Χαίρετε! Salvete! Greetings…
Goodness me! Hot or What? Not as intense as ’76 (May to October!) with drought and stand pipes (what a year to be in Uni!) but Good Luck with putting Reports and Departmental Reviews to bed.
June 1976 – NASA Public Domain
Congratulations on (almost) reaching End of Term and keeping the pupils engaged within stifling classrooms; mine was south facing and every summer we just melted. Male Teachers were permitted short sleeves, but ties remained mandatory, no bare legs for we females and the suggestion of al fresco teaching met with absolute horror! I do hope SMT are more enlightened today!
However, I read recently that in “mediaeval times, communities threw young children in the river when they wanted them to remember important events” and should our hot summers continue, I strongly suggest this be reintroduced as a Summer Teaching aid.
TRAVEL UPDATES – for those planning School Trips and/or their own family holidays
i – GL Feedback of lengthy border delays has abated and Greece goes its own way – and drops EU entry-exit biometrics for British travellers. Not so at Dover crossing unfortunately and goodness knows what will happen in August. By October, all should be far calmer with fewer glitches.
ii – European Airport Traffic Declines for First Time Since Post-COVID Recovery so hopefully we should start to see flight prices return to some sense of normality as it would appear the travel bubble has burst.
iii – Although we factor in bottled water, some hotels have asked for additional payment. This is perfectly legal Hotel that refused to give tourist tap water acted lawfully, Italian court rules – BBC News
iv – We have been regularly warning of the Draconian Guardians at Delphi – they seem to have learned manners! A group of 65 reported “I found the staff at Delphi absolutely delightful! They gave us no trouble at all. We were able to access the site whenever we wanted as long as we kept our slots for the museum.”
The Crown of Draco has now returned to those at Epidaurus. The Guardians here treat the site as almost sacred, and one can perhaps forgive their ire at impromptu ‘comedic’ performances by ‘happy’ tourist coach parties. Sadly, your enthusiastic pupils may bear the brunt of their anger. It’s worth asking politely or preparing a written explanation in Greek citing Examinations and Aeschylus etc – but be prepared.
v – Thessaloniki in process of moving to separate Tickets for Sites and Museums; currently in flux –
Greek Agora/Roman Forum site and Museum in Thessaloniki – currently closed due to renovations
Pella, Philippi – separate ticket for site and museum
Vergina – ticket includes visit to the Central Museum Building, the Royal Tombs & Museum, the Ancient Theatre and the Palace (though currently no checking of tickets at the last two!)
Amphipolis – site currently free (for now!); ticket for separate museum
Dion – 3 separate tickets for archaeological park, museum in town mosaic in building beside museum
Olynthos – 1 ticket for site and entry to small audiovisual and digital exhibition centre near the main gate
vii – For the first time in 200 years, the Parthenon’s exterior is completely free of scaffolding on all sides. It’s also the first time in 20 years that the western side has been scaffold-free. At least six generations have never seen the Parthenon unobstructed.
viii – Sparta Museum now closed for the foreseeable because of upgrades – not before time, it was pitiful!
ix – Athens National Archaeological Museum closing probably in April. The whole area will be in chaos for months as it involves widespread landscaping.
x – The Official Museum of Nestors Palace in the village of Chora remains closed. The tiny Museum just off Pylos Platea is closed permanently. However, you can view significant artifacts from the site at the small archaeological museum inside Niokastro fortress in Pylos and don’t miss the small Tholos behind the car part at Nestors Palace.
xi – Kerameikos August reopening date probably delayed
xii – Augustus’ Mausoleum to open probably in 2027
xiii – Pantheon is to increase entrance fees yet again!
More information on new sites and exhibitions, openings and closures, at home and abroad below.
Remember, it’s not all about Classics (well, mostly it is of course) there are some other important issues too! The Definitive Guide To The Special Neapolitan Pizza
ONLINE PRESENTATIONS
We’ve run many a meeting for Departments and Parents (both in person and online) and recently James and Kerry spoke at a GDSA Cluster Group Meeting – with nearly 100 slides despite the heat!
“Thank you so much for your talk today. It was really interesting and has certainly given us plenty to think about. I appreciate your efforts in putting the talk together and giving up your time to let us know about different sites. There are a lot of tempting options out there!
I am so sorry we had to cut you short – particularly as I was looking forward to hearing about Jordan, although I can’t see me taking a trip there any time soon. We could certainly have spent a lot longer discussing all that is on offer, but I am sure that we shall be mulling over it all.
We shall be back in touch shortly to continue our plans for our Greece trip this October.”
Should you require something similar, do ask.
OUT and ABOUT – Blogs
Ben Pullan (HoD Bryanston) undertook a MEGA Trip in Turkey recently and still had the energy to write FOUR BLOGS! Thanks so much Ben!
Attachment A – Istanbul – A city of contradictions
Attachment C – Pergamum and Ephesus – Two ancient mega-cities
Attachment D – Hierapolis – The Lycian coast (Kalkan / Xanthos / Letoon / Patara)
He also wrote an account of their trip to Greece Latin and Classical Civilisation Sixth Form Trip to Greece
Kerry had an extremely packed and varied week in Thessaloniki Attachment E – My Macedonian Mission – Kings, Christians, and a lot of bling!
Huge thanks to patient non-Classicist spouse for the driving!
James not only had a brilliant Honeymoon in Sicily but visited lots of Sites and wrote a Blog too! Attachment F.
Huge thanks to another NEW very patient non-Classicist spouse!
Hellas Revival has introduced a new activity “Myths, Epics and Games” (based in Tolo) Check them out, they have a huge variety of workshops on offer. Reasonable cost.
The Mycenaean Foundation and Melathron Center – offer a unique integrated archaeological dig experience. Expensive and would necessitate at least half a day, but it’s an interesting read at least.
Please book direct (otherwise we’d have to add a service charge) but do let us know so we can adjust your Itinerary accordingly.
HUGE congratulations to the ARLT Summer School which is fully booked! If you are thinking about coming for the day or would like to be added to our waiting list in case new spaces become available, please email Jessica Dixon, treasurer@arlt.co.uk, as soon as possible to make sure you do not miss the opportunity. Sadly, we cannot attend this year, but we are sure you will all have a fabulous time!
Film and Theatre – Attachment G
So much variety across the world!
Antony Fauci as Tiresias (the irony), “Lysistrata in the Hood”, “Iphigenia in Splott” (vodka and Welsh language), Aeschylus’ “Oresteia” coming to the South Bank, “Antikoni” set in the context of conflicts over preservation of Native history and ancestral remains, “The Bacchae”: An African Choral Ballet (a world first choral ballet), “Electra/Persona” coming to the Lyttelton, “The Odyssey in Space”.
Cate Blanchett, Denzil Washington, Tom Hiddlestone, David Morrissey and Maria Callas all performing – alas, not in one production!
S
hould you so desire The ‘Odyssey’ Trojan Horse Popcorn Bucket is now on offer with a 10% reduction
WORKSHOPS / LESSON PLANS
i – Introducing children to the toys of ancient Greece
Sofia Pavlaki presents a replica of an ancient game to school students in Manchester, UK. Virtual Museum of ancient toys & workshops
ii – Roman Technology. Lessons. Classics In Space. Resources Nathalie Roy
Be sure to check out the WebSite for more STEM ideas in the Classroom
iii – Ancient Egypt: Cleopatra and the Queens of Egypt | School Workshops (Barnsley Museum)
iv – The Diastello Project – a team of youth who seek to reimagine the Classical world as a ground for inclusion and discourse. We believe that things born from the Classics (like philosophy, the examining of humanity, romance) give us direction in our advancement, and our mission is to provide as many people with its value that we can. We run entirely free programs, workshops, podcasts, and outreach efforts to make the Classics’ connection to everyday life as obvious as we can. All resources provided are entirely free, designed by youth, and are meant to encourage as much involvement from all levels!
RESOURCES AND RESEARCH – Attachment H
Whatever your specialism, whatever your hobby, whatever you’re teaching…………. there’s something here for you!
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES FOR CLASS DISCUSSION – Attachment I
Trump, Thucydides, Chris Nolan, Camus, Sisyphus, Cicero, Herodotus, Black Athena and the Elgin (yes, I know) Marbles…………
TEACHING CLASSICS ABROAD – Attachment J
Venezuela, Ghana, USA, Greece, China, Latin Revival and STEM
WHY STUDY CLASSICS? University of Utah: classics program includes Greek and Roman civilizations, politics, drama, textual criticism, material world, sensory studies, ancient environments, Video Games & Antiquity, Ancient Greek, Classical Mythology, Ancient Divination, Latin.
“It’s old stuff, but there are cool new ways of examining the old things and thinking about them. And there are new discoveries, all the time!”
WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN THE CLASSICAL WORLD?
New Exhibition, Museum, Site openings and closures in red
SWITZERLAND, GERMANY/AUSTRIA, FRANCE, SPAIN – Attachment O
TURKEY, EGYPT, ISRAEL, IRAN, IRAQ, LIBYA – Attachment P
Should you be looking for something different to read on your travels, these could fit the bill –
Mission Accomplished: Kill the Nazis, Save the Statues – Τhe Story of Wartime Greece Under Nazi Occupation Stephan Talty’s compact, lively “The American School of Spies” tells the story of two sets of agents sent to Greece by the Allies, with distinct missions. One was to harass and kill Nazis by blowing up trains, calling down airstrikes and ferreting out military secrets. The second was to safeguard Greece’s trove of archaeological treasures.
OR
“The Curve of the World,” a Sci-fi novel linking ancient Minoans and Pacific NorthwestAnd Finally…………
Very Best Wishes,
The Hellene Team
Sarah, John, Claudia, James, Kerry, Nidhi and Vishal