Ahead of Classics Day 2023, we caught up with Francesco Bucciol, Head of our Classics department at City Lit, to find out more about our annual event at the British Museum.
Can you tell us a bit more about the history of Classics Day?
We have been running Classics Day in partnership with the British Museum and UCL for nearly twenty years - long before I started working here. It started when a much-beloved tutor of Latin and Greek at City Lit, Elizabeth Teller - who sadly she passed away a few years ago - decided to bring together some people in the three organisation and volunteered to organise a day of lectures about the ancient world. Over the years the event has grown from strength to strength, and it has become one of the highlights in the City Lit's calendar of events (and certainly for me!) and an important event in the British Museum's calendar. The event moved online when the pandemic struck, but now we are back with an in-person event that fills up the lecture theatre at the British Museum on Saturday 1 July.
How does the theme of "Luxury and beauty in the ancient world" align with the objectives of the Classics department at City Lit?
One of the department's objectives is making the ancient world accessible and attractive to everyone regardless of their education or cultural background. We feature outstanding academics as speakers, but this is not an event for experts: whatever your knowledge of the ancient world, you'll find something inspiring and insightful in these talks.
Are there any connections between the courses offered by City Lit throughout the week and the content discussed during Classics Day?
The lectures offered in the week prior to Classics Day, taught by City Lit tutors, give people an opportunity to explore specific topics linked to the main event but also to get a flavour of what the Classical Languages and Ancient Civilisations department offers. Some of the topics are truly unique so I'd encourage everyone to have a go. For example: Gold, gemstones and enamel: the fascinating story of Islamic jewellery or A culture of luxury: ancient China and modern fantasies.
Will there be any opportunities for networking or informal discussions with attendees and speakers during Classics Day?
We know that some of the participants join the event with other people they've met either at a City Lit course or as Friends of the British Museum. During the breaks they will be able to chat with each other, maybe share their impressions with other people. They can also visit the exhibitions.
Considering the theme of luxury and beauty, are there any activities planned during Classics Day that will allow attendees to experience ancient aesthetics first-hand?
The day will open with a talk by Jamie Fraser, curator of Luxury and power: Persia to Greece, which will give participants an insight into how the exhibition was put together and explore some of its themes. During the lunch break, they can also go and visit the exhibition to see from close-by the objects that have just been mentioned - if they are Friends of the British Museum, they can dip in and out as often as they want.
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Discover Ancient Civilisations at City Lit
Delve into stories of classics and the ancient world, learn the languages and explore their cultures. Courses are available on weekdays, evenings and weekends.
