During Enrichment Week the Classics department took 11 Lower School students on a trip around London to see old Roman structures and objects.
First, we went to Southwark on the south side of the Thames, which some have called the ‘Beverley Hills’ of Roman Londinium to see where the frescoes and mosaic that have been in the news recently were found. We then crossed the river to see two buildings inspired by classical architecture. First, the Monument, a permanent reminder of the Great Fire of London in 1666. Second, The Royal Exchange where we learnt more about the different types of columns: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. We also looked at the triangular part on the top called a pediment. After that, we looked at a 3D model of London scale 1:2000 where you could compare the size of Roman London to London today and see what buildings are planned for the future. We also went to see where London’s amphitheatre was located. Next, we walked to a museum with a part of the Roman city wall and took a picture with the old stop motion character, Morph. Then we walked to Leadenhall Market which used to be the site of the Roman forum. This is where we ate delicious Pizza Express. Soon we were ready to go to the temple of Mithras, an ancient deity associated with the sun and justice, and focus of a mysterious and secret Roman cult. We played bingo spotting diverse artefacts in the display case such as bone hairpins on the top floor, but on the bottom floor we had an immersive experience listening to Latin chanted for the great Mithras. In conclusion, there was never a moment without fun and excitement today.
Luca and Harrison, Y7
