News All Roads Lead to Rome: Year 11 and Lower Sixth Classicists Explore Ancient Roman sites in the Eternal City 05.11.2025

In the first week of half-term, Year 11 and Lower Sixth students studying Classical subjects went on a study trip to the ancient city of Rome. The trip gave students the opportunity to experience many of the sites and artefacts that they have encountered in their lessons, while also going well beyond the syllabus to enrich their appreciation of the Classical world.

On arrival as an introduction to this fabulous city, the students went on a guided walking-tour of the area around the historic Forum Boarium, where fully intact Roman temples contrasted with the Theatre of Marcellus and the church of San Nicola in Carcere, both of which provided examples of the adaptation of Roman remains to form part of more modern buildings. They then enjoyed a view of the foundations of the vast Circus Maximus, in which hundreds of thousands of Romans would have regularly gathered to watch hair-raising chariot races.

The next morning, our classicists launched into their first full day with a spectacular visit to the Colosseum, the largest and most iconic ancient site in the city. In addition to soaking in the sheer scale of this architectural masterpiece, students enjoyed looking down into the underground network of tunnels beneath the arena in which the gladiators and wild beasts would have resided before their fights to the death. They then explored the tranquil Palatine Hill and its evocative remains of once-magnificent imperial palaces built by successive dynasties of emperors, and enjoyed a spectacular view of St Peter’s Basilica. They rounded off the morning with a visit to the Roman Forum itself, where students explored the role of women in Roman religion at the House of the Vestal Virgins, and the troubling history of the Romans’ persecution of Jews as depicted on the Arch of Titus. After a well-deserved lunch, students then visited the outstanding collection of the Capitoline Museums, with particular highlights including the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius and the famous Capitoline She-Wolf depicting the story of Rome’s legendary founders, Romulus and Remus.

The next day began with a visit to the Ara Pacis museum, where students of Classical Civilisation GCSE and A Level Ancient History were particularly excited to see the familiar reliefs of Emperor Augustus’ political monument in real life. Students of Latin meanwhile gained a new insight into the turbulent political and religious environment of Augustan Rome, informing their understanding of ancient literary texts. Next stop was the Pantheon where they marvelled at its vast dome, which remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome nearly 2,000 years after its construction. After lunch, they undertook a walking tour around central Rome, uncovering layers of history in the Roman columns, Egyptian obelisks and baroque churches of the city centre – and of course sampling the gelato!

They kicked off their final day with a visit to the Palazzo Massimo museum, where highlights included the exquisite wall-paintings from the Villa of Livia recreating a Roman garden. Next they travelled to Ostia Antica, the huge archaeological site containing what remains of the ancient port of Rome. Here, students explored real Roman streets, shops and housing, including the Insula of Diana where they gained an insight into the living conditions experienced by less privileged inhabitants of Roman cities.

Overall, it was a highly enjoyable and illuminating trip, made all the better by the exemplary engagement of all of the students.