Teaching the legacy of Hellenism in an Australian university – an interdisciplinary adventure

Abstract

Abstract

Teaching the legacy of Hellenism to students enrolled in an Australian university in the twenty-first century is a particular challenge when addressing non-specialists, that is, those who are not studying ancient history as part of their university degree program, and who may have had only limited exposure to ancient history as part of their high school studies. This article will present preliminary findings into the value of employing visual media as a means of illustrating the influences of classical antiquity on contemporary Australian society and in the broader context of our global society. It is informed by recent research which stresses the importance of images for teaching and learning in the twenty-first century. The article accepts a priori that the legacy of Hellenism continues to be a subject worthy of exploration within an undergraduate bachelor degree program in Australia. It proposes that by directing attention towards public monuments in the greater Sydney area, students can discover the influence of Hellenism on Australia’s political and cultural institutions from the early days of colonialism through the twentieth century and develop skills in the critical analysis of images.