The trip began at the Ashmolean Museum, where pupils explored the museum’s impressive collection of classical sculpture casts. Mr Swann – who has previously worked as a tour guide at the Vatican – shared expert insights into the significance of several famous works, explaining how sculptures such as the Augustus of Prima Porta and the reliefs depicting Trajan’s campaign against the Dacians reveal the political and military narratives of ancient Rome.
The group took part in a handling session, examining artefacts including a Roman silver coin. Through close observation of the coin’s obverse and reverse, pupils discussed what imagery and inscriptions could reveal about the issuing authority and the patron deities of different Roman cities. Other artefacts, including red- and black-figure pottery, offered further insight into everyday life in the Roman world.
The pupils then visited Brasenose College at the University of Oxford, where they attended a talk by Professor Arena on Antiquarianism, Liberta and Libertas. The session explored how ideas of freedom and citizenship functioned in Roman society and how they compare with modern understandings of liberty. They learned about historical legislation such as the Lex Valeria, which established that Roman citizens could not be executed or beaten without a trial before the people.
One pupil commented:
I would highly recommend the trip as it was gave insight not only about Classics at GCSE and university but also about life at university would be like.
