Department of Classics

Classics offers the unique opportunity to gain new perspective on our language, literature, culture, and political structure by examining their roots in ancient Greece and Rome.

These classical civilizations provided the cultural foundations of the western world, as well as the basis of many other elements of our modern life.

Guided by a supportive faculty, students explore all aspects of ancient Greek and Roman civilization and are introduced to Latin and Greek, which provides the ability to study ancient texts in their original language.

The study of classics helps students develop a broad perspective. It also cultivates the capacity to write clearly, an ability to balance different viewpoints, and a talent for critical analysis.

Dr. Battiloro presents at international workshop

Ilaria Battiloro recently participated in an international workshop held in Sibari (Italy), where she and Mattia D'Acri from Princeton University presented the exceptional results of the first field season of the Torre Mordillo Archaeological Project. Her presentation highlighted key discoveries from the excavation, offering valuable insights into the site's significance and the broader historical context of the region. This contribution underscores the department's commitment to advancing archaeological research and fostering academic collaboration on an international scale.

Public Lecture with Dr. Noreen Humble from the University of Calgary as part of the Atlantic Classical Association lecture tour.

Monday, October 7th
4:30pm
Avard-Dixon 120

“The philosopher, the tyrant, the spin doctor, the spin dictator”
In a recent book, Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century
(Princeton University Press, 2022), Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treisman argue that autocrats in the 21st century tend to employ more subtle tactics of repression when compared to the terror tactics employed by their predecessors in the 20th century. While never suggesting that hard lines can be drawn they nevertheless employ the useful terms 'spin dictators' and 'fear dictators' to categorise authoritarian leaders by the types of behaviours they employ at any given time. This modern framework for assessing the nature of authoritarian rule provides a stimulating paradigm for examining discussions of the same in the ancient world. This talk will show how it can help to illuminate Xenophon’s thoughts about authoritarian rule in his Hiero, which presents a fictional dialogue between a tyrant, Hiero I of Syracuse (who held power 478-467 BCE) and a poet, Simonides of Ceos, and in his Cyropaedia, ostensibly a biography of Cyrus, the first of a series of autocrats to rule the Persian Empire (from c. 600 to 580 BCE).

The Department of Classics is pleased to invite you to the 47^th annual Crake Lectures on February 12^th and 13^th given by Dr. Berenice Verhelst from the University of Amsterdam.

Greek mythology for Christians and an epic style Gospel. Nonnus of Panopolis at the crossroads of Classical and Christian culture.

On Monday, February 12^th at 4:30 pm in the Windsor Grand Room.

From Penelope and Nausicaa to Eve and Mary. Female perspectives in the Christian cento poetry of Empress Eudocia.

On Tuesday, February 13^th at 4:30pm in the Crabtree Auditorium.

Berenice Verhelst is assistant professor of Ancient Greek at the University of Amsterdam. She was trained (MA 2009, PhD 2014) at the University of Ghent, where she was also active from 2015 to 2021 as a postdoctoral research fellow of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO Vlaanderen).

Dr. Battiloro speaks at Museo Archeologico Nazionale della Siritide (Policoro MT)

On May 20, 2023, Dr. Battiloro gave a lecture at in Italy titled "Spazi del rito e offerte votive nei santuari della Lucania antica" (Ritual spaces and votive offering in the sanctuaries of ancient Lucania). Then her field school students participating in the Torre Mordillo Archaeological Project were given a guided tour of the museum by Director Carmelo Colelli.

Boston Bus Trip

On March 17-20, 2023, Drs. Battiloro and Robertson took twenty students to Boston on a bus trip. They visited the where they were able to experience its collection of Greek and Roman art—one of the finest and most comprehensive in the world. Many thanks to the , which made all this possible.

Dr. Battiloro spoke at the University of Missouri!

“Space, Symbols, Society: Ritual Dynamics in Ancient Lucania,” presented by Dr. Ilaria Battiloro (Associate Professor, Classics and Visual and Material Culture Studies departments at ��Pro).

Date: Thursday March 23rd, 2023
Time: 5:30 PM (CST)
Location: Swallow Hall 101

Learn about our new field school with Dr. Battiloro in Italy!

The Torre Mordillo Archaeological Project

Dr. Battiloro honoured with a Paul Paré Excellence Award for 2022!

Six ��Pro professors have been named the 2022 recipients of the Paul Paré Excellence Awards, recognizing their contributions in research, scholarship, and creative activities.

The 2022 recipients are:
   •   Dr. Susan Andrews (Religious Studies)
   •   Dr. Ilaria Battiloro (Classics)
   •   Dr. David Hornidge (Physics)
   •   Dr. David Lieske (Geography and Environment)
   •   Dr. Catherine Lovekin (Physics)
   •   Dr. Linda Pearse (Music)