Classical Studies

The Athenian Acropolis on the giant Cinerama screen in Seven Wonders of the World (1956).

The field of Classical Studies deals with the foundations of Western civilization: ancient Greek and Roman history, culture, and literature. Greeks and Romans discovered fundamental ways in which the human mind works and creates, individually and in society. Students are trained to approach and evaluate often complex issues in their social, political, historical, and cultural contexts and to understand and appreciate critical arguments about them. The liberal arts, which were developed in Greece and Rome, are a major part of any university education. “Liberal” derives from Latin liber, “free.” The value of such an education is primarily humanistic and intellectual; that is, for finding, understanding, and applying intellectual and educational concepts that are important for a meaningful life. Students and teachers together examine their subjects in “the ardent pursuit of truth and knowledge” (Edward Gibbon).

While many courses outside the humanities emphasize practical experience and the acquisition of skills, humanities courses emphasize understanding, critical thinking, interpretation of works of art and literature, and the ability to make well-informed judgments based on thorough knowledge of a given body of works. Students learn to read and interpret great literature, both in its historical context and in its influence on the modern world—herein lies the timelessness of classical literature—and receive training in clarity and accuracy of oral and written expression. They also learn fundamental techniques of inquiry, logical analysis, and literary interpretation. Engaging critically with literature and related arts strengthens our innate capacity for reflection and interpretation and enhances our intellectual independence from ideologies. Through study of the classical cultures students become acquainted with the world at large. They will realize that the past is always present and important. The following words by William Faulkner can serve as motto for all Classics courses: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” Or these, spoken by a character in one of Eugene O’Neill’s plays: “the past is the present, isn’t it? It’s the future, too.”

Attentive students learn to view themselves and each other in an enlightened perspective, to think more deeply about important issues in their lives and in their society, and to participate intelligently in a modern democracy, e.g. by being able to separate stronger from weaker arguments and truth from falsehood. The humanities, which are based on great works, also teach self-examination and the meaning of duty and responsibility beyond oneself. As an additional advantage, anyone trained in the humanities will be able to pursue a vocation with greater mental ease, versatility, and success than most others who lack such training. Corporate leaders have repeatedly confirmed this in their hiring of humanities graduates. Last, but by no means least, the humanities open our hearts and minds to the beauty and emotional power inherent in the great works on which human culture and civilization rest.

The Roman Forum in an eighteenth-century reconstruction.