This year, the ANU School of History and Centre for Classical Studies came together to deliver an afternoon of mini lectures and workshops for senior secondary school students in the ACT. 

Organised by the ACT History Teachers’ Association, and hosted at Canberra Grammar School, the event consisted of both an ancient and modern stream and included students from several schools across Canberra.

Dr Romain Fathi from the School of History spoke to the students about the First World War and had them consider various objects, from shells and bullets to tanks, and what they reveal about experiences of the conflict. In the second session, Professor Frank Bongiorno followed with a talk on the Second World War and encouraged the students to think critically about how the nation frames our understandings of that period. They were introduced to various primary sources, including Curtin’s famous 'The Task Ahead’.

Over in the ancient stream, Professor Caillan Davenport led a session on the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, which was complemented by a hands-on workshop in which the curator of the ANU Classics Museum, Dr Georgia Pike-Rowney, brought Roman coins for the students to study closely. Dr Tatiana Bur rounded off the day with a lecture on religion in Ancient Greece, which again was followed by a session that allowed students to handle various objects from the museum.

Overall, it was a very positive and stimulating afternoon that connected academics with a range of smart and enthusiastic budding young historians. Thanks to the ACT HTA, especially Becky Gill and Alex Thompson, for helping us in this collaboration. We look forward to running it again in 2026.