Abaris (Magazine of friends of Gynmasium classicum Petropolitanum)
ABARIS is an annual edition published by the friends of the Gymnasium classicum Petropolitanum (St. Petersburg). The magazine, which exists since 2000, was named after a certain Hyperborean Abaris (see, for example, Iamblichus’ account in De vita pyth. 90–91; 136). In that way one can say that “Abaris” is a junior brother of “Hyperboreus” or rather of the almanac "Drevnyj mir i my" ("Ancient World and Us") also published by Bibliotheca classica.
Every issue of the magazine puts special emphasis on a special theme, such as Ovid, history of classical education, fantastic creatures, travelling and travellers both in the ancient, and in the modern world, history of household articles, classics in Great Britain, etc. The authors of the magazine are classical scholars, teachers, graduates, parents and pupils of the Gymnasium classicum Petropolitanum.
“Abaris” presents the best reports of the "Classics Club", a research group for pupils. One of the sections of the magazine deals with the works of participants in the annual translation competition from Greek, Latin, English and German into Russian. Usually these tasks are a great success and it is not easy to select a winner. Recent theatrical productions in the school are a subject of wide discussion in “Abaris”. Pupils and graduates collect and publish Latin inscriptions in St. Petersburg. According to tradition, the magazine publishes a list of the graduating class of the year.
Every issue ends with a list of the board of Guardians of the Gymnasium classicum Petropolitanum. Among them are businesspersons and scholars, professors of the European University in St. Petersburg and St. Petersburg State University, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the director of the Bibliotheca classica Petropolitana, etc. Some of them are parents of pupils and graduates of the school.