Through the generosity of the Gladstone Memorial Trust Omnibus is again in 2023 able to offer prizes for excellent essays on classical themes. The competition is open to anyone under 19 and still in full-time education who has not yet completed A levels or IB. Entries should contain a statement from a teacher confirming that this is the case. The first prize stands at £200, the second at £100. Essays must not exceed 2000 words.
The topics for 2023 are:
- Did the Roman invention of concrete change the world?
- Why do ancient historians use speeches in their works?
- What does either Greek tragedy or Greek comedy have to say about gender reversal? (You may write about one or more plays)
- How do Greek myths differ from fairy stories?
- How did one dress to impress in the ancient world?
- How good a psychologist is either Homer or Virgil?
- Alcibiades (or Alexander, or Augustus, or Agricola): love him or hate him?
- How important was a Greek or Roman orator’s performance (as opposed to his words alone) for his success in the law courts?
Entries should be submitted as e-mail attachments, preferably in Microsoft Word format, to Dr Claire Gruzelier: c.gruzelier@kesbath.com. The judges’ decision is final: no correspondence will be entered into.
Deadline: 7th July 2023
Please give your name, school, and e-mail address on your essay, and keep a copy for yourself.