Classics Club is one of the many lunchtime opportunities at Wilson’s, open for all students every Friday in Room 5. This is a student-run club where students have the opportunity to talk about topics pertaining to the Ancient World whilst expanding their wider co-curricular experience at the school.

The topics discussed can be about a wide variety of things and, considering the richness of content in the Ancient world, every week provides new food for the mind, to enrich students’ broader cultural knowledge. The culmination of knowledge gained from attendance can build up to a very strong understanding of history, culture and the world around us. The discussions are invariably interesting—be it the humorous antics or myths of Greece and Rome, or the mind-blowing accomplishments of a thriving society 2,000 years ago. Our sessions are a student-interactive experience. This extends beyond questions or interactive discussions; participants can volunteer to present their own lectures for upcoming weeks, which may initially seem like daunting public speaking, but it is a very enjoyable experience. This not only develops public speaking skills, but also allows students to personally engage with topics that they find interesting.

So far, this year, we have covered a range of topics. For example, recently the topic was about the Palmyrene Queen, Zenobia (banner picture, above), delivered by Old Wilsonian Alex. To commemorate Black History Month, there was a talk in October by Nihithan about Dominican-American Black Classicist called Dan-el Padilla Peralta, and his life experiences.

Another perk of coming to Classics Club is that sweets are offered; however of course, that should not be the primary intention for attendance. Sometimes there are Classical competitions inside or outside of school to get involved in, which are introduced at Classics Club sessions, and often have enticing prizes. Furthermore, if you are interested in studying Latin for GCSE or A level, or you just have an interest in the topics themselves, they could be helpful in giving you a greater medley of Classical knowledge. So, if you are interested, feel free to come to Classics Club on Friday lunchtimes and give it a go.

Update by Nihithan