This term, the Rumble Museum, in partnership with Egizia-Maria Felice from the University of Oxford, has been holding a series of "Reading the Romans" workshops for primary and secondary school children.
We have been deeply privileged to have been loaned a beautiful fragment from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus from the University of Oxford. The Temple of Artemis was an enormous and very famous building in classical times, and has been called one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The fragment, which dates to the first century AD, has an inscription in Greek which appears to be listing the names of temple wardens. Year 3s from Bayards Hill primary, Year 4s from St Michael's primary and Years 8, 12 and 13 Cheney students are being introduced to this fragment, and also to a range of other ways in which the Romans preserved writing, including papyri and wax tablets.
The students are being given the chance to create a rubbing of the inscription using specially designed paper and brushes, as well as writing on wax tablets and papyri. They are also learning about Roman writing through Roman letters, containing material such as birthday party invitations and complaints to parents about not being taken on journeys!
The fragment of the Temple of Artemis has also been on display for students and parents visiting for Transition evenings. We will have the fragment until the end of term, so please get in touch if you would like to see the fragment while it is in the museum.
