Classical Studies

Classical Studies at Cashmere brings to life Ancient Greece, Rome and Macedonia. We examine their paintings, busts, columns, stadiums, theatres, letters, speeches, epic stories, coins, war strategy, poetry, philosophy and more, to try to create a picture of how the ancients lived, thought, worshipped and encountered the world around them. From Alexander the Great and Odysseus, to Julius Caesar and Augustus, we examine events from the Trojan War in 1250 BCE to the downfall of the Roman Empire in 476 CE.

We examine themes and ideas, such as divine ideology of ancient leaders, the role of the hero across 2000 years and how public entertainment was used by ancient Roman leaders to influence the masses aka ‘Bread and Circuses,’ Juvenal. As classicists, we must ask not “what happened”, but “who said so?”.

The discipline requires students to practice their critical thinking skills on a daily basis, and always consider where the information comes from, with a greater emphasis than what the text says. In a world dominated by social media and fake news, these skills are becoming increasingly desirable. Classical Studies teaches students how to persuade, form evidence-based arguments, see things from different perspectives, analyse, critique, and bonus - makes them very useful travel companions!

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