Courses in classical civilization require no knowledge of Latin and Greek and range from introductory lecture courses to smaller seminars that consider critical approaches and scholarship central to the study of the ancient world. Recent courses have covered diverse topics including medicine and health in antiquity, gender and sexuality, Roman law, death and the afterlife in Greece and Egypt, Rome and the Caesars, Alexander the Great, and the archaeology of Pompeii.?

Latin and Greek are offered at all levels, so students can either start the languages at Wesleyan or build on high school preparation. Introductory courses enable students to begin reading original texts by the second semester, and advanced courses engage with both ancient texts and critical approaches to those texts in modern scholarship. Many of our majors choose to complement their course work at Wesleyan with a summer or semester spent in Greece or Italy.

Studying classical antiquity is not only rewarding in itself; it is also excellent preparation for many academic and professional pursuits. The department has sent recent majors to top graduate programs in classics, classical archaeology, and ancient history. Our alumni have also gone on to successful careers in such varied areas as law, medicine, business, journalism, music, arts administration and museum work, and education at all levels, both as teachers and administrators.