Iris issue 6 - classics Dec 23

IRIS

December 2023 ISSUE 6

The WGGS Classics Newsle er

Welcome to Iris!

Welcome to the December issue of Iris, the WGGS Classics newsle er. Our aim is to shed a li le light on the ancient world, and on the wide and diverse range of topics we encounter in our study of La n and Classical Civilisa on. Whilst Classics generally focuses on the culture and society of the Greeks and Romans, we as a department are commi ed to broadening the horizons of the subject, and celebra ng the incredible diversity of the ancient world. As such, Iris provides a pla orm to celebrate those from history we do not o en hear about: women, people of colour, disabled people and LGBT figures.

In this issue, we are celebra ng achievements of some of our students who took part in the first joint Classics essay compe on, held between WGGS and WBGS over the summer holidays. Students in Years 9 and 10 studying La n or Classical Civilisa on had a choice of 4 essay tles to research and write, with the winners winning a book token each. The overall winner was Ray C from WBGS. Two entrants from WGGS were highly commended, and their excellent essays are featured here. Holly inves gates whether the Parthenon marbles should be returned to Greece, a topic currently featuring heavily in the news, and Daisy looks at whether Classics is more relevant than ever. Well done to all the par cipants! We hope you enjoy reading their efforts.

Inside this issue Who has responsibility for ancient artefacts? (Essay Compe on Entry) Is Classics more relevant than ever? (Essay Compe on Entry)

Blood Lust in the Ancient Amphitheatre

Also in this issue, Rachel looks at gladiator figh ng in ancient Rome, and Preya inves gates one of the most famous yet mysterious figures from ancient history, the child pharaoh Tutankhamun. Anjali reviews Madeline Miller’s Circe, a modern feminist retelling of the myth of Odysseus.

Diversity Spotlight: Tutankhamun—The Boy Pharoah

If you would like to contribute to the next edi on of Iris, please email your idea to: h.long@wa ordgirls.herts.sch.uk . We would love for you to be involved and for your voices to be heard!

Book Review: Circe by Madeline Miller

Ms Long

Who has responsibility for artefacts? - Holly, 11C (Essay Compe on Winner—Highly Commended) For decades, a en on has been growing around the ma er of stolen artefacts. Within every museum, alongside a sense of awe lingers a moral ques on: who really has the right to these objects? Are these places a haven for vulnerable items or simply a gallery of the ? I aim to explore these ques ons in the context of Classics, but as occurs naturally with the subject, to also reflect on the presence of this issue within different cultures and in the modern day.

Sco sh nobleman Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, was sent to Greece in 1799 to establish rela ons with the O oman sultan ruling the country at the me. He approached the ruins of the Parthenon, turned almost to rubble by war, with a team of ar sts, intending to make casts and drawings of the sculptures he found. Instead of returning to Britain with said casts and drawings, Elgin brought back material from not only the Parthenon but the Erechtheion, Propylaia and Temple of Athena Nike, sites of excep onal cultural significance in Greece. Whether or not this was truly an act of the is contested, with the Bri sh Museum- which has owned the marbles since 1816 - maintaining that Elgin was granted a permit by the sultan, but no such document has been proven to exist.

The Parthenon in Athens Although Elgin’s ac ons are generally viewed unfavourably, especially by Greek onlookers, it can be argued that he was something of a saviour for the marble fragments. Ellis Tinios wrote for The Art Newspaper that ‘far less sculpture would survive in readable form today if Elgin had not acted’, referring to the consistent a acks the Parthenon had suffered over centuries of religious and poli cal conflict that had brough it close to total ruin. It is conceivable that, without Elgin’s interven on, the marbles may have sustained further damage, meaning an incredibly important part of history poten ally lost. This is the main argument employed in opposing their repatria on, coupled with the idea that a ‘huge asset’ to the U.K. – as described by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak- should not be surrendered. A debate in the House of Commons in 2020 provided some evidence for this idea; MP Tim Loughton highlighted that the Bri sh Museum received 6 million visitors that year at no cost, whereas ‘the Parthenon Museum in Athens […] a racted 1.8 million visitors at a cost’. In the interest of educa on, it is natural to desire that an item be viewed by as many as possible, and for the sake of accessibility, at low or no cost. The museum has proven a good home for the artefacts, provided that ethical issues are overlooked.

The Bri sh Museum as an ins tu on acknowledges the input, willing or unwilling, direct or indirect, of the many na ons that have influenced Britain’s development. It presents itself as housing ‘two million years of human history and culture’, observed in its collec on of over eight million works obtained from across six con nents, and it celebrates this diversity, reflec ng it in its very architecture. The entryway, consis ng of Ionic-style columns and a triangular pediment, is described by the Bri sh Museum itself as a ‘monumental, Greek Revival style building’. Notably, the museum is incredibly eager to celebrate this Ancient Greek influence, proud of its connec ons to the society o en said to embody and exemplify civilisa on. What is implied by ‘civilisa on’, really, is Western civilisa on, here priori sed over undeniable cultural links of Britain to South Asian, Caribbean and African territories. Many artefacts, not just the Greek, suffer a similar treatment within the museum’s collec on. The Bri sh Museum’s website lists seven collec ons under the tle of ‘Contested objects’, but many The Parthenon Marbles in the Bri sh Museum are more than just ‘contested’, rather unjustly seized artefacts subject to increasing demand for repatria on.

Looking beyond the Elgin Marbles and elsewhere in the museum, Hoa Hakananai'a is a stone statue from Easter Island standing at nearly eight feet tall. Alongside Moai Hava, another moai (megalithic statue) it was taken from Easter Island by a Bri sh crew in 1868 and sailed back to be offered to Queen Victoria; the moai have since remained in the Bri sh Museum’s possession for over 150 years. This is a trite story in which the Bri sh arrive, take, and keep; it is the story of countless artefacts in countless museums across the na on. Easter Island’s governor, Tarita Alarcón Rapu, said to governors of the Bri sh Museum: ‘We are just a body. You, the Bri sh people, have our soul.’ These demands for repatria on are not a empts to regain material wealth, nor are they ignorant to the importance of diversity within museums. They are, rather, a plea for na onal pride and dignity to be acknowledged and respected; they are profound a empts to maintain connec on with the most significant parts of cultural history. As the most visited museum in the United Kingdom, the Bri sh Museum does hold a degree of responsibility for the country’s image, and what it represents here is a na on that exploits. The museum’s adamance to hold on to so many immorally acquired objects creates an impression of en tlement and, more disturbingly, harks back to imperialist a tudes.

Hoa Hakananai’a in the Bri sh Museum

It is clear that this is an issue that extends far beyond the field of Classics and is an intricate conflict of interests; conserva on, cultural heritage and moral obliga on are all factors highly necessary to consider. However, as highlighted in an ar cle by Elizabeth Marlowe, it is impera ve that whatever ac on is taken give equal weight to every instance of displaced artefacts- she states that to return the Elgin Marbles before others ‘would affirm the wrong principle’. The Elgin Marbles are a long-standing and highly debated example, certainly one of most interest in the field of Classics, but they are not an isolated case. Greece is by no means the only country that is demanding res tu on, and it is by no means the only country whose demands should be considered. In returning the Elgin Marbles alone, a dangerous narra ve would be created: to only show this respect to the ‘founders of Western civilisa on’, fellow EU members and European neighbours, would be turning a cruel blind eye to countless instances of loo ng and stealing across the globe.

In recent sta s cs, there seems to be interest growing in favour of repatria on; in a 2021 YouGov poll of over 7,000 adults in the U.K., 59% believed that the righ ul res ng place of the Elgin Marbles was Greece. Only 18% believed that Britain had rights to the marbles, perhaps sugges ng a shi in schools of thought. However, the three most recent Bri sh Prime Ministers have confirmed their posi on in the issue, resolute in their decision to keep the marbles, and in doing so, to reject the many a empts by the Greek government to reclaim this cultural emblem. In 2022, Greek MP Anastasios Chatzivasileiou stated his country was ‘ready to offer the UK rota ng exhibi ons of an qui es that have never before been seen abroad’. Greece’s recent approach has been highly diploma c and hardly selfish, as Chatzivasileiou assures the na on that our ‘rooms in the Bri sh Museum will never be empty of Greek treasures’. Perhaps public opinion will con nue to shi in favour of repatria on, but through a poli cal lens, it does not seem that change in the near future is likely.

Such an intricate and sensi ve topic is not easily discussed or summarised, as I believe this is an argument that is more than twodimensional; it is not just a ques on of which party deserves absolute ownership of an item. Rather, it is an issue of finding the best possible outcome for each artefact, and that requires all focus to be in the best interest of the object, and most logically, for decisions to be made by its country of origin. Every na on would like to house the most valuable and fascina ng objects available, but specific cultural significance as well as each ins tu on’s ability to preserve and display the item must be considered for every case. I chose to focus largely on the Bri sh Museum as I feel it best exemplifies the complex nature of these controversies, but this issue is not localised. The cases I have described are very few of very many, and I believe taking ac on in one of these areas would propagate ac on in all of them. Great things have come of the Bri sh Museum’s acquisi on of the Elgin Marbles, and I do not dispute that they are a great asset to the na on. For me, however, this does not warrant such narrow-mindedness; the refusal to cooperate with the Greek government, among others with similar aspira ons such as Easter Island, is actually causing loss more so than preven ng it. There is so much progress to be made within the field of Classics and within the world, and I believe the first step is to truly open our minds to others, and to listen, not just to hear. Surrendering such stunning, fascina ng artefacts requires a degree of humility and empathy, not just diplomacy. The pleas of wronged na ons should not fall on deaf ears. Their desire for repatria on is natural, especially for objects of such cultural significance removed on such uncertain terms. The very term ‘repatria on’ reflects this: to be returned to one’s patria is to be united with one’s paternal and ancestral land- to be taken home.

Is Classics more relevant than ever? - Daisy, 11E (Essay Compe on Winner—Highly Commended) To start, Classics (as defined by Oxford University) is ‘the study of the literature, history, philosophy, languages and the archaeology of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds’, so how can something labelled as ‘ancient’ be relevant? This topic could be controversial to some, as it brings in the deep ques ons involving how one personally views the world. A human’s opinion is a bias source, so can it really answer this ques on, and is that even enough to sa sfy an answer? Moreover, relevance is the quality or state of being closely connected or appropriate, so can Classics bridge the gap between hundreds of years, or is this idea far too stretched? I think the core values to discuss are poli cs and modern culture in the current era.

On one hand, yes, Classics is incredibly relevant now. All over the world, people vote to help decide changes in their countries, whether that be for be er or for worse. A democracy allows the popula on, as a whole, to have their voices heard in important governmental decisions that affect their lives, (for example the referendum for the decision to stay or leave the EU, which was held in June 2016. Called upon by former conserva ve prime minister David Cameron, our country voted to make a decision, meaning that the monarch did not have full power to negate the situa on. The United Na ons even describes democracy as a ‘core value’ as it promotes ‘human rights, development, peace, and security’. But who created and prac sed such a thing first?

The Ancient Greeks in Athens. At the Agora Museum, in Athens Greece, there is a display of ‘Ostraka’. These pieces of po ery were once used as the vo ng ballots of the ‘ci zens’ of Athens. Though ci zens then were ‘free men’ only, therefore excluding women and children. These ballots allowed them to have a say in the laws being created, and so this encouraged the ac ve par cipa on into a governmental system, of those who could be possibly overruled by dictators and monarchs.

Ostraka shards used for vo ng in ancient Athens

Moreover, the representa ve system of a government was produced by the Romans. A representa ve government permits the public to vote for a person who then presents their ideas on behalf of them. As we see in Wa ord, Dean Russell MP represents the town in Parliament. Mul ple representa ves come forth with their ideas to a specific area (such as Liberal Democrats and Conservaves), and fight for their votes, to represent them. In Rome, they had a detailed system in which their democracy would work, they had four assemblies the military group (Comi a Centuriata), the plebeians (Consilium Plebis), the believed descendants of the three original groups made by Romulus -original founder of Rome – the Comi a Curiata group, and the group open to any person (Comi a Tributa). These groups were made up of tribes or centuries (so smaller groups of people), and those ‘units’ (as the Britannica’s page on the history of poli cal systems describes them) each had a vote, instead of an individual person. When these groups voted, the number of people who had voted was not what ma ered, the vote it self-came from the ‘unit’ as a whole, therefore showing a representa ve government. The evidence of this government is its failure which brought on the demise of the system in Rome. In 91 BC, a four-year civil war broke out, this is retold by the Greek historian Appian, who the described the ones against the government as wan ng ‘Roman Ci zenship’. ‘Roman Ci zenship’ was incredibly important as in the representa ve government, you could be part of one of the groups and put your vote forward, therefore showing the influen al use of the representa ve governmental system by the Romans.

Contras ngly, you could say that Classics is no longer relevant, as our culture and economy has changed greatly. We have modern day problems, that do not unveil much similarity to one a government may have had over two thousand years ago. For example, during the nineteenth century (under the rule of Queen Victoria), Great Britain was the first country to undergo an Industrial Revolu on, meaning the crea on of autonomous machines, designed to do many tasks and rapidly increase and quicken factory producon. By turning out more products, Bri sh companies could not only sell goods at home, but export them abroad and sell them to many other countries, bringing in more income, strengthening not only the Bri sh economy, but also the Bri sh quality of living and

interna onal power. However, back in the Roman era, the best plan for a government to gain power was to go war, and gain territory. So, by using a powerful economy, and trading prowess, Great Britain could gain control, without having to sacrifice many lives, and military resources. This is evident from the fact than in 1870, the Bri sh Empire had 24.28% of the World’s GPD (Gross Domesc Product). Moreover, the educa on system has come leaps and bounds from what it once was. As a na on, the UK has a literacy rate of 99%, covering both males and females, while in ancient Greece this was less than 10%, and in Rome, a rough es mate of 15%. So why has this improved so much? Well in 1880, a much more recent me than the ancient world, the Educa on Act was passed, requiring all children between the ages of 5 and 10, to a end schooling. Furthermore, a er the Black Death, the wages of workers rose considerably, as the popula on had decreased by around 50%. With the rises of disposable income, more people could afford schooling and forms of educa on, meaning more people learnt to read and write.

For example, Oxford University saw a rise in enrolment by the year 1375. If more people could read and write, more informa on could be shared and learnt. This brought on the Renaissance, which was well known for the mass discovery of new scien fic techniques, art styles, and other some-what cultural ‘shocks’, though the renaissance is quoted to be a ‘revival of classical knowledge and wisdom’, as stated by the Britannica. But the discoveries were new, and world changing. The human world is famous for its evolu on and adapta on, meaning that it requires change. We have built the necessi es of medicine and health care, which might have started as theories like the Four Humours (hypothesised by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates), that no longer stand true in today’s world, as we know diseases are caused by germs and viruses (as discovery and research are credited to the scien sts: Louis Pasteur; Robert Koch; and Joseph Lister).

Hippocrates, ancient Greek physician The importance of these discoveries separates us from the ancient world, stripping it of its relevance to our modern agenda.

To debate this, current events could prove us otherwise. In February 2022, Russia (under the lead of Vladimir Pu n), invaded Ukraine, with the force of tanks, weapons, troops, and more. Pu n is the authoritarian leader of Russia, and Russia is a republic, so their leaders are voted in. The president of Russia has been in power since 1999, and the Russia law dictates that one figure of power cannot have more than two consecu ve terms of six years, but Pu n has been in power for more than double that. Pu n got around this system by briefly becoming Prime Minister. As well as, in 2020, he created an amendment, allowing him two more terms of power. So, he is an elected leader, but he somehow gets around all the laws against and acts as an authorita ve leader, as a single head of state, instead of one who works together with his government peacefully and loses power once his term is over. So, is he ac ng as an elected leader, or a dictator? If we invesgate the past, we can see a leader who has acted similarly. The first Roman emperor was Octavian, who took over the Roman republic in a lead advisory-like role, and constantly insisted his role was not one of a king. Though, he provided his family with powerful poli cal roles, crea ng his own dynasty, and made himself Pon fex Maximus, so he acquired even more power. Snaking his way around rules that were already set whilst insis ng he was not a king. The similari es between these two powerful leaders are clear, therefore depic ng the relevance of Octavian’s acons in the ancient world, to now in our modern society.

Octavian (Augustus), first Roman emperor In conclusion, I believe that Classics is relevant in the modern day, as our poli cal systems date all the way back to then, our scienfic discoveries based on the informa on they cultured, our ac ons reflec ng theirs. Humans are creatures of habit. Every original thing we do is influenced by something, whether we realise it or not. But not only is Classics more relevant than ever, but so is the rest of our past, to learn, we must take our past and analyse it, it helps us grow as people, as a society and as a world. Without a past, we would have not path to follow and build upon, we need that founda on. So, yes Classics is relevant, but ‘than ever’, probably not, as it has been relevant through out history, but as me has gone by, we have had more to build on.

Blood Lust in Ancient Amphitheatres - Rachel, 10F The image of gladiators figh ng to the death whilst being cheered on by a crowd of thousands was popularised through the produc on of the 2000s film Gladiator, but this idea is by no means historically accurate, nor does it cover all events in an amphitheatrical show. The primary difference between a theatre and an amphitheatre are the events held in each; o en las ng for many days, amphitheatres held gladiator combats, chariot races, animal fights and the execu ons of criminals. On the other hand, theatres showcased plays, pantomimes, and ora ons (formal speeches), alongside other similar shows.

In Ancient Rome, it was normal for entertainment to come in the form of men figh ng for their lives. A far cry from the gory sight of prisoners in armour desperately slashing at their opponents in an a empt to save their own necks (which is what they faced for losing, if they didn’t die during the ba le) is the typical entertainment today of comedy or ac on shows. But in some way, there is s ll an audience for death and horror in modern mes, the only difference being that one is simulated and all pretence while the other is not.

The term gladiator is popularly used to reference any man in an amphitheatre with the goal of becoming victorious over the enemy. In actual fact, it refers Inside the Colosseum in Rome specifically to a ‘sword-fighter’ if translated from La n (gladius meaning sword), a man wielding a short dagger with which to defeat the rival. While there are many types of fighters, the gladiator is a specific example of one, albeit the most famous. Re arius employ nets and tridents, Thracians made use of small, rectangular shields alongside sicas - swords with a curved blade - and the most powerful combatant, the Samnite who thrust with swords and deflected blows using their shields. However, these were not the only kind of men used in ba le providing entertainment to the ci zens of Italy, and later many of the conquered countries too. Those who fought wild animals were called bes arii (a er ‘bes a’ for beast); others were condemned to play parts in literally a deadly performance, where criminals took part in historical recrea ons of famous past ba les, either at sea or on land. All of these named slaves, prisoners or criminals engaged in these ac vi es for the enjoyment of screaming crowds as well as a slightly sick jus ce system - which also had the dual purpose of placa ng large numbers of people in reassuring them that the hated criminal was wholeheartedly dead.

Therefore, sa sfying blood lust was used to the advantage of the emperor, who would immediately become more popular for gruesomely entertaining ci zens through the deaths of those viewed as inferior (typically as those condemned had lost their freedom), as well as a source of fun and celebra on for the elite. While it was considerably more expensive than the simple affair of execu on, it certainly worked in the favour of those in power, and was a method of control over ci zens.

A mosaic showing gladiators figh ng

Diversity Spotlight: Tutankhamun, the Boy Pharoah—Preya, 10G Tutankhamun was an Egyp an pharaoh who was born around 1341 BC. He ruled during the 18th dynasty, from approximately 1332 to 1323 BC. Archaeologists believe Tutankhamun’s father was Akhenaten. Archaeologists suspect that the king’s mother was The Younger Lady. However, Neferwas one of Akhenaten’s wives so it is possible that she could be King Tut’s mother. His siblings were called Smenkhkare, Neferneferuaten, Tasherit, Meritaten, Neferneferure, Meketaten, Setepenre and Ankhesenamun (his half-sister) who he later got married to. At that me, the Egypans believed that if you marry a rela ve, it keeps your bloodline pure. Together they had two daughters, both of whom died in childbirth. Despite his short reign, he is known as one of the most famous pharaohs in history. This is mainly because his tomb was the only one intact un l Howard Carter broke the seal.

Tutankhamun’s greatest achievement was restoring the cult of Amun-Ra (the sun god) and returning Egypt to polytheism. Polytheism means that they worshipped many gods instead of one. Tutankhamun's original name was Tutankhaten, reflec ng his family's devo on to the Aten cult. However, a er his father's death, he changed his name to Tutankhamun to restore the tradi onal polytheis c worship of Amun. Many sculptures/temples from the Ancient Egyp an me were influenced by religion. Unfortunately, Tutankhamun didn’t have the me to create any. Another incredible thing that he did was to improve the rela onship Egypt had with many of their neighbours. He succeeded at undoing most of the damage his father had caused.

Pharaohs prepared for death as soon as they began their reign. They believed that tombs prepare you for the next world, in which humans were promised con nuing life and pharaohs were expected to become one with the gods. One single tomb was filled with colossal amounts of treasure. The boy-king was preserved in three gold coffins. The third and final coffin was made of 110 kilograms of solid gold. Tutankhamun’s tomb was filled with over 5000 priceless artefacts and his rein only lasted around 8 years. The death mask is considered one of the masterpieces of Egyp an art. It originally rested directly on the shoulders of the mummy inside the innermost gold coffin. It is constructed of two sheets of gold that were hammered together and weighs 10.23 kg. Many archaeologists believe that Tutankhamun’s tomb and mask was not made for him. This is because of the hieroglyphics le behind suggested the name Nefer had originally been on the mask but was then later taken off due to the Kings sudden death.

Every single tomb was robbed but one, tomb number KV62 which is Tutankhamun tomb. The tomb's posi oning, which was dug into the floor of the valley, allowed its entrance to be hidden. This made the search for his tomb extremely difficult. In total, it took 5 long years to uncover the Kings tomb. When Carter and Carnarvon paused between digging seasons, only one sec on of the Valley of the Kings was covered by rubble. This area was difficult to clear because it lay close to the entrance to KV9 (Ramesses VI’s tomb), which a racted heavy tourist traffic. It is believed that there is a deathly curse that lurks around the tomb. This is because the financial supplier of Carter's expedi on, Lord Carnarvon, entered the tomb in early 1923, but died just weeks a er from an infec on. Several similar deaths of visitors to the site have caused most of these rumours.

When Tutankhamun died, he suffered from a number of medical issues, such as malaria and Köhler disease, which can cause the feet to swell and impair walking. He had several deformi es including a cle palate and a clubbed foot. Some theories suggest that he died from an injury or an infec on resul ng from a leg fracture, while others propose that he may have been murdered. This is because x-rays show that he suffered from a severe hit to the head.

Book Review: Circeby Madeline Miller—Anjali, 10F As soon as you pick Circe up, you are transported back a millennia, to a me of wars, rivalries and heroes who are s ll spoken about today. Circe follows the life of the famous ‘enchantress’ daughter of the sun god Helios and a naiad, at court, she is mocked for her ungainliness and ‘strangeness’, passed over by her parents in favour of her siblings.

When she befriends a mortal boy, she discovers she does indeed have a power- that of witchcra , which can transform rivals into monsters and terrify the gods. A threatened Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aeaea, where she learns to hone her cra , trapped on the island, yet freer than she’s ever felt.

The book that follows produces a greatest hits of Greek mythology. Pre her move to Aeaea, she was scorned by Glaucos for a nymph Scylla who she later turns into a terrible sea monster hence Scylla and Charybdis. A conversa on with Prometheus is included as a younger Circe’s first act of rebellion. Hermes, Apollo, and Athena all visit while Daedalus and his son Icarus, Ariadne and the Minotaur (who is Circe’s nephew, via her sister Pasiphae), Jason (and the Golden Fleece) and Odysseus, of course, who in Book 10 of Homer’s The Odyssey encounters Circe when he lands on her island, and she changes some of his sailors into pigs, all feature.

Miller portrays the Olympians as vengeful and vain, pillaging and loo ng their way through both history and the world. What Circe gains in her immortality is what most do in a long life- the art of balancing self-protec on and trust. Jason may be Adonis-like and strong, but he is too “lost in the details of his own legend”. That Odysseus is “lawyer and bard and crossroads charlatan at once,” but nonetheless able to be truly tender and understanding, despite having to leave Circe, and the son (Telegonus) that was the result of their rela onship.

Through this feminist re-telling, modern audiences are able to see Circe truly as she is- a beacon of indomitable strength, and a survivor in a man’s world. Through magnificent imagery, vivid storytelling and irrevocably complex characters, Circe is a superb epic of love, loss, the struggles of motherhood, and family rivalries, the likes of which could be compared to the Iliad.

Circe is a must read for women of all ages.