Clayton High School Latin students traveled to Washington University in St. Louis on Monday for an immersive field trip that brought classical antiquity to life through art, ancient texts, and performance.
The visit included a stop at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, where Dr. Elina Salminen, assistant director at the Center for Teaching and Learning and PhD in Classical Art and Archaeology, led a conversation around the museum’s collection of ancient Greek vases. Students examined the vessels up close, learning how scenes of mythology and daily life reveal the beliefs and practices of the ancient world.
Next, graduate student Will Sieving offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse of WashU’s papyri collection. Students viewed real fragments of ancient texts and gained insight into the delicate work of papyrology and what these pieces tell us about life in antiquity.
The day concluded with a hands-on theatre workshop led by Dr. Tim Moore, Chair of the Biggs Department of Classics. Students donned replicas of Greek stage masks and performed scenes from a Roman comedy, learning how ancient drama used voice, movement, and space in open-air theaters to entertain and engage.
The field trip offered a dynamic introduction to the many ways classical studies continue to inform and inspire today.
