About the History Guru
My recent visit to Bali inspired the name of this website. There was so much interesting history in the temples, palaces and the museums. By the way, I noticed that there were no queues in Bali museums because the tourists were probably too busy shopping, sunbathing or surfing!
The other more important thing I noticed about Bali was the high value placed on education. They call their teachers 'gurus'. Therefore, it is with this simple 'teacher' definition in mind, not the 'expert' meaning that is often associated with it, which is behind the title- Historyguru.
As Socrates, a great guru of the past said: 'I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance' (Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers). History is a black-hole of knowledge, a search for the truth that seems endless especially in senior years. I taught in NSW State schools for 37 years and I always learnt something new every day. My name is Ron Griffith and I'm a retired History teacher from Albury on the NSW/Victorian border-a type of Hadrian's Wall educational existence for many of those teaching years - especially, before the internet!
In 2009 I was very fortunate to be awarded the prestigious NSW Premier’s Westfield History Scholarship. This generous scholarship allowed me to research the fascinating world of the Celtic tribes in Gaul, the Roman conquest of these Gallic tribes and finally the 'Romanisation' concept of Gaul. Was Rome just a big bully that dominated the Gauls or is this notion of 'Romanisation' misunderstood?
It should also be stated that this website owes its creation largely to the NSW Premier's Westfield History Scholarship. Hopefully, History students and their teachers will find some value in it.
My scholarship allowed me to visit many incredible French sites like the European Research Centre at Bibracte in Burgundy, the Pont du Gard aqueduct and Vaison-La-Romaine in Provence as well as a multitude of fascinating museums that pepper the diverse French landscape. A special thanks goes out to Joelle Cunnac who is an administrator extraordinaire and to mon 'jeune' ami, Jacques du Guerny, who is a man of intellect and passion for Vaison's past.
So, come along and join me on this grand tour and let’s learn something together about Celtic and Gallo-Roman life (and death!).