Quantavolution Conference

Hosted by Alfred de Grazia the annual Quantavolution conference can be accessed at www.2012-q-conference-naxos.grazian-archive.com and a transcript of the various speakers, which include Trevor Palmer, William Mullen, Emilio Spedicato and Gunnar Heinsohn. In the transcript of the latter there is some really unusual speculation on the Late Roman Period, including the fact Roman history and archaeology very often revolves around dating via Roman coinage – and the assumed orthodox succession of emperors. What if the consensus was faulty? One doesn't have to see the situation as ripe for the kind of pruning suggested by Heinsohn, or by Illig and others, in order to recognise that something might very well be wrong in the chronology. Whether it will ever be acknowledged is another matter, of course, but no doubt people will continue to prod at the accepted catalogue of events and find anomalies and over time these will increase – if of course the anomalies are valid. Then again, they may be buried by scholars as is often the case when presented with evidence that doesn't fit into the picture of the consensus view of things. It is also worth bearing in mind that Heinsohn is inclined to answer criticism of his revisions, how it might all fit together, by simply waving his arms and pointing out 'he is not a historian' – hence the problem is shunted elsewhere. He is, in effect, pointing out the anomalies but not joining up the dots. Never the less he makes you think, about things you never thought of querying. Which must be good.