The Office of International Studies hosted Taste of Cultures: Latin on April 8, 2026, offering students enrolled in upper-level Latin classes a hands-on opportunity to explore culture through cuisine.
Led by Upper School Latin teachers Meghan Zepsa and Stephanie Harner, students learned how to make traditional Pizza Napoletana while connecting their culinary experience to the history and literature they have been studying in class.
This semester, AP Latin students have been reading the works of Pliny the Younger, including his firsthand account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79 — the catastrophic event that destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
“Naples, the birthplace of the pizza we made, sits in the shadow of Vesuvius, not far from the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum,” said Mrs. Zepsa. “These sites, famously buried by the eruption, were rediscovered in the early to mid-18th century — around the same time that Neapolitan pizza began to take shape. While the connection may be a bit of a stretch, it’s a fun and flavorful way to tie our studies to the rich cultural history of the region!”
The event blended history, language, and food into a unique learning experience for students, highlighting how cultural traditions can deepen classroom connections and bring ancient studies to life in memorable ways.