Digital Ancient Rome
An NEH Summer Seminar for K-12 educators
July 18-29, 2022
Gustavus Adolphus College
St. Peter, Minnesota
Digital Ancient Rome is an NEH Summer Seminar for K-12 educators that will give teachers the opportunity to learn about important examples of Roman art, architecture, and archaeology through a broad range of digital resources. One of the most exciting things for students who study ancient Rome is that so many physical aspects of its civilization survive to this day. It is not just an ancient history that we know through texts. The surviving material remains—small artifacts, sculpture, paintings, mosaics, public monuments, neighborhoods, and whole cities—tell a variety of stories about the ancient world, and they bring history to life in a way that students find compelling.
Through a deep dive into primary sources, more traditional academic scholarship, and the digital world, we will examine the material culture of Rome, exploring questions such as: What was the experience of Roman religion like? How did the Romans conduct warfare? What were the key components of Roman architecture and engineering, and, on a larger scale, their urban organization? How did emperors and an ideology of empire become embodied in the city their cities and monuments? How does the physical evidence help us better understand various aspects of Roman entertainment, like the games that were staged in the amphitheater or the experience of a visitor to a bath complex? What can we know of the daily lives of more ordinary people, including women, children, and slaves, who were often left out of the writings of elite, male authors?
Teachers in this seminar will have an opportunity to explore a broad range of digital resources—from photo archives to immersive augmented reality experiences—about the ancient Roman world. We will learn how to find and access these resources as well as how to assess their reliability. We will also dedicate time each day to reflect on and plan out how we can effectively incorporate these digital resources into our teaching. We will collaboratively design engaging lesson plans and class activities that allow us to effectively take advantage of these digital resources.
This seminar will appeal especially to teachers of social studies, world history, western civilization, art history, and Latin. For more information, including faculty biographies, 2022 summer scholar bios, a tentative schedule, and program logistics, please click Explore in the menu bar or contact us.
Depending on public health guidelines related to COVID-19, plans for a residential offering are subject to change.
This summer seminar has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this summer seminar, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.