The role of silence in the public sphere, from Ancient Rome to the modern-day silent protest.

In March, St Mary’s had the pleasure of hosting Daniel Sutton, a Research Fellow in the Faculty of Classics at Peterhouse, University of Cambridge.  He specialises in Ancient Greek and Roman historiography, and in particular the works of Thucydides and Sallust.

His talk, titled 'Sallust, Cicero, and the Power of Silence', explored how Sallust engages with Ciceronian ideas on the role of silence in the public sphere, drawing parallels to modern examples of silent protest.

The event was attended by 25 students from Year 7 to Year 13, who engaged enthusiastically with Daniel, offering thoughtful responses and asking insightful questions. It also gave A Level students considering further study at the University of Cambridge a chance to inquire about the course and student life.