Trans Sabrinam – Across the Severn and back for Classical outreach

Upper Sixth Form pupils studying Classical Civilisation visited Shrewsbury Sixth Form College this week to attend a lecture about the image – both literal and metaphorical - of Rome’s emperors, seen from the viewpoint of coinage.

Dr Clare Rowan from Warwick University brought along actual Roman coins which pupils could handle, including a rare, and very valuable, solid gold aureus featuring the not very flattering profile of the emperor Nero (1^st century AD.).

Coins were the ancient equivalent of mass media, as Roman emperors used images, including their own likeness, to project a potent message of power, peace, or success – or all three.

Mr Clark and Mr Fitzgerald led the group and were joined on their return to school by a group of students from the Sixth Form College who are continuing their Introduction to Latin course, which forms part of the school’s outreach programme and is taught by Head of Classics, Paul Fitzgerald.

Mr Fitzgerald said: "The visit to Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, immediately followed by me bringing back a group of college students to teach them Latin is a neat reminder and snapshot of the close relationship we have been forging with local state schools and colleges."