St Mary's Calne
On Monday 10 February, the Classics department together with LIV and MIV explored the ideas the Romans had about both predicting and shaping the future. We were first introduced to the artist Niki de Saint Phalle by Dr Wickson who explained how this incredible artist, inspired by the Etruscans – an ancient civilisation who inhabited Tuscany before the Romans – had created a sculpture park full of hope and optimism.
Moving on to the Romans, we then considered how they used different forms of divination and oracles to attempt to predict the future. We also discussed the defixiones ‘curse tablets’ found at Roman baths in the city of Bath. We were quite shocked to hear how angry one particular visitor to the baths was when someone stole his cloak and this inspired us to create some tablets of our own, written back to front and with magic words for extra strength of course!
Now we were ready for the main event – a trip to the thermae (baths) in Aquae Sulis. The workshop before the museum gave us some top tips in how to decipher the tombstones and altars found in the ancient site and we also had the chance to handle some original and replica artefacts so we could begin to get a better understanding of what a visit to the baths would have been like for someone in the first century C.E.
It was great to add to our knowledge of ‘normal’ baths as centres for relaxation, socialising, fitness and getting clean. We discovered that these baths were unusual as they were also a major religious centre; people would come from far and wide to benefit from the healing properties of the natural spring and to consult the haruspex (soothsayer) and find out about their futures.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable and informative day. Thanks to all the staff who came to support the trip and to the girls for being so attentive and such great ambassadors for the school!
Mrs Lucy Weeden, Head of Classics