About the Research Project

Britain and Ancient Rome have had a complicated relationship throughout history, even since Julius Caesar first landed on the coast of Kent. The physical and cultural remains of Roman invasion and conquest left lasting marks on the British landscape, but deeper than these are the seeds planted in the national psyche. Ancient Rome still features prominently in the British education system, and appears regularly in works for children in Britain, both in literature and more widely, in toys and games, television and movies, and on the internet. This project considers how ancient Rome is, and has been, perceived in British society, examining the ways in which it is presented to children, and how history, ideologies and cultures have influenced this presentation.

The Ancient Rome in British Children’s Culture aims:

• To investigate the differing ways in which the ancient Roman world has been  constructed and reconstructed in British literature, educational resources and digital media for children, from the end of the second world war until present day, in keeping with different historical and ideological agendas.
• to examine how the fact that the materials are directed at children colours the presentation of ancient Rome, and how this may differ according to age, gender or other social factors.
• To demonstrate how changes in the reception of Rome over time reflect shifting attitudes in society towards both the classical past, and wider social issues, such as imperialism, globalism, elitism, racism and gender.
• To consider the impact of modern technology, particularly the internet and video games, on the reception of ancient Rome for children.

The online, searchable database collates and summarises products featuring ancient Rome in British children’s culture between 1945 and 2020.

It is divided into six categories:

• Literature
• Colouring and Activity Books
• Games and Toys
• Educational Materials
• Internet Resources
• Film and Television

The database is also searchable by type of media (e.g. “picture book”, “film”, “comic strip”), thematic elements (e.g. “imperialism”, “Julius Caesar”), date, author and target age. 

About the ARBCC Project

This project is funded by the Israel Science Foundation, Grant no. 962/22.