2023 Tours and workshops
Belgium: The Roman Foundation of the Medieval World
June 27-July 11, Director: Raymond Capra, Queens College CUNY
The modern country of Belgium encompasses some of the northernmost settlements of the Roman Empire within continental Europe. The small nation is forever remembered in Caesar’s line “Belgae fortissimae sunt.” The Roman presence in Belgium led to the establishment of small towns and villas which served as the later foundation for the prosperous cities of the Medieval and Renaissance periods. This tour will begin in the Netherlands in Amsterdam to visit the archaeological museum and then to Utrecht and the nearby Roman camp site of Fectio. In Belgium we shall visit the antiquities and medieval buildings of the country while also focusing on the grand architecture of the country’s cathedrals and public buildings such as the famous Hôtel de Ville in the Grand Place of Brussels. This tour will also briefly dip into Northern France to visit the city of Metz and also the capital city of Luxembourg.
Contact the Director: Dr. Raymond.Capra
Roman Otium on the Bay of Naples: A Study Tour for K-12 Teachers
July 4-15, Directors: Jennifer Sheridan Moss, Wayne State University and Jennifer Luongo, St. Andrew's Episcopal School
Leisure was an important part of life for the Roman elite, as we know, but a certain amount of leisure time was an expectation for the lower classes as well. This tour, designed for K-12 teachers but open to all, will explore the connections between our remaining literary and archaeological evidence concerning otium in an area that the Romans themselves considered a leisure paradise, the Bay of Naples. The tour will focus on expanding teachers' knowledge of Roman culture in a way that will enhance their instruction. Readings will come from less popular authors; exposure to these writers (primarily silver age) will expand the canon from which teachers can draw lessons for their students (sight reading is an important part of the Latin AP, for just one example). Teachers of all pedagogical approaches (G/T, CI, oral Latin) are welcome, as we hope to emphasize the setting and the literature and ask the teachers to consider ways to fit it into their existing curriculum and pedagogies.
Contact the directors: Jenni Moss and Jennie Luongo
Gladiators and Roman Spectacle: Rome, Pompeii, Capua and Beyond
July 13-24, Director: Steven L. Tuck, Miami University
Public spectacle and grand spectacle entertainments are critical to understanding ancient Rome. These spectacles include the lavish feasts, funerals of elite Romans, and triumphal processions as well as the spectacle entertainments that occurred in the amphitheaters, circuses, and theaters of the Roman world. These spectacles reinforced Roman identity, created a sense of belonging and served as an outlet for imperial generosity. This twelve-day study tour explores the fascinating topics of gladiatorial combat, animal hunts, prisoner executions and other spectacles, the spaces where they occurred, their origins and uses in the Roman world. Days will be divided between lectures, brainstorming exercises, firsthand investigations of the spaces we are visiting and some free time to explore on your own.
Our headquarters for this tour is the Villa Vergiliana, the overseas center for the Vergilian Society located in the heart of Campania, where gladiatorial combat and amphitheaters originated.
Contact the director: tucksl@miamioh.edu
Crete (with optional extension to Rhodes)
Dec 27, 2023- Jan 4, 2024, Director: Beverly Berg
(Teachers who must return to classroom on Jan 2 please consult director for a possible alternative schedule for Crete, Dec. 23-31)
Bronze Age Crete, with its labyrinthine palaces and exuberant wall paintings, a world discovered through pioneering excavation and decipherment, will be our primary focus of study for this nine-day program. The tour will include Ayios Nikolaos, Mallia, Gournia, Herakleion, Phaistos, Ayia Triada, Knossos, Khania. For those who have the time and the inclination to see more, I add an informal extension to Rhodes.
Contact the director: bberg@linfield.edu
Kind Words from Students
Although very excited, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I departed for Campania. However, I had an amazing trip and my time at the Villa Vergiliana will undoubtedly influence my future teaching in a variety of ways.
Lottie Mortimer
“Tomorrow I will go home, and back at school, I will tell my fellow teachers about the Villa Vergiliana. We will try to work out some plans to involve a study trip in our program of internationaliz-ation at our school. I really hope this will be possible.
Marian Heesen
“I return to Oxford ready to evangelise about Villa Vergiliana and all it represents, and sincerely hope to return, this time bringing a school party so I can share with my pupils and colleagues what I have experienced.