We were delighted to kickstart the new academic year with a celebration of all that we hold dear – the arts and humanities, and especially ancient subjects – in collaboration with Durham University as we hosted a reception at the House of Lords to mark the 75th anniversary of Ancient History as an examined subject in England, and the wider contribution of the arts & humanities to civic life and public policy.
It’s my contention that if everyone studied Classics at school, we wouldn’t also need to teach them critical thinking. Classicists are the ultimate hype detectors because they have seen it all before: for example, in Cicero’s speeches, and in Roman imperial propaganda.
Prof. Victoria Baines
Key reflections from our CA Vice President Prof. Dame Mary Beard and from Prof. Victoria Baines, a leading authority in the field of online trust, safety and cybersecurity, powerfully highlighted the immediate relevance of classics, and reminded us why these subjects continue to inspire and enrich so many people, not least because of the transferable skills a classical education can bring.
As Prof. Baines explained, “there’s something about the digging we do that makes us fabulous investigators. We have been trained not only to triangulate and identify patterns in large datasets, but also to apply longitudinal and horizontal awareness of civilisations to contemporary issues. Employers can have confidence that an employee with a Classics degree can add value to a wide range of professional tasks.Classicists see patterns. They also hear echoes.”
More than 150 teachers, academics, Peers, MPs, civil servants, charities and subject associations joined us from all manner of backgrounds: English, History, Modern Languages, Science, Oracy & Technology – demonstrating the myriad ways classics robustly complements the wider school curriculum. We also welcomed speeches from the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Classics, Dr Peter Swallow MP, and Professor Arlene Holmes-Henderson, winner of the 2026 Classical Association Prize, whose recent publications explore the impact and relevance of Classics in the modern world.
As Arlene summarised, in Classics and Public Policy: Perspectives from the United Kingdom (Routledge), “classicists, historians, archaeologists and philosophers describe how they use lessons from the past to avoid policy mistakes in future and how the ancient world can help us engage directly with contemporary policy questions, informing education, migration and climate change policy. The book also collates personal reflections from policy officials (including a former cabinet minister, senior civil servants and representatives from devolved nations) on how their study of hashtag#Classics at university prepared them for life as a civil servant.”
In Reviving Rhetoric Across the Curriculum: A Guide for Teachers and School Leaders, Prof. Holmes-Henderson highlights how rhetoric explains the complex ways in which language works: helping us to learn how to construct an argument, listen critically, speak with confidence, evaluate evidence and recognise the ways in which language can inform, manipulate or divide. “In an age of social media, misinformation and generative AI, these are not optional skills; they are vital democratic skills”.
As the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Classics, the CA continues to raise the profile of classical subjects with policymakers, and works hard to open doors to studying the ancient past for everyone, regardless of background or age. Learn more about our work for teachers, for students, and our grants scheme.
