Friends, Romans, Countrymen… While the Classics Department loves to range beyond the classroom, we are equally passionate about our supra-curricular societies. The Senior School Classics Society meets every Friday lunchtime and, fuelled by coffee and biscuits, discusses a wide variety of issues from the Classical world. Recent pupil-led sessions have explored the destruction of the library of Alexandria and its consequences for European civilisation, the presentation of women in Athenian tragedy, and the relationship of the Epic of Gilgamesh with Greek poetry. These erudite and engaging talks are researched by pupils with the help of the department, and teachers and pupils alike attend the talks, helping to foster an academic and stimulating society, which is well attended by pupils from year 9 through to year 13. This Senior Society is mirrored by the Lower School Classics Society, which runs every Tuesday; pupils engage in a range of activities, sometimes giving talks, sometimes listening to senior pupils or staff present to them on diverse topics such as “Rome’s Weirdest Gods” or “Top 10 Monsters of the Ancient World”. Both of these societies allow our pupils to set the agenda and so to explore those areas of the ancient world which they find most enthralling.
Contantine and Classics pupil.
In addition to these societies, you will also find the Classics department has been busy designing bespoke courses for A level Plus and Liberal Studies. Pupils will find that courses such as Comparative Mythology and War Studies were not only designed and delivered by members of the department, but provide a huge wealth of material which can elucidate their studies, both in this discipline and others. The Classics department is also partially responsible for the Norse and Germanic Society, another pupil led society which explores the origins of Western European culture. Such a variety of opportunities can seem exhausting, but one date on the calendar has a more than restorative effect: the Christmas Convivium. Every December, the department and many of its pupils gather for mince pies, a little light drama, and of course a rousing rendition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, sung (after a fashion) in Latin. This jolly conclusion to December allows us to celebrate the best of our pupils’ efforts across the year with poetry and song and a photo gallery from the most recent expedition; we hope to see you there soon!
In Diocletian’s Palace.
‘The department are really passionate about Classics so the societies are really vibrant – that’s why I chose Latin.’ Henry, Year 12
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