On September 25, 2021, the CU Â鶹ӰԺ Department of Classics is excited to host Colorado Classics Day! Every year, we welcome high-school and middle-school students from across the state of Colorado to see Â鶹ӰԺ's campus, and to participate in workshops about the ancient world led by our faculty and graduate students. This year we will be hosting the event virtually, and we're excited to see you there! See the schedule of the day below.  Please contact Zach Herz zachary.herz@colorado.edu for information on attending or if you have any questions.

September 25, 2021
Virtual (via Zoom)

Welcome Address

10 A.M.

Session 1

10:15 - 11:00 A.M.

Class A: Latin Strength Training for the Life Sciences (Why It's No Joke That the Humerus Is Latin)
Pierre Habel, Colorado Classics Association

Calling all future MDs, Physician Assistants, RNs, DVMs, dentists, and biologists! We often hear that students of Latin enjoy advantages when they pursue degrees and careers in biology and the life sciences. Why? Because Latin is built into the technical terms of these disciplines. You’ll learn the truth of it as we examine and learn how the systems of Latin vocabulary and grammar shape the nomenclature of the human skeletal and muscular systems. You’ll acquire eight tools from Latin, and with them you’ll have a tremendously easier time mastering the nearly 800 bones and muscles of the human body!

Class B: A Pixar Odyssey?
Jacob Horton, CU Â鶹ӰԺ

The Odyssey is a riveting tale of a man forced to face dangerous monsters and vengeful gods in his quest to return home to his family. One of the most famous stories from the Ancient Greek world, Odysseus’ adventures, whether it be facing off against the hungry cyclops or dealing with the Sirens, were the stuff of legend for those living in the ancient world. However, the structure and themes of The Odyssey are as much alive now as they were back then. In this workshop I will not only provide a brief introduction to The Odyssey, but also dive into how the story has inspired numerous modern movies.

Class C: Archaeology to the Rescue!
Stephanie Kimmey, Colorado College

You might know that archaeologists dig in the dirt looking for things from past civilizations. But did you know that they also spend time trying to put together puzzles with missing pieces? Or that they have to dig overnight to protect sites from robbers? The past few years I’ve been excavating Bronze Age tombs that have attracted robbers who only go looking for valuable items or treasures. In this session, you will get a look at what archaeology in Greece really looks like. I’ll show you a little of what we’ve found, but also talk about why we aren’t treasure hunters (even if that’s what it looks like in the movies) and why it is important to keep excavating and studying ancient materials. Because, yes, there is still so much more to find!

(Please note, this presentation will display images of human remains.)

Class D: Egyptian Stories: The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor
Kate Newell, CU Â鶹ӰԺ

What did the ancient Egyptians like to read? In this presentation, you will learn about Middle Kingdom Egypt (2030 ~1650 B.C.E.), the golden age of Egyptian literature! We first introduce the Middle Egyptian language and give you the chance to determine your own pharaonic name! After discussing how scribes came to write folk stories and religious texts, we will puzzle through the hieroglyphs and read a portion of The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor. Preserved on only one papyrus, this is a story within a story, featuring a seafaring expedition that goes awry and maroons the only survivor on the Island of Ka with an unexpected friend!

Session 2

11:15 A.M.- 12:00 P.M.

Class E: Women in Latin Literature
Reina Callier, CU Â鶹ӰԺ

From the legends of early Rome to the journey of Perpetua, this workshop will present a quick survey of some lesser-known Roman women who appear in - and write! - Latin literature, including Hersilia, Cloelia, Claudia Quinta, Terentia, Tullia, Sulpicia, Perpetua, and others. We'll use histories, poetry, and letters in our investigation, as well as some Roman inscriptions if we have time!

Class F: Decipher a Roman Gravestone
Peter Hunt, CU Â鶹ӰԺ

Ancient epitaphs open a window on classical Roman society that is especially valuable when it comes to slaves and ex-slaves, for whom our other evidence is limited. In this session, you’ll learn how to read some simple epitaphs (no prior Latin required) and we’ll explore the stories they tell—including a murder mystery.  We’ll also talk about what epitaphs can and cannot tell us about life expectancy, marriage patterns, and disease in ancient Rome.

Class G: Learn Greek in a Day!
Lauri Reitzammer, CU Â鶹ӰԺ

This mini-course will introduce participants to the Greek alphabet, some basic Greek vocabulary commonly found in English, and important concepts in Greek language and literature.

Class H: Digging Up Dance in Ancient Greece and Rome
Hannah Slough, CU Â鶹ӰԺ

What kind of dances were performed even before such ancient steps as the "Cabbage Patch" or "The Carlton"? And how do we know what they looked like without thousand-year-old TikToks to show us? This session will explore the process of uncovering and understanding dance traditions of Ancient Greece and Rome through storytelling and sculpture. Participants will learn about the cultural significance of dance in the Classical world as they apply their own understanding of dance in 2021. Although some aspects of Greek and Roman dance history will always be unknown, this session will leave participants without a doubt of the importance of their fresh n' funky perspectives in the field of classical archaeology.

Panel Discussion

1:00 P.M.

What Can You Do With A Classics Degree?

You already know that you can get a Classics degree and teach Latin or Greek. But you can also be a lawyer, a doctor, or anything else you want! In this panel, you’ll hear from teachers and professors about all of the different ways college Classics prepares you for The World.

Closing Remarks

2:00 P.M.

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COLORADO CLASSICS DAY 2020

CLASSICS IS COOL(ORADO)
OCTOBER 3, 2020

On Saturday October 3rd, the CU Â鶹ӰԺ Department of Classics is proud to (virtually) host Colorado Classics Day, an educational outreach event connecting middle- and high-school students from across the state with faculty at Â鶹ӰԺ and other colleges throughout Colorado. Students will learn fun facts about the ancient world, see how college Classicists teach their favorite subjects, and even get advice about majoring in Classics or pursuing it as a career!

PASSWORD (for all Zoom meetings): magnasaxa

All Talks Streaming At:

10 A.M.: Welcome Address

Dimitri Nakassis, CU Â鶹ӰԺ
Zachary Herz, CU Â鶹ӰԺ/Colorado Classics Association
Zoom link:

10:15 A.M.: Session 1

Class A: A Day at the Roman Circus Isabel Köster, CU Â鶹ӰԺ
Zoom link:

In this session we will learn about Roman chariot racing, the most popular and widespread form of entertainment in the Roman world. We will look at the visual, archaeological, and textual evidence for at the Roman races and focus especially on how fans expressed their enthusiasm for the event and on what we know about Roman race horses (which could become celebrities in their own right).

Class B: (in)Famous: Actors and Acting in Ancient Rome Andrew Lund, Colorado College
Zoom link:

From advertisements to Hollywood blockbusters (and all the tabloid sites in between), we encounter actors nearly every day. Today, these talented men and women can acquire great fame, fortune, and notoriety. But what was it like for actors in ancient Rome, and what can we say about their craft? Join us as we learn about the men (and in some cases, women!) who performed on the dramatic stage, and attempt to reconstruct how an actor might have transformed into Agamemnon or Medea for a performance through things like gesture, movement, costume, voice modulation, and masks. Travel to the stages and theaters in which these actors performed, and learn what the Romans thought about actors and their profession!

Class C: Write like Achilles Elizabeth Bowman, CU Â鶹ӰԺ
Zoom link:

Learn about the Mycenaeans (they're the Greeks who fought in the Trojan War) and about Linear B, the script that palace scribes employed to write Mycenaean Greek. Participants will be introduced to the Linear B syllabary (syllabic alphabet) and will have the opportunity to write their names and a few key Mycenaean words in this ancient script.

OPTIONAL MATERIALS: If participants would like to create their own lasting clay tablet, they should purchase bakeable polymer clay and styli (many inexpensive options are available on Amazon or similar) in advance. Otherwise, full participation in the workshop requires only paper and writing utensils (fun colored pencils or markers are recommended).

Class D: The Art of Speaking Out: From Rome to Colorado Brittney Szempruch, United States Air Force Academy
Zoom link:

Calling all Ciceros! Students will be well on their way to speaking like senators after this brief introduction to Roman rhetoric. After an overview of the role of rhetoric in Rome, try your hand at one of the exercises that would have helped young Romans enter the world of public discourse.

11:15 A.M.: Session 2

Class E: Riddles of the Sphinx Travis Rupp, CU Â鶹ӰԺ
Zoom link:

The Sphinx, located in front of Khafre’s pyramid in Egypt, is the largest and one of the most recognizable monolithic statues in the world, but what do we really know about it? This presentation will explore the many theories on who carved it and why. Though popularly known, there are many unanswered riddles for this magnificent piece of art.

Class F: Classics...in Space!!!!! Clayton Schroer, Colorado College
Zoom link:

Gods and other mythical creatures fly over your head every year, and you likely don’t even recognize them! Every month, pegasus, centaurs, a minotaur, and— one day soon—even Artemis herself loft American satellites and astronauts into the heavens. In this presentation, you’ll learn more about the peculiar but fascinating reception of the Greco-Roman antiquities in the realm of American rockets and space programs. You’ll learn about Hermes lifting Mercury into space, about Apollo’s missions to the lunar realm of his sister Diana, and why for a long time Latin was the only language astronauts could use in very particular but important circumstances.

Class G: It’s Not Easy Conquering the World: The Roman Legions and the Second Punic War Ian Oliver, Regis University
Zoom link:

The Roman military was one of the greatest fighting forces in history. We're lucky too that an ancient historian, Polybius, has recorded a pretty full description of what it looked like early on. But it wasn't all unicorns and rainbows. I'll talk about the challenges that Rome faced when the great Carthaginian general Hannibal crossed the Alps, and how the legions (eventually) succeeded in meeting the threat.

1:00 P.M.: Panel Discussion

Majoring in Classics... It’s Pretty Major
Zoom link:

Professors from all over Colorado will discuss how students can turn their passion for the ancient world into a college degree. We’ll be on hand to explain the different kinds of Classics majors our schools offer (No Latin? No problem!), as well as clubs, study abroad, and even archaeological digs.

2:00 P.M.: Closing Remarks

Zoom link:

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The Â鶹ӰԺ Department of Classics and Outreach Committee with the Classics Department at Â鶹ӰԺ High, the Colorado Classics Association and the Colorado Junior Classical League Present:         

Classics Day at Â鶹ӰԺ High
Saturday, 22nd September, 2018
Registration begins at 9:15 AM - Events end at 2:00 PM

Featuring hands-on, collaborative workshops on Roman women, Greek and Latin language, inscriptions, constellations, archaeology, and more!

Find more on the full schedule.

Contact Jackie.Elliott@colorado.edu for more information.

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The University of Colorado Department of Classics and the
CU-Â鶹ӰԺ Outreach Committee with the
Colorado Classics Association and the Colorado Junior Classical League present:

Colorado Classics Day on Saturday, 30th September, 2017

See the full Colorado Classics Day 2017 Schedule!

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