Monthly Archives: February 2017

Quid Agitur? (February 5)

This entry was posted in Announcements on by

Some noteworthy upcoming contests, symposia, and events:

  • The Phyllis B. Katz Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Research is awarded to an undergraduate student of Classics in support of his or her research endeavors. The winning entry will be read by the recipient of the prize during the Annual Meeting of CANE (see below). The author will receive an award of $200, free registration for the meeting and the cost of hotel accommodations if needed. Entries are due February 15.
  • The Futures of Classical Antiquity, March 4 at Smith College, presented by the Department of Classical Languages and Literatures. Registration deadline is February 24.
  • The Bernice L. Fox writing contest, sponsored by the Classics Department at Monmouth College, has announced its topic: A Figure from Classical History, Literature, or Mythology as the Next President of the United States. High school students are asked to “make a pitch for a classical figure as president, or depict that person acting as president or on the campaign trail,” with $250 awarded to the author of the best submission. Entries are due March 15.
  • National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week is scheduled for March but can be celebrated whenever convenient for your classroom; you can use any day or week to talk to your students about the joys and realities of becoming a Latin teacher. We need more teachers ready to take up the charge, as we know from the article which Ronnie Ancona and Kathleen Durkin wrote for Amphora. There are many resources to be found here, including a mini-grant application.  Grants of up to $200 can be requested every other year and can be put toward receptions, speakers, giveaways, and more. It would be especially wonderful to see more K-12 teachers taking advantage of the funding opportunities available. Please contact Keely Lake (klake@wayland.org) for more information.
  • And of course, remember to register for the 2017 CANE Annual Meeting, March 17-18 at Phillips Exeter Academy. Register online here. If you prefer snail mail, please go here to find a printable registration form.

A Brief Activity on Hanno's Periplus

This entry was posted in Feature Posts on by

In the early years of the fifth century BC, a Carthaginian admiral named Hanno sailed through the Pillars of Hercules and along the western coast of Africa, establishing trading posts and jotting down notes about his encounters along the way.  Upon returning to Carthage, an account of his voyage was set up in a temple, and translated into Greek at some later point by an anonymous scribe.  This short text has fortunately survived into the present, and provides a fascinating narrative of an early voyage of exploration.  It also allows us the rare opportunity to listen to a story told by the Carthaginians themselves.
 
An English translation of this text with commentary is readily available online, and it makes an excellent supplement to a lesson concerning ancient geography, or even simply the Carthaginians.  I have included below a couple of worksheets which I use when my students read the account.  For the second worksheet, the students have to attempt to plot the path of Hanno’s voyage along with those of a diverse group of other early explorers, such as Leif Erikson, Ibn Battuta, and Zhang He; in doing so, they will perceive not only how extensive journeys of exploration and trade could be in antiquity, but also that the desire to possess a fuller understanding of the world and its culture is in no way unique to Europe.  I have included, in addition, the brief mention of Hanno’s journey which can be found in Pliny.  After reading the Latin text, you may wish to ask your students if Pliny’s language suggests that he finds Hanno to be a reliable source.
 
Hanno Worksheet 1
Hanno Worksheet 2
Pliny on Hanno’s Voyage

More announcements!

This entry was posted in Announcements on by
  • Tufts’ first Middle School Latin Teachers Workshop and Discussion.
    3:30 pm – 5:00 pm on Friday, February 3rd in Eaton Hall 201, 5 The Green, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155. Sponsored by the Classics Department: 617-627-3213.
    Topics:
    Keeping Latin current and beloved for our middle school students
    Technology in the middle school classroom
    Choosing textbooks or instructional materials
    Please plan to bring one lesson plan, project, or SMART goal to share.
    We hope this can be an opportunity for teachers to share resources and for graduate and undergraduate students to learn more about the field.
    Light refreshments will be served.
    Please RSVP to Susan Setnik susan.setnik@tufts.edu or Molly Duncan mduncan@pikeschool.org by February 2nd if you plan to attend or have any questions.

 

  • Futures of Classical Antiquity, Smith College, March 4th. It was a pleasure to host CANE at Smith College last year, and Scott Bradbury hopes that the March symposium might be of interest. See this poster for more information.