victory is if Morocco wins the whole damn thing. GO MOROCCO 🇲🇦 ⚽️

Moroccan flag fluttering in foreground on the left with tower and palm trees in distance on the right.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jun 22

Classic June Gloom day in the Bay Area to mark the Summer Solstice (I love it)...

Dark fog bank above a patch of shining water surrounded by dark grey hills, with grey flats in the medium distance and very dark grey line of trees silhouetted against flats in the foreground.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jun 21

🇪🇸 ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ 🇸🇦 (😞) Father's Day 2026 off to a hot start!

Selfie: middle-aged man with glasses wearing a red soccer jersey with yellow trim and holding up a fist.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jun 14

Chattanooga, TN. Very beautiful.

Civil War era canon on a mountaintop overlooking a river bend with lush greenery on the left and buildings and roads on the right.

Gravel path with large rock on the left and lush greenery on both sides. Both the path and the greenery are in a mix of light and shade.

Hillside of trees and bushes, all in bright green, in a mix of light and shade.

Sun behind clouds setting over a river, with silhouettes of people and boats.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jun 12

Vintage recording consoles at RCA Studio, Nashville. On the left, an RCA 3-channel console from 1959. What a *gorgeous* machine. Look at those aesthetics! On the right, a 24-channel console from 1970 with mostly API components. Also beautiful. 🎙 🎚 🎛

Small grey console with big black knobs and faders and a small bank of 3 illuminated VU meters on top.

Large console set in wooden desk with columns of faders, buttons, knobs, and switches, with 2 rows of 8 illuminated VU meters above.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Jun 9

A balanced play of light, shade, and color on the Berkeley campus.

Facade of stone building in the shade in upper left. Evergreen tree, mostly shsded, in upper right. Purple flowers in the center of image, in sunlight, with red flowers in foreground in sunlight.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 29

I still believe in the mission and promise of public higher education. [a quiet campus on a cool Friday afternoon in early summer invites such reverie]

Three-quarter-angle view of neoclassical building, partially screened by a small tree with purple flowers and flanked by two larger evergreens, with Italianate clock tower looming above on the right. Orange flowers in circular planting below and mostly cloudy sky above.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 29

Sunset over a northern stretch of the San Francisco Bay. May 28, 2026.

Dark orange and yellow sunset over hills, a thin strip of grey water, and darkened flat land in the foreground.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 27

Carlos Noreña, a Possible 2028 Contender, Calls for the National League to Eliminate the Designated Hitter www.nytimes.com

NY Times headline: Rahm Emanuel, a Possible 2028 Contender, Calls for Higher Education Reforms.

Middle-aged man wearing glasses in dark jacket and tie.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 17

A winged Eros looks back on a crashed chariot and asks (in effect), "WTF?" We feel you, little winged Eros. We feel you. [Sarcophagus, 2nd-3rd c. CE; Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen]

Closeup of Eros, with hand on forehead in gesture of exasperation.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 16

A pleasant perch in the shade on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

A grey cat, screened by the branches and leaves of a maple tree, sitting on the outdoor ledge of a dark brown building with a bright red door underneath.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 14

Like a Captain Kirk or a MacGyver, though, I find *solutions*.

Pint of beer with a sports bar in background.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 9

A balm for the soul. 💛

Facade of 5 story building with pastel yellow exterior, flanked by smaller buildings in dark red, in early evening light. Vertical windows. Small trees in front. Colors reflected in canal below, with three rowboats moored to the wall.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 8

On the other hand, check out this kneeling Parthian. Breathtaking piece of art ⬇️

Marble statue in off white, burgundy, and dark grey of man kneeling and supporting the base of a column on his back. Red wall in background.

Close up of marble portrait of man with mustache, flowing hair, and large, expressive eyes.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 8

I am duty bound to include this remarkable portrait, identified as Vitellius. Had never seen this I wouldn't bet my life on the identification, but who cares. It is already SKYROCKETING up my Favorite Imperial Portrait rankings. 😂

Stone portrait of older man, slightly frowning (?), with receding hairline, sagging jowls, and huge eyes with heavy eyelids.

See alt text for other image (same portrait from slightly different angle).

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· May 8

Two middle-aged men in Copenhagen: a study in contrasts. One has glasses and hair but no power. The other has absolute power¹ but no glasses or hair. _____________ ¹ Cf. the *lex de imperio Vespasiani*, esp. the sixth clause.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Apr 22

Ari Bryen's new book is a remarkable historical sociology of Roman law *and* a compelling diachronic account of its transformation from a lively site for the telling of stories and making of meaning to a cold instrument of state power & social control. And the writing is sharp. Highly recommended.

Carlos Noreña@carlosfnorena· Apr 17

Current mood as the academic year winds down is less "finish strong!" or "run through the tape!" than "just cross the finish line in one piece, bro." 🧟‍♂️