This article was originally published on ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences News website on 7 March 2024.

While the languages may be bronze and iron age, it was all gold for second year students Cecilia Arsenovic and James Hughes from the Centre for Classical Studies. 

Competing in the Australasian Society for Classical Studies (ASCS) translation competition, Arsenovic took home the prize for Latin Unseen Translation, while James Hughes won the Greek Unseen Translation prize. 

James also won runner up in the Douglas Kelly Australian Essay Competition, named in honour of late ANU Classics Senior Lecturer Dr Douglas Kelly. 

Hughes, who is studying a Bachelor of Classical Studies, began his first course in Greek in Semester 1 of 2023, and says "I was interested in Greek firstly as a means of better understanding Latin and the ancient world, but I quickly developed a fondness for the language purely for its own sake and the enjoyment which it brings." 

"It feels incredibly heartening [to have won] and motivates me to continue learning as much as I can and striving to do my best.

Meanwhile, in her final semester of a double degree, Bachelor of Art History and Curatorship, and Bachelor of Arts (Archaeology Major, Music Minor), Cecilia is concurrently studying a Diploma of Languages in Latin and Ancient Greek. 

Arsenovic said "I have always been fascinated with the human past…I enjoy the Latin program at ANU and the way it fosters an appreciation for the language and its place in the Roman world, and how it has carried throughout history to today.” 

“It was a great feeling to win this competition. The competition enabled me to apply my learning to something new, such as analysing an English translation of a Classical Latin text. I feel proud to have represented ANU at an Australasian level and be rewarded for my progress in learning Latin.” 

James and Cecilia’s prizes come as the university’s sixth win since the competition's establishment in 2007. 

Head of the Centre for Classical Studies, Dr Caillan Davenport said: "These awards are testament to ANU's historical and current strength in Classical Studies across the fields of language, literature, and history, and the dedication of our teaching staff. 

"Dr Bur (Greek) and Dr Geue (Latin) have played a significant role in fostering and encouraging such talented students. 

"It is also especially pleasing to note that James wrote his essay for a course on 'Rome After Empire', taught by Dr Meaghan McEvoy, a Senior Lecturer in the School of History, and we are delighted at the cross-School collaboration that has made this possible." 

Read more about the competition here.

Check out more on our researchers, partners, teaching areas, and events at the Centre for Classical Studies here.