Rediscovering Disability in Ancient Rome: The Cambridge School Classics Project

When was the last time your history book mentioned Julius Caesar"s seizures or Hannibal"s missing eye? The erasure of disability from our historical narratives isn"t accidental—it reveals our modern discomfort with integrating disability into stories of power and achievement. Caroline Bristow, Director of the Cambridge School Classics Project, takes us on a fascinating journey through ancient Rome"s complex relationship with disability. From gravestone inscriptions that proudly declare "Meropnus, aulis player with dwarfism" to special legal accommodations for disabled military veterans, we discover that ancient attitudes weren"t as simplistic as we"ve been led to believe. The conversation explores how the Cambridge Latin Course—used by 93% of UK schools teaching Latin and countless institutions worldwide—is being thoughtfully revised to include accurate representations of disability throughout history. This isn"t about tokenistic inclusion, but about acknowledging the full spectrum of human experience that has always existed. Particularly compelling is the discussion of classical art and monuments, where contrary to popular belief, diverse body types including elderly people, those with surgical scars, and various physical differences were indeed represented—though often filtered out by later scholars to support their idealized vision of classical perfection. Whether you"re interested in classical history, inclusive education, or the way our modern biases shape our understanding of the past, this conversation offers illuminating insights into how we can build a more accurate and representative historical narrative. Subscribe to hear more episodes that challenge our assumptions and expand our understanding of the human experience throughout history. Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh