Dr Hannah Cornwell
Associate Professor in Ancient History
Department of Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology
Dr Hannah Cornwell has a deep research focus on socio-political history of the Roman Republic and Empire.
Joining Hands with the Ancient Romans – Being Human Festival 2026
Explore the importance of our bodies and gestures in communicating and negotiating, and why non-verbal communication is just as important as verbal interaction.
- DateSaturday, 7 November 2026 (11:00 - 15:30) (UK)
- LocationLibrary of Birmingham, Centenary Square Birmingham B1 2ND
Get creative with clay and make moves on the dance floor to learn about the gestures and symbols of diplomacy in the ancient Roman world!
In this fun, hands-on workshop you’ll make your own version of an ancient token of guest-friendship and learn about the power of non-verbal communication and body gestures by developing your own dance from ancient tales of interactions between different communities. What similarities and differences between you and the ancient Romans will you discover?
We recommend this event for families and children aged 8-12. Booking is essential: please book your place on either our morning or afternoon session to avoid disappointment. Children must be accompanied by their guardian. We recommend participants wear comfortable, loose clothing they can move easily in and to bring refreshments (water and snacks).
This event is part of Being Human Festival , the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 5-14 November 202 6. Being Human is led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. For further information please see Being Human Festival.
As Being Human Festival events are free, not everyone who asks for tickets comes to our events. To make sure we have a full house we allocate more tickets than there are seats/places. Admission is on a first come, first served basis, so please arrive in good time for the start of the event.
There are two workshops running: one in the morning (11:00-13:00) and one in the afternoon (13:30-15:30). You will be able to select the session when booking.
Both sessions start with storytelling and crafting activities (working with air drying clay and colouring-in options), followed by a choreography workshop.
We recommend participants wear comfortable, loose clothing they can move easily in and to bring refreshments (water and snacks).
We will provide small boxes to carry your craft work home with you, and will invite you to have your artwork photographed for an Online Legacy gallery.