Greetings, citizens, to our Roman Day (From Gazette Series)

Greetings, citizens, to our Roman Day

ANCIENT Rome was brought back to life at Westonbirt School, with 700 pupils from schools around the area involved.

The Roman Day last Thursday was designed to promote interest in the study of classical civilisations and their languages.

Activities included chariot-racing in home-made chariots, each with four human 'horses' and a charioteer , an ancient Roman fashion parade, a Roman-style make-over, dressing up as Roman gods and goddesses, delving into the past using artefacts from the Corinium Museum at Cirencester, Roman cookery lessons, armour-making workshop, Roman craft workshops including mosaic-making and claywork, Roman myths recounted by a professional storyteller and a 23-part frieze of the story of The Aeneid to which every participating school contributed at least one panel

Keeping order on the day and giving a fascinating illustrated talk was the spectacular Ermine Street Guard in their Roman armour, while their trumpeter gave the clarion call to start the chariot races.

Among schools attending the event were Alexander Hosea Primary, from Wickwar, Katherine Lady Berkeley, from Wotton-under-Edge, and Slimbridge Primary.

The day had been organised by Mrs Helen Price, who this summer retired as head of classics at Westonbirt School. She is a keen advocate of the relevance of classics to a modern education, as is her successor, Jenny Wade.

She said: "I'd like to say a big thank you to all of those who are helping to make it happen. We are most grateful for the generous financial support we have received from the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, the Friends of the Classics and the Classical Association.

"I would also like to thank the staff of the Corinium Museum, which has just re-opened this month after a major refurbishment, the Ermine Street Guard, and all those good colleagues and friends who have offered to help run the activities."