Last week, Year 4 pupils enjoyed a day of historical discovery at Fishbourne Roman Palace.
Our pupils impressed the staff with their wealth of knowledge about the Roman era as they enthusiastically engaged with workshop activities. They swiftly set about their first task to build a Roman archway. This was followed by the using the Roman alphabet to write their names on wax tablets or papyrus. Then they tackled spinning fleece into yarn, creating mosaics, and completing the Loculus Archimedius square puzzle. Working in the kitchen proved to be a popular option, as the slaves tirelessly ground wheat into flour and blended herbs for a banquet. The Roman prince and princess demonstrated how garments and accessories would have been worn by the wealthy inhabitants of the villa.
The children were fascinated by the extensive artefacts displayed in the museum. They enjoyed identifying Roman coins and using historical evidence to find out about life at Fishbourne. A tour of the gardens provided pupils with a sense of the palace’s grandeur and they were able to see the herbs and fruits grown at the time. They also enjoyed an imaginary feast, lying on the triclinium. Viewing the incredible mosaics was a great conclusion to the visit and the whole day provided more depth to the pupils’ understanding of Roman life in Britain.
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