Why study Classics
The literature, art and history of classical antiquity, traditionally referred to as “Classics,” have been a key formative influence in the development of Western civilization. They have inspired thinkers, writers and artists through the ages and continue to be a source of creativity today. We must know them in order to understand ourselves. We must study the cultures of classical antiquity to understand our cultural "roots." While they differ from each other, and from our own, they are more accessible than most early cultures, because they are very well documented in literary and artistic forms that have profoundly influenced subsequent cultures. Classical antiquity is at the root of our perspective on civilization today.
Thus we aim through our teaching and research to promote as widely as possible a knowledge and understanding of the ancient world and its interpretation. The study of antiquity encompasses many different disciplines, and involves many different methods and approaches. Interdisciplinarity is therefore at the heart of our program. We do our best to encourage a range of methodologies in our students to foster a spirit of interdisciplinarity, to stimulate imagination, self-awareness, curiosity, sophistication and intellectual independence. Classics is a discipline in which issues of language, interpretation, historicity and the politics of knowledge are always under debate. We encourage our students to reflect on the meaning and importance of this subject today, to use their knowledge and skills to understand and engage with the world around them, and to consider learning a lifelong activity.
Finally, given that classical studies has a long tradition of combining rigorous analysis and argument with clear and elegant expression, we are able to teach our students a wide range of skills that are vital not only during their academic studies but also for living in the modern world.
Student profile
- Attracted to the idea of learning languages that lie at the base of western culture (and languages)
- Passion for archeology, having visited sites abroad or seen documentaries
- Fascinated by museums
- Likes the study of ancient literature (e.g. the plays of Euripides, the poems of Homer, the dialogues of Plato or the history of Tacitus) and of ancient history
- Interested in Greco-Roman history