So many celebratory activites honoring Rome’s 2762nd birthday since our last post on the subject! We’ll have lots more details and images tomorrow, but tonight we leave you with the image of a She-Wolf projected by American artist Kristen Jones on the Palazzo dei Conservatori on the Capitoline Hill.
Often enough, we field questions about resources for kids who are interested in ancient Rome. First on our list of suggestions is the Roman Mysteries series by Caroline Lawrence, books aimed at youngsters ages 9-12, the age for which ancient Rome has the greatest appeal. Thus, we’re thrilled to hear that Lawrence recently won the 2009 prize from the Classical Association for her work:
The prize is funded by an anonymous benefactor and is awarded for ‘a significant contribution to the public understanding of Classics’. ‘The Roman Mysteries’, with their exemplary combination of entertainment and education, thoroughly fulfill this criterion.
For those not familiar with the series, the Roman Mysteries are set in the first century AD, and feature girl detective Flavia Gemina and her multicultural posse of crime sleuths, including Nubia, a slave girl from Africa; Jonathan, a Jewish boy; and Lupus, a mute beggar boy.
There’s also a BBC TV series and a website aimed at young readers.
