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A wealth of comparisons can be drawn between the ancient world and the modern age. Michael Crawford argued that “the principal reason for the destruction of Republican government at Rome was the neglect of the legitimate grievances of the population by the governing classes, just as I continue to believe that a socialist framework offers the only eventual hope for the survival of our own world.” The knowledge that the deeds and ideals of ancient civilisations have helped to shape today’s cultures and societies both intrigues and inspires me to learn more about the roots of the world I live in today. In my opinion, the study of classical civilisations is fundamental in understanding the character and development of the world we inhabit today.
Having grown up in an area rich in Roman archaeology, Ancient History has always been of interest to me. However, in recent years my interest has steadily matured and expanded from a passing curiosity to a desire for knowledge. I’ve read a number of books covering vast periods of history, as well as examples of ancient literature such as The Iliad, The Odyssey and The Aeneid, to name but a few. A field I am particularly interested in is the late Roman Republic. I find the numerous factors which led to the political and social unrest of the period and ultimately the transformation to Empire fascinating, and I am eager to understand them in greater detail.
My passion for all areas of the ancient world inspired me to set up a blog in which I looked at art and archaeology as well as discussing the history and culture of the Greek and Roman civilisations. Furthermore, in addition to my love of the culture, art and literature of the Classical Period I also have a desire to learn the languages. Ancient Greek and Latin are two languages which I hope to be able to read, write and converse in, and I have faith that a university education will provide me with the opportunity to achieve these aims.
I have further interests in areas such as economics and this has been bolstered through the study of Economics & Business Studies at A Level and I also have a keen interest in politics. Through Critical Thinking I have found myself assessing the world differently, and have often found myself questioning ideas and/or opinions put before me; I hope to further develop this at university and become actively involved in debating.
Outside of academic life I am a keen rugby player, playing for both my local and school teams. I enjoy travelling, and in particular enjoy visiting sites of historical interest. I have been lucky enough to visit a number of Roman & Greek archaeological sites and feel lucky to have had the chance to travel widely at a young age. I hope one day, if possible, to become a lecturer in Ancient History and would love to study the classical civilisations as not only a career choice, but a lifestyle, and, as Cicero once said, “The greater the difficulty, the greater the glory.”
Universities Applied to:
- Manchester - Offer (ABB)
- Liverpool - Offer (ABB)
- Royal Holloway - Offer (ABB)
- Reading - Offer (ABB/AAC)
- Swansea - Offer (BBB)
