The ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome laid the foundations of modern literature, culture and politics. Studying Classics and Ancient History at ANU offer you the opportunity to explore these ancient worlds and better understand the contemporary world.

Students in Classics & Ancient History at ANU study:

• the two main western ancient languages: Ancient Greek and Latin
• Greek history
• Roman history
• Mythology
• the Classical Tradition
• representations of Classical themes in the modern media (in film, for example)
• the continuing resonance of Classical culture and civilisation in the modern world

The Classics & Ancient History staff have research specialisations in:

• ancient Greek epic, especially Homer, and narratology
• Latin epic of the imperial period, especially Lucan, Silius Italicus and Statius
• Athenian history, the regional history of Delphoi and Gallipoli, peacekeeping
• the history of the Roman Republic and Roman imperialism (ancient, modern, comparative)
• international relations and international law in the ancient world

What can you do with Classics & Ancient History?
The skills you acquire in analysing arguments, interpreting texts, and writing clearly and convincingly are the skills that employers love; studying Classics & Ancient History opens your mind and improves your command of English. Classics & Ancient History graduates have gone on to become:

• university researchers, teachers and administrators
• professional research writers
• senior public servants
• museum curators
• school teachers
• journalists
• librarians
• television producers

Why study Classics & Ancient History at ANU?
Although somewhat “off the beaten track” from the birthplace of the ancient Greek and Roman civilisations, doing Classics & Ancient History in Canberra is a potentially rich and rewarding experience. Classics & Ancient History students at ANU have access to:

• the ANU Classics Museum, housed on campus
• world-class research facilities at the ANU and the National Library of Australia
• museums and other national cultural institutions located in Canberra
• the first 3-semester stream of introductory language study of Ancient Greek and Latin in Australia
• access to the unique research expertise of our teaching staff (see above)
• face-to-face teaching by these same experts in lectures, tutorials and language classes
• overseas summer courses for course credit in Greece, Turkey and Italy
• a relaxed, friendly and collegial atmosphere in the Classics Students’ Centre, a focal point of group study as well as socialising
• a vibrant social community of like-minded Classics and Ancient History students through the Classics Students’ Society
• access to a fully-stocked Classics and Ancient History library, also housed in the Classics Students’ Centre
   

Specialist Degrees

Bachelor of Classical Studies

Master of Classical Studies

Undergraduate Majors

• Ancient History Major
• Ancient Greek Major
• Latin Major

Classics Endowment

The Classics Endowment Fund, established with gifts from friends and staff members of the Classics and Ancient History Program at the ANU, will help ensure an exciting future for studies in Ancient Greek, Latin and Ancient History at the ANU. The Endowment Fund currently supports prizes for students at undergraduate level. As it grows it will provide facilities for Classics students at all levels and for our research programs; and it will offer some support for student travel to ancient sites (such as the recent courses that have been taught in Turkey and Greece). We envisage that in the more distant future the Fund will provide much needed additional staff in Classics and Ancient History.

We invite you to contribute to the Classics Endowment Fund. Your gift would be valued. Gifts of $2 or more are tax deductible for Australian tax payers.  International donations may also be tax deductible in the benefactor’s home country.

Make a donation
 

The ANU Classics Museum

The newly refurbished ANU Classics Museum offers a unique study resource for ANU students in a variety of fields and disciplines, students from other universities in Canberra, school students, and the general public.
 

Outreach Activities

The Canberra (ANU) Friends of the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens
The ANU is one of ten universities who are members of the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens (AAIA). The Institute aims to promote the study of ancient, mediaeval, and modern Greece in both Greece and Australia, and is the focal point for Australian research and excavations in Greece. The Institute has an office and hostel in Athens, and visitors to Greece may take advantage of these facilities. The Institute's office in Australia is at the University of Sydney.

The AAIA Friends groups around the country support the Institute and offer scholarships for students to spend a period of time in Greece either pursuing their research projects or taking part in the Institute's excavations. For more information please visit the Canberra (ANU) Friends AAIA page.

The Friends of the ANU Classics Museum
The Friends of the ANU Classics Museum (FCM) exist to encourage and promote the interests of the Museum: organising lectures on Classical art, history and archaeology and on topics suggested by items in the collection. The Friends group, established in 1985, also raises funds to purchase acquisitions for the Museum.

For more information, or to become a member, please visit the FCM page or contact Jenny Garden.

Classics Reading Groups
The Classics Program at the ANU supports three reading groups: two Greek groups (one Homer group and one Greek drama group) and a Latin group. For meeting times, future schedules and availability, contact Elizabeth.Minchin@anu.edu.au (ph. 6125 5106)