Hannah Helt ('25), the recipient of this year's "Professor George Pepe Scholarship," used the funds to participate in an archaeological excavation at the ancient Roman town of Cosa over the summer.
My name is Hannah Helt and I am a senior studying Classics at Washington University in St. Louis. This June, I traveled to the Italian town Orbetello to participate in the ongoing excavations of Cosa, a Roman town founded in 273 BCE. Florida State University hosts an annual field school at Cosa, and this summer FSU spent another season excavating the bath complexes there. In addition to excavating Cosa, we took a trip to the site of Ostia Antica, where we explored the town and large bath complex with its beautiful, restored mosaics. This experience was one of the most enriching of my academic career thus far. I spend most of my focus in the Classics on literature and the Greek side of things, so what a delightful switch it was to dive into Roman archaeology and material culture. My ultimate goal was to step back from my conception of the Roman world and step into the Rome which was the reality for the majority of the Roman populus. I am delighted to report that my understanding of mundane Roman life has evolved greatly. Additionally, my appreciation for the archaeological side of the field of Classics has increased just as much. It’s hard work, and the gratification comes slowly, but I'm learning that it stays with you for a long time.
