Alumni Testimonials

• Maisie Clark, BA Classical Studies, Bristol
• Charlie Hayward, BA Classics, Bristol
• Ivana Kuric, BA Classical Studies, Bristol; MSt Greek and Latin, Oxford
• Sophie Johns, BA Classics, Bristol; MSt Greek and Latin, Oxford
• Sam Rapier, BA Ancient History, Bristol
• Sanjana Idnani, BA English, Bristol
• Evelyn Heis, BA English; MA Comparative Literatures & Cultures, Bristol
• AJ Birt, BA History; MA History, Bristol
• Alex Brown, BA History, Bristol
• Ania Gordon, BA in History, Bristol
• Cicely Walmsley, BA History, Bristol
• Amy Burnett, MA History, Bristol
• Joseph Maspo, MA History, Bristol
• Katrina Fray, BA History in Art, Bristol
• Jamie Jewkes, BA Philosophy & Theology; MA Philosophy, Bristol
• Eleanor Lynch, BA Religion and Theology, Bristol
• Jasmine Sayany, BA Religion and Theology, Bristol

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Charlie Hayward, BA in Classics, Bristol

I entered the Classics and Ancient History department at Bristol, never having formally studied Latin, Ancient Greek, or Classical Studies. Whilst this was at first daunting and somewhat scary, my decision to study the subject opened up a vast swathe of opportunities and connected me with some of the finest individuals in their respective fields. My lecturers and professors were able to craft thoughtful and engaging courses that continually encouraged me to find my own place within the discipline. This focus on independent formulation, research, and analysis grew over the three years, culminating in my dissertation, where I was able to connect my passion for the horror genre with ancient Greek tragedy. Without the department's championing of interdisciplinary studies and forward-thinking areas of Classics, such as reception studies, I would not have been able to study such a topic, and would have struggled to find my own academic direction.

Apart from the brilliant professors, lecturers, and teaching staff, my degree also introduced me to an amazing group of course mates, many of whom I still speak to a year post-graduation. Together, we relaunched the Classics and Ancient History society after the COVID-19 pandemic, hosting a number of film nights, quizzes, book clubs, socials, and formals. I was also lucky enough to be a part of the Classics play in 2024, in which we translated, directed, produced, and performed our own rendition of Sophocles' Antigone. I'm happy to say that the Classics play has continued after my graduation, with the 2025 play being the students' interpretation of Aristophanes' Lysistrata. I would highly recommend that any students interested in the ancient world get involved with the Classics and Ancient History Society.

My experience with the department made me a perseverant researcher, a diligent editor, and a creative translator, and it gave me the courage to be confident in my independent ideas. Since graduating, I have been able to find employment in an industry I had never considered during my studies – I currently work in Customer Support for a travel agency. Whilst it's not connected to the ancient world in any way, I have been able to sneak the Greek alphabet into some phone calls when my recollection of the traditional phonetic alphabet fails. But in all seriousness, even though the knowledge I collected is not essential to this role, the skills I developed certainly were. The ups and downs of crafting my dissertation plan provided me with the resilience I need to face unhappy customers; rewriting and reworking my essays (sometimes quite pressed for time) made me a skilled wordsmith, able to delicately and concisely explain sensitive issues; and my translation work on the Classics play honed my eye for detail, which I now use to understand complex payment breakdowns and analyse large quantities of data.

However, beyond all this, the most significant thing about my time studying Classics at Bristol was just how much I enjoyed it. It was three years full of fun, interest, excitement, and opportunity, and I will always cherish the time I spent there.