We are very grateful to the Classical Association for their generous grant which allows us to hold our annual Classics Competition for 11-19 year old students. The competition offers young people a fabulous opportunity to research and deliver their presentation to a friendly audience on a classical topic, and it would not be possible without the help of our patrons, supporters and judges.

 

Patrons

Professor Paul Cartledge 

Professor Paul Cartledge, Emeritus A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture and Senior Research Fellow at Clare College Cambridge, is a distinguished academic, historian and author. Professor Cartledge is an honorary citizen of (modern) Sparta and in 2016 he taught the Association ‘Ten Things You Really Must Know About Ancient Greek Democracy‘! We are thrilled and honoured to have Professor Cartledge as a patron and his support has been invaluable.

 

 

 

 

Caroline Lawrence

 

Caroline Lawrence, bestselling author of the Roman Mysteries series, is a fantastic ambassador for Classics and we are very proud to have her as a patron of our Classics Competitions. In 2015, she delivered a great lecture to the Association entitled ‘Mentors and Talismans in Myth and Movies – from Odysseus to Paddington Bear’ and in 2018 judged our inaugural Junior Classics Competition for pupils in years 4-6. Check out her latest work – The Time Travel Diaries here!

 

 

Judges

 

Classics Competition 2021 – Professor Michael Scott

We welcomed back our President Professor Scott for a very different final in 2021. Conducted entirely online we welcomed entries from across the globe with our International Award won by Jakhua Mariami Venera from Georgia, and, after a very impressive series of presentations from all four UK finalists, the first place prize went to Martha Gayer for her talk on the City Dionysia in 431BCE. Caroline Johnson was the runner-up and Ethan Gallant was voted the People’s Choice Award winner. 

 

 

Classics Competition 2020 – Dr Arlene Holmes-Henderson

Dr Holmes Henderson, co-ordinator of the Advocating Classics Education (ACE) project, is a research fellow in Classics Education at KCL and leads Oxford University’s Classics in Communities project. She gave great encouragement to the finalists and choose Connor Irving of Clarendon Sixth Form College as the winner.

 

 

 

 

Classics Competition 2019 – Professor Michael Scott

Academic, author, broadcaster and presenter of (most recently) the BBC’s Ancient Invisible Cities, our President was the esteemed judge of our 2019 competition as Kirkham Grammar School’s Thomas Hewitt became the overall winner.

 

 

 

 

 

Classics Competition 2018 – Dr Fiona Hobden

Dr Fiona Hobden is a Senior Lecturer in Greek Culture at Liverpool University and her research interests extend from the Symposium to the reception of antiquity in contemporary society. She gave excellent support to our four 2018 finalists and crowned Megan Maguire the winner.

 

 

 

 

Classics Competition 2017 – Katherine Backler 

Katherine Backler, Examination Fellow at All Souls’ College Oxford, has undertaken research on topics such as the social networks of Classical Athenian women and the role of textiles in Homer. In 2017 she offered our finalists her advice and expertise, as Harvey Phythian won the title.

 

 

 

Classics Competition 2016 – Dr Katharine Earnshaw

Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Exeter and a specialist in Lucan and Latin hexameter poetry, Dr Earnshaw returned to her roots in 2016 and was the judge of our inaugural Classics Competition, when Ross Kinnaird became our first Champion!