Professor Erika Bianchi has been taking ISI Florence students on traditional guided tours of the Roman Forum for over 20 years. But, this semester, the students enrolled in her course Ancient Rome: Civilization and Legacy experienced the Forum in a completely different way.
Unlock the Secrets of Ancient Rome!
Immerse yourself in the fascinating history of Ancient Rome. Join our course to explore its civilization and lasting legacy through engaging lessons and activities.
Each student was assigned one of the four colors originally attributed to the chariot-racing teams from Circus Maximus: red, blue, green, or yellow. Then, they took off on a treasure hunt among the old stones of the Forum archaeological park in the heart of Rome. Common tasks were assigned to all teams, and there were also separate, team-specific missions. ISI Florence students could be spotted forming human arrows pointing at landmark buildings, reciting Caesar’s funeral oration, and re-enacting the duties of the Vestal Virgins in the Temple of Vesta.
The final tasks consisted of a power walk through the Via Sacra, retracing the steps of ancient triumphal parades, taking a photo in front of the tomb of Caesar, and writing a caption dedicated to him. The winning caption? “Hail Caesar, we love your salad!”
Designed in synergy with ChatGPT, Prof. Bianchi’s treasure hunt proved to be just one example of how Artificial Intelligence can make the learning process more creative and enjoyable. Despite the rain, the students appreciated the activity, especially the mixture of teamwork, creativity, and knowledge it required.
As AI continues to evolve, this experiment showed its potential to enhance learning, perhaps paving the way for more interactive, tech-assisted adventures at ISI Florence.