Popular Culture in the Classroom: Engaging With Ancient History Through Contemporary Media

Abstract:

Many students are fascinated by Ancient Greece and Rome, but they May also find it difficult to relate to or understand these ancient cultures. Students commonly bring preconceived notions about the past to their studies, which May be based on their exposure to popular media such as films, television shows, video games, books and comics. Preconceptions often result in inaccurate perceptions of the past: perhaps they think of Greeks as perpetually surrounded by beautiful white statues, while Romans were never happy unless slaughtering animals in the arena. Preconceptions often reinforce stereotypes because the popular texts depicting ancient societies are mediated through a modern lens designed to appeal to twenty-first century audiences. As well as updating accepted fashions and cultural norms, antiquity May be sanitised to be made more familiar, for example, modernising conceptions of gender or race, centring nuclear family values, or downplaying slavery.