The agricultural economy was the backbone of wealth in ancient Greece. Food brought people together, whether in smaller groups at a wine-drinking symposium, or the entire community in a sacrificial feast of epic proportions. In The Odyssey, the ancient Greek epic poem, Odysseus’s son joins one of these early feasts – a community barbecue of 100 cattle.

Researchers have long recognised the economic, political and social importance of food in ancient Greece. But one key question has never been fully settled: how were animals actually raised within this system?

For nearly a century, academics have been locked in a debate over the organisation of ancient Greek animal husbandry. At one extreme is the idea of large, semi-nomadic herds moving seasonally across the landscape in search of pasture. At the other is a more intimate picture: smaller herds integrated into everyday farm life, feeding on local fields and crop by-products. In other words, were animals part of a mobile pastoral system, or woven tightly into mixed crop-and-livestock farms?

Along with an interdisciplinary team of archaeologists and scientists, I have analysed one of the largest assemblages of animal remains in the ancient Greek world from the site of Azoria on Crete to address this debate. We published our findings in a recent article.

When early historians first addressed the question of how animals were reared and plants cultivated in ancient Greece, large herds of sheep and goats managed by semi-nomadic groups were a common sight in the modern Greek landscape. These herds moved from summer uplands to winter lowlands, searching for seasonal pastures.

American geographer Ellen Churchill Semple’s book The Geography of the Mediterranean Region: Its Relation to Ancient History was the first to suggest this seasonal husbandry also existed in ancient Greece.

However, another school of thought has suggested a different model for the economy. Based on interviews with elderly shepherds and farmers, archaeologist Paul Halstead has suggested in several articles and in his 2014 book Two Oxen Ahead. Pre-Mechanized Farming in the Mediterranean, that animals were mostly reared in smaller herds attached to farmsteads. They largely grazed on fallow fields or nearby rough pasture, he argued, or consumed fodder crops grown for them. In this model, plants and animals were integrated.

Over the decades, academics have lined up on either side of this debate. But until recently, it was impossible to directly assess the diet and mobility of ancient Greek animals and settle this debate.

Science meets history

The application of stable isotope analysis – a technique that measures forms of the same chemical element, called isotopes, which have slightly different weights – has given researchers their first opportunity to test these competing ideas using the remains of animals from ancient Greek sites.

By measuring the mix of isotopes preserved in ancient bones and teeth, scientists can work out what an animal or person ate and drank, and even gain clues about where it lived. This is because food and water leave chemical signatures that become locked in the body over time.

Atoms have multiple isotopes that vary their mass due to the number of neutrons. So, stable isotope analysis, which examines the amounts of different isotopes in archaeological remains, can answer questions about the sources (food, water, air) that contributed to the makeup of an animal (or human).

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The ratios of carbon and nitrogen isotopes provide evidence for the sorts of food consumed by ancient animals. The ratios of oxygen stable isotopes provide a seasonal signature for the growth of tooth enamel. By combining analyses of these different isotopes, it’s possible to directly address the agropastoral debate and assess the seasonal diet of animals.

The first applications of these techniques to ancient Greek animals only served to complicate the situation. Due to expense and availability of samples, only a handful of animals were tested at sites like Knossos on Crete or Argilos in northern Greece. Rather than one model, a range of different animal husbandry strategies were identified in the samples analysed from these sites. However, the small samples size meant researchers could not draw firm conclusions, other than confirming that animals in ancient Greece were raised using a mix of different farming method. Unfortunately, how this mix showed up in the ancient economy was unclear.

Our study at the site of Azoria on Crete is the first designed to explicitly test these two competing hypotheses in an analysis of 50 sheep and goats.

Testing the competing hypotheses

Azoria is, in many ways, the ideal site for examining the economy that underpinned the early development of city-states. It was suddenly abandoned right before the start of the classical period (around 510–323BC), in the early 5th century BC. This abandonment provides a snapshot of life at this moment, as the people left behind their trash (including plentiful animal and plant remains) and also their bulky pottery. The intact ceramic assemblages have helped us assess the function of different buildings and rooms.

Near the top of the hill are a series of public buildings, including the communal dining building. Here, citizens regularly gathered to feast and discuss the matters of the day. On lower terraces are several houses for elite citizens.

My analysis of over 200,000 animal remains from these spaces provides unprecedented insight into household dinners and public feasts. I found that the same animals, of the same ages, were consumed in houses and in the communal dining building. Mostly goats followed by sheep, pigs and cattle.

More interestingly, the food was prepared differently in feasts than at home, with professional butchers (likely sacrificial priests) wielding cleavers and chopping up cuts of meat for feasts, while household preparation was done using standard knives to slice meat.

While this might suggest that the same animals were used in both kinds of meals, the isotope analysis shows that this is not the case. The carbon values from animals eaten at home match up with oxygen values taken from different points along the same tooth, which change with the season. This indicates that these animals were mainly raised near local farms and ate plants that changed with the seasons.

However, the animals consumed in public feasts diverge from this pattern, showing an opposite pattern where carbon isotope values diverge from oxygen isotope values. This pattern indicates a movement between summer uplands and winter lowlands. Others show a flat trend to carbon isotopes, probably indicating they consumed specially grown fodder crops year round.

These results demonstrate that the ancient Greek food economy was more complicated than academics initially assumed. Rather than raising animals or plants together or separate from one another, both strategies existed. That said, it looks like the political unity of city-states may have been strengthened by large public sacrifices that provided meat for all citizens, made possible through the organised, specialised management of communal herds.

These conclusions give us a new appreciation for the communities that formed ancient Greek city-states. They worked together to support one another and to feed one another. To create a setting for feasting and political life. After all, you are defined by more than just what you eat, but also who you eat with, and, of course, what your food ate.

NEW YORK (AP) — From the front office to the field, the New York Mets have failed in almost every area over the past year.

And on Friday, manager Carlos Mendoza took the fall.

Halfway through a wretched season, Mendoza was fired as skipper of the underperforming Mets and replaced by former San Diego Padres manager Andy Green, who was already working in the organization.

New York was 34-47 at the season’s midpoint following a six-game losing streak, 15 games behind NL East-leading Atlanta and 9 1/2 back of the NL’s last wild-card berth.

Mets owner Steve Cohen had high expectations for a team without a World Series title since 1986. New York opened the season with baseball’s highest payroll at $358 million and was projected to pay an additional $124 million in luxury tax.

“There is no sugar-coating it: This season has been a disappointment and our fans deserve better than what we’ve delivered,” Cohen said in a statement.

Although in some ways Mendoza had been on the hot seat for months, in others it was a stunningly swift decline for a skipper viewed as a rising star in 2024, when he earned high praise and was a Manager of the Year finalist after taking the Mets on a surprising playoff run in his debut season.

At a Citi Field news conference before Friday night’s series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, president of baseball operations David Stearns thanked Mendoza for his contributions and called it “a very difficult day.”

“Despite all of our effors, Mendy’s included, we haven’t been able to get this going this year. And I take responsibility for that,” Stearns said. “I also have a responsibility to push us forward, to look for solutions and to make difficult decisions and change when I think it’s needed.”

Slowed by injuries to Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Clay Holmes, Francisco Alvarez, Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco, the Mets began the day a season-worst 13 games under .500. Friday night marked only the 10th time all year — and first since April 22 — that Lindor and Soto were both in the starting lineup. On two of those occasions, one left early because of a calf strain.

New York traded pitcher David Peterson, who had been the team’s longest-tenured player, to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday and could pivot to a selloff this summer and retooling for the future.

“I understand we have an uphill battle ahead of us this year, but we’re not turning the page,” Stearns said. “I think sometimes a new voice, a new perspective, a new view, helps. And sometimes it’s really difficult to explain why or how. But at this point, it was time to try.”

Stearns said he informed Mendoza of the decision when they met Friday morning, and the Mets held a team meeting Friday afternoon.

“At the end of the day, this is not on him. It’s more on us, the players, that we didn’t perform to our capabilities,” Lindor said.

The 46-year-old Mendoza spent 15 seasons working for the New York Yankees, the last four as bench coach, before the Mets hired him to replace Buck Showalter after the 2023 season. They reached the National League Championship Series in 2024 but missed the playoffs last year and are among baseball’s biggest disappointments this season.

“If we were playing better, he’d still be here. It’s just unfortunate he had to take the fall,” infielder Bo Bichette said.

Since starting 2025 a major league-best 45-24 through June 12, the Mets are 72-102. That left the team with a 206-199 record under Mendoza, who was in the final guaranteed season of a three-year contract. He was hired by the Mets a month after Stearns arrived.

After signing Soto to a record $765 million, 15-year contract before the 2025 season, Stearns made major changes last offseason. He overhauled Mendoza’s coaching staff and allowed fan favorites Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz to leave as free agents. Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil were traded, and Stearns brought in Bichette, Polanco, Robert, Freddy Peralta and Marcus Semien.

None of it has worked.

New York had a 12-game losing streak in April, its longest since 2002, and made six errors in the nightcap of Wednesday’s doubleheader loss to the Chicago Cubs, the team’s most in a game since 2014.

The 48-year-old Green, a former major league infielder, joined the Mets in 2023 as senior vice president of baseball development and had been running their farm system. He was given the title of interim manager for the rest of the season and will wear uniform No. 70.

“Tough. I don’t think anybody dreams of sitting in this seat this way,” Green said.

Green managed San Diego to a 274-366 record from 2016-19, finishing with losing records in all four seasons.

Stearns said Green will return to a front-office role after this season and the Mets will conduct a full search for a new manager. Green said he loves the player-development job he had and chose it largely to be able to spend more time with his three daughters.

“This wasn’t something I was running to,” Green said. “This felt more like a responsibility than an opportunity.”

Green played four games for the Mets in 2009, his final big league appearances as a player. He became the team’s fourth manager since Cohen bought the club from the Wilpon and Katz families after the 2020 season, following Luis Rojas, Showalter and Mendoza.

Mendoza is the third major league manager to lose his job since the season started. Boston’s Alex Cora was replaced by Chad Tracy and Philadelphia’s Rob Thomson by Don Mattingly, with both of those changes coming in late April.

Roster shuffle

In other moves, the Mets reinstated outfielder Tyrone Taylor (right hip flexor strain) from the 10-day injured list and recalled left-hander Zach Thornton from Triple-A Syracuse to make his second big league start Friday night against Philadelphia. The club optioned outfielder MJ Melendez and right-hander Daniel Duarte to Syracuse following Thursday night’s 10-inning loss to the Cubs.

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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum and AP freelancer Jerry Beach contributed to this report.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

​The drones, which would have laser mapping technology, could be deployed across complex coastal cliff zones in North Yorkshire if a council’s application for funding is approved.

​The £75,000 funding application has been submitted to the Environment Agency to deliver an enhanced coastal monitoring project across priority, complex cliff adaptation sites by North Yorkshire Council.

​At a meeting on Thursday, June 25, Cllr Malcolm Taylor, the executive member for highways and transportation, signed off on the application to the EA’s £12 million coastal adaptation programme.

​Currently, NYC relies on biennial drone monitoring but this is supplied through the National Network of Regional Coastal Monitoring Programmes and the data is often limited in complex cliff environments due to vegetation cover, infrequent capture and delays between data collection and delivery.

​North Yorkshire has some of the fastest eroding coastline in Europe and several communities, including those at Flat Cliffs in Filey, are facing “significant risk to residential property, access routes and essential infrastructure”.

​If approved, the funding will be used to train three officers and to procure a professional LiDAR-enabled drone and associated software, training and licensing, specialist data and processing and analysis.

​The scheme would allow more frequent and efficient data capture and provide “better monitoring of vegetated and landslide-prone complex cliffs and enable faster processing and analysis to support effective risk management and community engagement”.

​The council’s shoreline management policy for the affected coastal sites is one of “no active intervention, meaning no new coastal defences are planned”.

​“As a result, effective monitoring of cliff instability and erosion is essential to inform adaptation planning, early warning, evacuation planning and community engagement,” officers noted.

​A report added: “The project will support North Yorkshire Council in improving the evidence base for coastal adaptation planning, evacuation planning and coastal strategy updates, strengthening communication of coastal erosion risk to communities living within complex cliff zones.”

An 18-year-old Venezuelan footballer, who represented his country at the Under-17 World Cup last year, has died after two earthquakes hit the South American country

The Venezuelan Football Federation have announced that under-20 international Yimvert Berroteran has died after two earthquakes hit the South American country.

They said in a statement, translated into English from Spanish: “The Venezuelan Football Federation deeply regrets the passing of Yimvert Berroterán. Today, Venezuelan football bids farewell with immense sorrow to a young man who proudly, committedly, and lovingly represented the colors of our country.

“His departure grieves the entire Vinotinto family and leaves an indelible mark on all who shared time with him on and off the field. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, teammates, coaching staff, and loved ones during this time of profound sadness. Yimvert, your light will continue to shine in every Vinotinto heartbeat. May he rest in peace.”

The former Everton, Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion striker replied to their Instagram post by saying: “He cannot be a holy God!!!” and punctuated the comment with three broken heart emojis.

The FVF captioned their post: “Your light will continue to be present in every heartbeat, Vinotinto.” They signed off message with the infinity emoji.

There will be more to follow on this breaking news story and Mirror Sport will bring you the very latest updates, pictures and video as soon as possible.

Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story.

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Fire crews are battling the blazes tonight in East Sussex as big thunderstorms batter the UK after record-breaking high temperatures across the country this week

Two houses have been set alight after being struck by lightning in the early hours of the morning.

The homes, both in East Sussex, are ‘well alight’ with four fire crews being rushed to the scene of each blaze on Saturday, June 27.

Crews remain at the scene tonight – they have urged the public to avoid the area while emergency services try to bring the incident under control.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue said in a statement: “Lightning is reported to have started fires in Eastbourne and in Bexhill.

“East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service was called at 12.03am on 27 June 2026 to a roof alight on a house in Selmeston Road, Eastbourne. At 12.19am, we were called to Long Avenue in Bexhill following reports a house was alight after being struck by lightning.

“Joint Fire Control have received multiple 999 calls. Crews are working hard, with four fire engines sent to each incident.

“At this time there are no reports of injuries. Please avoid the areas.”

It comes as the Met Office said the third consecutive day of June’s record-breaking temperatures came as parts of the UK were transitioning to more of a westerly influence, bringing the risk of thunderstorms.

Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page said: “The UK is seeing a gradual shift in conditions over the weekend, with those to the southeast of England retaining the warmth the longest, where an amber extreme heat warning remains in force through much of Saturday, though peaks are more likely to be in the low 30s Celsius.”

Western parts of Scotland and much of Northern Ireland will see rain for a time on Saturday, with showers likely spreading further south in places on Sunday, though these will be fairly light in nature.

Those to the south east could remain dry through the weekend, although there is a risk of thunderstorms here before temperatures return more towards average later on Sunday and into Monday.

Friday was confirmed by the Met Office as the UK’s hottest June day on record, with a provisional temperature of 37.3C recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk, surpassing the high of 36.7C recorded in Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday.

As Xbox struggles with an uncertain future, a reader argues that Nintendo Switch Online is a far more successful subscription service than Game Pass.

There’s a lot of post-mortems going on at the moment for Xbox and I can’t say they don’t deserve to have the benefit of the doubt taken away from them. Personally, I’ve never owned one and I’m certainly not going to start now, but while playing Star Fox 64 on Nintendo Switch Online last night (to make comparisons with the remake) a thought occurred to me that it has come a lot closer to being the Netflix of gaming than Game Pass ever did.

Like most people (including Microsoft) I thought Game Pass was going to be a massive hit that would change the industry. In fact, I was pretty sore about the whole idea because I felt like Microsoft was cheating and doing something with their money that no other company could match, thereby giving them an unbeatable advantage. Obviously, I shouldn’t have worried.

It took a while for people to understand why Game Pass hadn’t worked and then they realised that most people don’t really have time to play that many games, so not only do they not have the money to spend on playing something they might not like they don’t have the spare time either. Combine that with Game Pass’ rising prices and the lack of decent first party games and you’ve got a problem.

Nintendo Switch Online is something I very rarely hear anyone talk about and yet apparently it’s got the same number of subscribers as Game Pass. I put this down to more people owning a Switch and it being quite a bit cheaper.

But there’s also the fact that it’s all retro based so you kind of already know what you’re getting. Even if you’ve never played a game before you’ve probably heard about it and maybe always meant to give it a go. You’re not paralysed with choice because there’s not that many per format and yet the service has been going long enough that it already has most of the top games available.

It’s not a lazy crash grab either, as some of the games have never been released in the UK before and they have different versions of the same one from different countries. Also, Nintendo Switch Online has exclusive games sometimes – I really liked Tetris 99 – and you need it to play online for most games, so there’s always some reason to have it.

Personally, I also pay for the Expansion Pack, which is basically the Premium tier, but it’s still not that much money and it gives you more retro formats and most DLC for free.

The thing is though, and this is where I think the big difference with Game Pass is, I often forget I’ve got it, because it’s cheap enough that it’s not a burden and, unlike Microsoft with Game Pass, Nintendo aren’t banging on about it every five minutes, making me sick of hearing about it.

Microsoft are constantly pushing Game Pass in your face, but Nintendo just gets on with it, and I think Nintendo Switch Online has quietly become just a given that most Switch owners pay for. Its reasonably priced, it doesn’t pretend to be the be all and end all of gaming, and it offers things you actually want.

The secret of Netflix’s success is kind of the same. It’s also something that a lot of people just consider a basic necessity, or at least one of the last luxuries they’d give up on. I feel that Nintendo Switch Online has reached that point for Switch, but the failure of Game Pass is that it never did for Xbox.

By reader Onibee

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While gathering a handful of blooms may seem harmless, legal experts have warned that picking flowers in certain places could be against the law and could even result in a fine.

Under the Theft Act 1968, you’re not committing theft if you pick wildflowers for personal use.

But if you pick them with the intention of selling them or using them for a commercial purpose, that does become an offence.

However, it’s essential to remember that this only applies to flowers growing wild.

Picking from someone’s garden, a maintained park, or a public display could be considered theft and treated differently under the law.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 also offers further protection by making it an offence to pick, uproot, or destroy certain protected plant species.

In 2011, two young girls were led away in handcuffs while picking flowers on a walk with their parents.

Is it illegal to take pebbles from a beach?

Under the Coastal Protection Act 1949 , the removal of any natural material such as sand and pebbles from public beaches in the UK is illegal.

Bans on seemingly harmless acts can be enforced by local councils, and can see offenders fined up to £1,000 as a penalty.

Yet while it may seem perfectly harmless, removing pebbles and other natural matter from the coast is in fact damaging to the environment.

As suggested by the name of the Act, and as stated in the introduction of the Act, taking natural material from a beach in the UK is illegal, in order to protect Britain’s beaches “against erosion and encroachment by the sea”.

Pebbles and other natural matter act as a natural sea defence against coastal erosion, which many experts warn has become even more of an issue due to climate change.

Is it illegal to sunbathe naked?

While temperatures aren’t soaring just yet, it’s important to know the rules when it comes to sunbathing – especially if you plan to strip off to avoid tan lines.

It may be surprising to find out that topless sunbathing is perfectly legal for both men and women in the UK. Full public nudity is also not a crime but only if the person who strips off has no intention to cause alarm or distress. There are specific offences relating to intentional exposure.

A person who commits a lewd, obscene or disgusting act could be guilty of outraging public decency. Similarly, if a person intentionally exposes their genitals with the intention that someone will see them and be caused alarm or distress, they could be guilty of an offence under s66 Sexual Offences Act 2003. So, naturists who do not intend for people to be alarmed would not be committing an offence whereas person who intentionally exposes their genitals would.

People can also be prosecuted under The Public Order Act 1986. Section 5 of the Public Order Act states that a person is guilty of an offence if they use threatening (or abusive) words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress.

For those hoping to catch some sunshine in the garden these same rules still apply. It’s advisable to let the neighbours know this is what you’re planning or find a part of the garden shielded from view, so you can avoid causing any unnecessary shock or a call to the police.