As someone who has always been passionate about ancient languages, history and culture, I am thrilled to be on the judging panel for the Bloomsbury A Love for Classics student competition! I’m really looking forward to finding out what all of you love about the Classical world. When evaluating your entries, we’ll of course be looking for your knowledge and understanding of the subject, but we really want to see your creativity and imagination.

In particular, I’ll be looking for how the people and stories of the Classical world have inspired you. Whether you’ve decided to re-create a sculpture which is faithful to the Greek Archaic period or you’ve chosen to completely reinvent Euripides’ play Medea by only casting hamsters who tap dance and sing, I really want to see your own passion for Classics coming through. The real focus here should be on the joy of Classics. It’s not a competition about how much you know, it’s a competition about how inspired you are! Even if you’re not the best Latin scholar or the top of your class, you might just have a most fun take on an ancient myth or create the most interesting visual representation of a story or character.

So, when you’re developing your submissions don’t worry about making sure that all of the details are accurate and aligned with ancient sources; instead, focus on making an original piece of art, music, theatre or whatever medium you’ve selected. Ultimately, it’s your passion for Classics that will win the laurels and everlasting glory! I look forward to seeing what brilliant, creative entries you submit. May Fortune be with you!

The competition is now closed. We look forward to reading your entries!