Podcast Summary:

New Books Network: Anna-Luna Post on "Galileo’s Fame: Science, Credibility, and Memory in the Seventeenth Century"
Date: February 25, 2026
Host: Freddie Dominguez
Guest: Dr. Anna-Luna Post, Historian at Leiden University

Episode Overview

In this episode, historian Dr. Anna-Luna Post discusses her forthcoming book, Galileo’s Fame: Science, Credibility, and Memory in the Seventeenth Century (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2025). The conversation explores the construction, volatility, and legacy of Galileo Galilei’s fame, highlighting how it was shaped not just by his scientific achievements but also by the social, institutional, and political networks surrounding him.
The episode draws connections between scholarly reputation in the early modern period, religious and academic opposition, and the mechanisms by which memory about individuals like Galileo is constructed and contested.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. The Concept of Fame (Fama) in Galileo’s World

• Meaning of Fama: Dr. Post explains that fame (fama) in the Renaissance was not just about renown, but encompassed reputation, gossip, public opinion, and even legal evidence ([01:15]).
  • Notable Quote:

    "Fame or fama was an umbrella term that referred both to concepts like reputation, but also to talk. So the chatter and the gossip that make up reputations, but then also to something that comes very close to how we would use the word fame, like public renown, being known by people that you don't know." — Anna-Luna Post [01:35]

• Fama’s Functions: It touched scholarship, legal proceedings, religious contexts, and more, with ambiguity—fame conferred both opportunity and risk ([01:15]-[03:51]).

2. Galileo’s Early Reputation and Breakthrough

• Early Achievements:
  • Galileo’s "breakthrough moment" was in 1610 with his telescopic discoveries—most notably, the moons of Jupiter ([04:07]).
  • Prior to this, he held university positions with moderate reputation and had been subject to a notable plagiarism dispute ([04:07]-[06:43]).
    • Notable Quote:

      "He is making a name for himself already earlier... but that's not a great reputation also because there is a plagiarism conflict..." — Anna-Luna Post [04:07]

• Pivotal Moment of Risk: Early fame was fragile, potentially swinging between ridicule and renown.

3. The Collective Construction of Fame

• Role of Others:
  • Fame is bestowed by others; its creation depends on how a community discusses and perceives an individual ([07:30]).
    • Notable Quote:

      "To achieve fame you need to convince — it’s other people that bestow fame. You can only be famous if other people embrace you as famous, if they uplift you... achieving fame always encompasses a loss of control." — Anna-Luna Post [07:41]

• Legal and Cultural Dynamics:
  • Fama served as legal evidence in courtrooms (publica fama) and relied on the dynamics of collective chatter ([07:30]-[11:16]).
• Networking and Social Proof:
  • Galileo’s supporters and institutional networks played major roles in affirming or contesting his reputation.

4. The Importance of Character and Regional Identity

• Character as Rhetoric:
  • Galileo’s credibility was frequently assessed in terms of his ethos, or character, which included regional stereotypes (e.g., opinions about Florentines as cunning or cultured) and prior accusations of plagiarism ([11:35]-[16:24]).
    • Notable Quote:

      "Character is really crucial... a very dominant string in this discourse was that Florentines are cunning and deceitful..." — Anna-Luna Post [11:35]

• Interplay Between Self-Fashioning and External Judgment:
  • Galileo strategically presented himself as both a Padua professor and a Florentine, but local rivalries shaped public reception ([16:24]-[18:22]).

5. Institutional Ties and Patronage: Fame, Poetry, and Power

• Medici Patronage and Public Image:
  • Galileo’s discoveries were named after his patrons (the Medici), integrating celestial discovery with political ambition ([18:43]-[26:02]).
  • Court poets, sometimes hesitantly, shaped his renown but could also sideline him in favor of lauding the patrons.
    • Notable Moment:
      Poets like Girolamo Magagnati leveraged Galileo’s discoveries to pursue their own interests, sometimes diminishing Galileo’s personal credit ([18:43]).
• Role of the Accademia dei Lincei:
  • The Academy acted as an early scientific “support team,” coordinating publication, managing opposition, and at times shaping Galileo's public persona more than Galileo himself ([26:17]-[30:01]).

6. Fame as Prestige for Institutions

• Universities and Celebrity Professors:
  • Universities hired renowned scholars like Galileo to attract students and prestige ([30:01]-[34:57]).
    • Notable Quote:

      "There is this widely shared belief in Europe at the time that having famous professors will attract people to the university..." — Anna-Luna Post [32:30]

7. The Ambiguity and Volatility of Fame—Opposition and Infamy

• Dominican Opposition & Public Denunciation:
  • Fame was double-edged. Dominican preachers attacked Galileo publicly, associating his renown with pride and heresy ([35:17]-[41:18]).
    • Notable Quote:

      "Fame is associated with volatility, because fame, the Goddess of Fama, was very flighty. She could arrive at a moment’s notice, but she could also depart at a moment’s notice..." — Anna-Luna Post [35:17]

  • Accusations from the pulpit, secretly to the Inquisition, and concern over Galileo’s influence on students all contributed to his developing infamy ([41:18]).
• Public Sermons vs. Street-Level Influence:
  • Preachers faced the risk of amplifying Galileo’s ideas by addressing them so publicly, yet felt compelled to do so, reflecting anxieties over control ([41:53]).

8. Galileo’s Trial and the Management of Infamy

• Navigating Institutional Punishment:
  • Following the Dialogo (1632), Galileo’s fame became “toxic.” The Inquisition's punishments aimed to manage both Galileo’s and the Church's reputation ([43:58]-[52:36]).
    • Notable Quote:

      "...the Inquisition doesn’t really have another option than to start this trial and to punish him. And they also frame this in terms of their reputation. They cannot do nothing, because if they do so, they appear too lenient, too soft..." — Anna-Luna Post [44:23]

  • The Church attempted to script Galileo’s legacy for posterity, but international networks found subtle and overt ways to challenge this version ([44:23]).
• Contested Memory:
  • Some responded directly, appealing for mercy or expressing outrage; others crafted poems with veiled criticism. Reputation proved impossible to centrally control.

9. Broader Implications: Fame, Public Spheres, and Modern Science

• Galileo as “First Famous Scientist”:
  • Galileo’s fame, posthumously also, marks an important moment in the evolution of scientific celebrity, distinct from earlier intellectuals like Erasmus ([53:13]).
• Fragmented Public Spheres:
  • The debate about and around Galileo exposes the fragmented nature of the early modern public sphere—there were “bubbles” of mutually reinforcing views and sporadic cross-group engagement.
    • Notable Quote:

      "...the book underlines that fame really reveals the fragmented nature of the public and the public sphere in this period." — Anna-Luna Post [55:24]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fame’s Ambiguity:

  “Fame in the early modern period, much more than it is now, is an ambiguous concept. So it thrives on that ambiguity because that's why People keep talking about it, but that's also why it was quite a contested resource to have in early modern academia...” — Anna-Luna Post [35:17]

• On Character and Ethnic Stereotypes:

  “Florentines are smart and cultured... but on the other hand... Florentines are cunning and deceitful... and there might be a connection to Machiavelli there, but I think someone should definitely look into that further.” — Anna-Luna Post [12:30]

• On Public Opposition:

  “He [Raffaele della Colomba] even preaches in the Santa Maria Maggiore, so the Duomo... accuses Copernicans more broadly of doubting truths... because they are blinded by their own search for vain glory, which makes them drunk and makes them hallucinate.” — Anna-Luna Post [36:46]

• On Institutional Prestige:

  “...having famous professors will attract people to the university, because these universities in Italy especially, they're competing with each other for student numbers, enrollment, especially foreign students who bring in money...” — Anna-Luna Post [32:52]

• On Fragmented Public Sphere:

  “...the book underlines that fame really reveals the fragmented nature of the public and the public sphere in this period.” — Anna-Luna Post [55:24]

Suggested Listening Timestamps

• Introduction to Fama and its Meaning – [01:15]
• Galileo’s Breakthrough & Early Reputation – [04:07]
• Fame as Collective Construction – [07:30]
• Character, Regional Stereotypes, and Plagiarism – [11:35]
• Galileo’s Institutional Affiliations and Patronage – [16:44]
• Court Poets and the Medici, Fame vs. Control – [18:43]
• Academia dei Lincei’s Role – [26:17]
• Galileo as Celebrity Academic & University Politics – [30:01]
• The Ambiguity & Volatility of Fame; Dominican Preachers – [35:17]
• Galileo’s Trial and Aftermath – [43:58]
• Broader Reflections: Public Sphere & Modern Science – [53:13]

Episode Takeaways

• Fame in Galileo’s world was multilayered, unstable, and negotiated by numerous players—including rivals, supporters, institutions, and authorities.
• Reputation acted as both asset and liability, opening doors but also creating risks of censure or infamy.
• Early scientific celebrity was not a solo achievement—it was the product of active, shifting networks of scholars, patrons, writers, and institutions.
• The management of memory—by Galileo, by institutional supporters, and by foes—was fiercely contested, showing that public reputation was as political as it was personal.

For more on early modern reputation, scientific networks, and the drama of Galileo’s life, Anna-Luna Post’s book offers a rigorous and engaging exploration of the origins and consequences of scientific celebrity.