BSA Undergraduate Course - thoughts and 'thank yous'

I am writing this post almost two years on from the BSA Undergraduate Course yet, sitting outside by the sea in the cold of an autumnal Welsh afternoon, Athens and the Peloponnese don't seem so very far away. I feel like I have lived a lifetime in the space between then and now, but the memories of all I saw and experienced remain as fresh as if I'd come home yesterday.

The propylea of the Acropolis, Athens, with the pnyx and areopagus beyond

The course came along at the perfect time for a student new to classics, with more of a background in Roman history than Greek and a lot of catching up to do! The whirlwind tour of so many of the wonders of ancient - and modern - Greece, learning from experts in their field and sharing the varied experiences of my fellow coursemates, set the scene for my first full classics module at the Open University. The syllabus took me on a whistle-stop journey of almost a thousand years of Greek and Roman history, from the Iliad and the Odyssey to the assassination of Julius Caesar and the fall of the Roman Republic, stopping at key points in between to study literature, politics, architecture and more.

The Acropolis at night

Many of the waypoints were familiar thanks to the BSA course; Homer and Pausanias were a constant presence throughout as we travelled through the landscape they had written about, again almost a thousand years apart. So I felt like I was experiencing the sites over again as we studied and, as very little on the module seemed completely brand new, I was able to focus on exploring the topics in depth from the basis of a foundation built far away in Greece.

East propylon of the Roman Agora, Athens

My first 'lightbulb' moment (of many!) came when studying the Iliad. Listening in the car to Anton Lesser's beautifully read audiobook (which I found is absolutely the best way to experience what was originally an orally performed poem), reference to a 'boar tusk helmet' conjured up memories of one we had seen amongst the grave goods from Mycaenae, displayed in the National Archaeological Museum. I had previously - and naively! - pictured Viking-type headwear with horns on top, so this brought the text to life for me a little more and made the world of Homer's creation more relatable.

Boar tusk helmet from Mycenae,14th century BCE. Photo credit: National Archaeological Museum of Athens

The course has given me an appreciation of geographical, topographical, and temporal context, and brought depth to many of the things I have studied since then. I first learned of Thucydides' account of Pericles' funeral speech - commemorating the dead of the Peloponnesian wars - while standing under the trees at the kerameikos in Athens, far below the ruin of the Parthenon. Considering the text in more detail as part of the module, I could imagine the throngs of people gathered in that very place in 431 BCE, encouraged by Pericles to celebrate the democracy which their fallen relatives had helped to preserve. Gazing up towards the Acropolis, as we did, they would have seen the Parthenon in all her newly-built glory, a visual reminder of Athenian power and a small comfort perhaps for those they had lost.

The Acropolis from the ancient agora, Athens

On reflection, two main things stood out. Spending time in the kerameikos and tholos tombs, and contemplating the many museum displays we visited, I was struck by the realisation that much of what we know about the past, particularly when there is little or no written evidence to rely upon, has come from funerary practices. Grave goods placed with care by family and friends of the dead, and memorials to those they mourned, show us what was important to our ancient ancestors which ensures that their lives are not forgotten.

Attic Geometric amphora, c. 720-700 BCE. The neck depicts mourners carrying the dead.

And, on a less serious note, it was interesting to see that archaeologists and scholars don't always have all of the answers; I lost count of the amount of museum exhibits that were labelled 'ritual use'. In other words, 'we don't really know what it's for'!

I could go on, but suffice to say the course was everything I hoped it would be and more, and still keeps on giving. I have a lot to be thankful for, and a lot of people to thank!

First and foremost, I am beyond grateful to the British School at Athens for offering the course, and for accepting my application, and to the authorities in Athens and the Peloponnese for allowing us to visit the vast array of incredible sites.

Special thanks go to course director Dr Michael Loy, assistant course director Anastasia Vassiliou, and tutors Rossana Valente, Laura Magno, Matt Evans and Bela Dimova, for sharing their knowledge, experience, and expertise with generosity, passion, patience, and humour.

L-R Bela Dimova, Rossana Valente, Anastasia Vassiliou, Michael Loy, Laura Magno, Matt Evans

So many people made cameo appearances at the BSA and throughout our course, some of whom I have mentioned in the blog posts. I am thankful to all who gave of their time and shared insights into their work. It was a true privilege to spend time in their world.

A massive thank you goes to my fellow course-mates for making me feel welcome and letting me share in their shenanigans. I learned so much from every one and I look forward to seeing whatever is next on their academic journeys.

I am so, so grateful to my family, friends and colleagues for all of their encouragement, and for putting up with my excitement both before, and since!, the course. And to my little family, Team Rabaiotti, who are always in my corner - thank you.

I hadn't planned on such a long gap between blog posts, however shortly after returning from the course I sadly lost my father. He had been unwell for some time but his passing was sudden, and it has taken me a long time to feel ready to pick up the reins again and finish what I started that summer, particularly with the challenges of a busy family life, a full time job, and the demands of a part-time degree. I am so happy that I have finally managed to capture the last days of the course, and it has been a joy to reminisce.

So my final 'thank you' goes to Dad, who was as bewildered as I was when I fell in love with classics, but who encouraged - and virtually shared - my adventures thanks to Facetime and modern technology. This blog, which he read with interest, is dedicated to him, and to everyone who continues to support me through this crazy journey. I am eternally grateful to you all.