Thirty-nine First and Second Former pupils from both Scott House and The Berrystead arrived in Rome on the first Saturday evening of Half Term for a whirlwind tour of life in the ancient world.  

Sunday was spent in the ancient city of Ostia, the port of Rome, where they explored the lives of ordinary Romans: apartment blocks, baths, fulleries, a well-equipped bakery, places of worship, bars, shops and the forum. The Second Form even put on a play in the Roman theatre. The weather was perfect, and lunch under the shade of umbrella pines surrounding the Temple of Ceres was idyllic.  

On Monday the pupils examined the lives of extraordinary Romans. They visited the Colosseum in the morning, and learnt all about the building itself, as well as the gladiatorial contests. After a pizza lunch on the steps beside Trajan’s Column, they went round the Palatine (including a magnificent new display of sound and light in Augustus’ own house) and the Forum, seeing the Temple set up to Julius Caesar on the site of his cremation.  

Tuesday was spent understanding some of the legacy of Rome. A visit to the Time Elevator took pupils from the birth of Rome through to the Renaissance, and then the highlight of the tour for several: the Pantheon. A quick visit to the Piazza Navona, once a race track built by the emperor Domitian, finished off this packed trip.

In Rome you do not just see history, you touch history!