There’s no doubt about it – Classics is my passion and the period of history that fills me with the most excitement, firing up my imagination and enthusiasm at every turn. I never actually studied it at school myself, but stumbled upon the subject when applying for university and since delving into the ancient world I haven’t looked back!
Unfortunately, in the state sector, the opportunities to teach Classical Civilisation are severely limited. Classics For All and Advocating Classics Education are doing some fantastic work to get this superb subject back on the mainstream syllabus but there is a long road ahead for it to be considered amongst the wider history teacher community as a period of history as worthy as any other. This means that the majority of teachers who could teach Classics will invariably be placed in positions teaching modern history and politics, as I am.
However, this does not mean that any love for Classics needs to be dampened – far from it! There are plenty of covert ways to instil a love of ancient Greek and Roman history in your students through the more mainstream modules you will have to teach. I have become known as the teacher that will link anything to the ancient world given half a chance – and the kids find it fascinating! Some of them are now even asking senior management directly why Class Civ is not an option for them at GCSE (and of course I’m hoping that they will finally see the benefit of the subject with interest already instilled in the students).
Here are some examples of ways to incorporate some references to the ancient world across a variety of different topics:
- Many Year 7 curriculums begin with the Battle of Hastings – why not go further back to Roman life in Britain before the Anglo Saxons? It’s a good way to show how Britain is made up of people from lots of different backgrounds and to discuss diversity in a positive way. At the very least you can do a lesson on Roman life and then compare with Anglo Saxon and Viking life as the backdrop to the contenders after Edward the Confessor.
- When discussing the importance of Christianity in the Medieval world, discuss its origins under the Romans and the conversion of Constantine helping the spread of the religion and how the power of the Pope emerges from the ashes of the fall of the Western empire.
- For modules on the crusades, the tension between west and east can be prefaced by explanations of the split of the Roman empire and how the eastern empire considered itself a continuation of Rome, calling on its former provinces to help it from attack by new outside forces. The riches of Byzantium can also help to explain why other countries wanted to conquer it too.
- The Renaissance allows the opportunity to show how scholars began to look back to ancient works for new inspiration. The influence of Renaissance discoveries and their impact on the creation of the early modern world helps to explain the enduring influence of classics in western culture.
- The English civil war invites discussion about democracy and whether kings should have power or not which parallels discussions in Athens in the 5th century. Stories of Alexander the Great getting too powerful in his later years and the proskynesis episodes can be likened to Charles I wanting obedience from his court.
- The British empire obviously invites discussions about empires more generally. The ways in which colonists believed they were bringing ‘good things’ to ‘barbarians’ can be likened to Rome and Germania/Gaul. There are also rich discussions to be had about taking resources from other countries and their cultural heritage e.g. Elgin marbles
- Trans Atlantic slavery modules give an opportunity to discuss the fact that slavery has existed in all periods of human history – extracts of texts explaining humans as spoils of war could be compared to references to ‘cargo’ on 18th century slave ships. Parallels could be drawn on the Spartacus revolts and Toussaint L’Ouverture on Haiti.
- Culture of the Industrial Revolution/Enlightenment can draw parallels with art and neo classical styles of architecture. Can be used with a study of local area (particularly in London for example)
- Napoleonic wars can discuss how the annexation of Egypt led to a revival in excitement about ancient Egypt, the prevalence of obelisks and statuary being brought over and how the Rosetta Stone ended up in the British Museum.
- Thematic studies such as migration, crime and punishment, medicine or power of women through time that have been adapted for a KS3 level to preface GCSE can of course include ancient periods for variance.
- For 20th century topics, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy have fascinating imagery taken from the ancient world and encouraged new archaeological sites to be excavated and promoted. For example the Olympic torch relay was introduced for the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
- You can also always discuss the etymology of various words from their Greek/Latin origins to get students intrigued about these languages and importance.
Needless to say, there are many opportunities to subtly weave classics into a ‘normal modern’ history curriculum. You never know, you might persuade some colleagues to see the bright side of this underrated subject too!
