This year, 15 budding classicists got the opportunity to travel to Greece, where we were able to explore the culturally significant and historic atmosphere. The trip enabled us to enhance our understanding of the Ancient Greek World and offered an incredible, unique experience, where learning was brought to life outside the classroom.
After landing in Athens, the birthplace of democracy philosophy, we visited the National Archaeological Museum, which houses many interesting historical artefacts such as the Mask of Agamemnon, a famous gold death mask, and a giant bronze statue, said to be of Poseidon or Zeus. The next day, we remained in Athens and were able to see and set foot on one of the most famous sites in Greece – the Acropolis. One of the most intriguing sites was the Parthenon, a large temple which was dedicated to the goddess Athena. There were many other structures on the site as well, such as the Temple to Athena Nike.
On Monday, we left Athens and headed to Delphi, a stunning town up in the mountains with incredible architectural sites. Delphi was famous for its Oracle, a clairvoyant woman known as the Pythia who was consulted by great leaders all over the world for guidance, as she was said to have the knowledge of the Gods. The site contained several buildings including the Omphalos, a stone monument which was believed to mark the centre of the world, and many temples which stored votive offerings, often to the God Apollo, the God of prophecy, music, and creation.
The day after, we arrived in Olympia, a very religious place and home of the Olympic Games, which originated there in 776 BC. We were able to look at where the games, such as discus, javelin and running, would have taken place, and even saw the impressive Temple of Zeus, which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The sporting event was held as a religious festival, dedicated to Zeus, and was an enormous celebration, with around 40-50,000 spectators eager to watch. Sacrifices were made at the altars on the site alongside the sporting events to honour Zeus.
The ancient site of Mycenae was our next destination. The site contained a citadel enclosed in huge Cyclopean walls, and a colossal lion gate entrance, which is the earliest known monumental statue in Europe. Surrounding the hill which the citadel was on were many tombs, such as the Tomb of Agamemnon and the Tomb of Clytemnestra. These large chambers were dedicated to wealthy Greeks who could afford such large tombs.
The final day was spent in Epidaurus, where we were able to stand inside a Greek Theatre. The structure has perfect proportions, which we tested by dropping a coin in the centre. The noise was heard all the way up to the top of the seating area, which can hold around 14,000 spectators. We then moved to Corinth, a city of great commercial importance due to its accessible location. The most prominent monument is the Temple of Apollo, a Doric temple which symbolised the prosperity of the city.
The trip was a wonderful opportunity for everyone to showcase their knowledge of classical history and learn more about the wonders of the ancient world. We would like to thank the teachers who came with us for giving us this unforgettable and unique experience.
Amanah L
10W
