Classics


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Classics

The goal of Hamilton's Classics Department is to offer students an inclusive view of the ancient world and its relation to contemporary society through a focus on classical languages or classical studies.

Overview

Classics has traditionally been the study of languages and societies of ancient Greece and Rome. At Hamilton, the Classics Department reflects this tradition, while offering a broader view of the ancient world and its relation to our own time. The study of classics in this wider sense offers a variety of benefits: It enables students to perceive the continuing influence of Greek and Roman literature and culture on the art, literature and thought of our own time; it improves students' communication skills by giving them a deeper understanding of how language works; it provides a foundation for learning other languages, in particular romance languages; and it leads to an increased mastery of English. More ...

Academic Program

Study Abroad Opportunities

Hamilton is affiliated with the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome and the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, and students are encouraged to spend a semester or two in one of those programs. Hamilton Students interested in study in Greece are also encouraged to spend a semester or two in the program run by Arcadia University.


The Senior Program

During their senior year, all classics concentrators work closely with a faculty member on one-semester independent research projects of their choosing. More ...


Resources

Students of classics have access to the interactive resources such as the Perseus and VRoma Web sites, as well as to the department's Perseus and Pandora computer systems, invaluable tools for the study of the ancient Greek and Roman world. In addition, Hamilton's Burke Library has an especially strong collection in classics.

Each year, the department's Winslow Lectureship brings a number of visiting speakers to campus for lectures and workshops. Past visitors include Anne Carson, Andrew Szegedy-Maszak, Stanley Lombardo and Helen North. In addition, Aquila Productions, a well-known performance group from London, England, has visited Hamilton to stage classical drama and to work with classics students.