At Gettysburg College, Ancient Greek & Roman Studies opens a gateway to the ancient world and equips students with timeless skills for today’s complex global society. The curriculum explores the languages, literature, history, philosophy, and material culture of ancient Greece and Rome. Whether you are delving into Homeric epics, decoding ancient inscriptions, or analyzing Roman political rhetoric, the program offers a rich and multidisciplinary foundation that fosters critical thinking, analytical precision, and cultural awareness.
Gettysburg College’s Ancient Greek & Roman Studies curriculum immerses students in ancient cultures through language, history, literature, and philosophy, emphasizing Greek and Latin language mastery. Courses like "Introduction to Classical Archaeology" delve into the material culture of the ancient Mediterranean, examining artifacts to understand past societies, while "Homer and Greek Epic" offers an in-depth exploration of epic poetry and oral traditions. Additionally, "The Roman Republic" covers Roman history, political dynamics, and social evolution. This curriculum fosters analytical skills and a deep cultural awareness, preparing students for careers in diverse fields through a robust liberal arts education.
Through rigorous study, students gain critical analytical skills, enhancing their understanding of Western intellectual traditions. The program’s focus on interpreting complex texts and diverse cultural perspectives provides a strong foundation for careers in law, history, linguistics, and education. Gettysburg’s hands-on learning approach, including access to ancient artifacts and close mentorship, enriches the experience and fosters critical thinking, making it an ideal environment for Classics enthusiasts seeking an in-depth liberal arts education.
100-Level Introductory Courses
Classics These courses provide basic introductions to the discipline of Classics as a whole, including survey-style definition of the subject matter, chronological and geographical scope, linguistic and literary heritage, artistic and archaeological remains, canonical texts, and other source material relevant for studying the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world, as well as their legacy in subsequent societies. Through various sorts of writing assignments, performances, evaluations, and/or presentations, students are expected to demonstrate synthesis and evaluative consideration of many ancient texts and some relevant modern scholarship, integration of multiple intellectual approaches to these sources, and broad familiarity with one or more sub-disciplines within the field of Classics.
First-year Greek or Latin Students completing this sequence not only learn the fundamentals of the ancient language but also intensively read a significant quantity of edited/adapted passages. They should be able to pronounce the language clearly and fluidly according to proper conventions, demonstrate a working vocabulary of over 1000 words, recognize and understand essential morphology and syntax, exhibit a high level of reading comprehension, and translate smoothly using appropriate English idiom.
200-Level Analysis Courses
Classics These courses provide more in-depth coverage of the major subfields and conceptual frameworks of Classics. Students thoroughly explore key sources, themes, research tools, and concepts in each field through assessment of modern scholarship and/or relevant creative activity, such as full performance of an ancient drama. Students should demonstrate engagement in the formal processes by which they are able to pose their own scholarly questions, as well as the research skills and analytical modes of thought necessary to address them.
Second-year Greek or Latin Students completing this sequence build upon foundations acquired in previous language courses by both reading authentic ancient prose and poetic texts in the original language and translating them into English. They should demonstrate pronunciation mastery, full reading comprehension, and a significant expansion of their working vocabulary, as well as accuracy and confidence in recognizing morphology and syntax, including rarer archaic forms and dialects. Students should be able to recognize and produce the basic patterns of poetic meter, and they should also demonstrate proficiency in their use of an array of important philological tools, including lexica, grammars, commentaries, and digital research aids. Additionally, students should be able to address key themes and concepts associated with the ancient texts they study.
300-400 Level Advanced Seminars
Classics These courses emphasize students’ independent and profound engagement with a variety of ancient texts and/or material culture in a critical manner, as well as significant consideration and evaluation of modern scholarly work concerning such texts/remains. Students should demonstrate the ability to define and organize the subject matter, locate and utilize relevant source materials, make judgments about their value, synthesize them for discussion of specific research questions, and compose reasoned arguments as answers to such scholarly inquiry. Through oral presentations, performances, in-class discussions or essays, and very substantial research and writing assignments outside of class, students should exhibit expertise regarding a selected body of ancient texts/material remains and modern approaches to it.
Advanced Greek and Latin courses These seminars involve the directed, collaborative reading of large portions (or all) of the texts in question in the original language, as well as more extensive reading on an individual basis, in order to increase students’ ability, fluency, speed, and confidence in understanding morphology, syntax, vocabulary, and meter. Students also should become fluent with commentaries, critical scholarship, and advanced scholarly research tools. Through reading a significant amount of ancient source material as well as modern scholarly texts, students should also exhibit a deep analysis and understanding of a particular topic/text and engage in critical dialogue about it.
First Year Advising and Registration recommendations
Classical Studies is a multi-disciplinary field that includes History, Archaeology, and Literature as well as ancient Greek and Latin language studies. At Gettysburg, while the study of Latin and Greek are not required for the Classical Studies major and minor, any Latin and Greek courses starting at elementary level 102 count toward the Classical Studies major; and both 101 and 102 count for the Classical Studies minor. Students can also minor in Greek or Latin. Any student interested in exploring Classical Studies or thinking about a major or minor should enroll in one or two 100 or 200-level CLA, Latin, or Greek courses during their first year. ANTH 106 also counts for the CLA major. Note: 200-level CLA courses have no pre-requisites and are open to any student. Some CLA courses are cross-listed with Anthropology, History, or Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and also count toward majors and minors in those fields. Classical Studies courses meet the Humanities Requirement, and some also meet the Conceptualizing Diversity or Global Understanding requirements.
The new Ancient Greek & Roman Studies Major is open to students starting with those in the graduating class of 2021 (current juniors).
Because Ancient Greek & Roman Studies is multidisciplinary, the major includes a number of courses cross listed with History, Anthropology, WGS, Art History, and Philosophy in addition to Latin and Greek language courses and Latin and Greek Literature and culture courses.
Students to complete the major with or without Latin or Greek study. Students who learn Latin or ancient Greek can include in the major Latin 102 and Greek 102 and any Latin (LAT) or Greek (GRK) literature courses focused on reading Classical authors in their original languages, or add a Latin or Greek minor to their program (with approval from the department). Students who choose language study other than Latin or Greek can also major in Ancient Greek & Roman Studies.
Requirements:
9 CLA, Latin, or Greek courses:
Any CLA 100-level courses and ANTH 106: students may count up to 2
Latin 102 and Greek 102: students may count both (not required)
CLA, Latin, or Greek courses at the 200 or 300 level and above: at least 1 must be at the 300-level
1 Extra-disciplinary Approach Course:
ANTH 221, 227, 300
ENG 299, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 221, 223, 310, 312, 315, 316, 317 ES 230
HIST 208, 300 POL 102
REL 204, 205
THA 203
or other course approved by the Department.
Capstone Seminar or approved CLA 464 or other approved 400-level course.
Ancient Greek & Roman Studies Minor
Six courses are required: Any Classical Studies course beyond the 100-level, or any Greek or Latin course at any level. May include two from the following: CLA 103, 104, 130, CLA/HIST 102, ANTH 106.
Greek Minor
A minor in Greek (GRK) shall consist of any six courses at any level OR any five courses in Greek (GRK) at any level, plus one course in Classics (CLA) at any level. (See course offerings under “Greek.”)
Latin Minor
Any six courses in Latin (LAT) at any level OR any five courses in Latin (LAT) at any level, plus one course in Classics (CLA) at any level. (See course offerings under “Latin.”)
Exploration of great works of ancient Greek and Latin literature, including epic, lyric poetry, drama, philosophical dialogue, and literary criticism. Through analysis of these texts in discussion and writing, we consider what it means to be human, the shape of justice and morality, the power of rhetoric, social and political dynamics of gender, race, and class, and strategies of representation. Authors read may include Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Plato, Aristotle, Virgil, Ovid, Cicero, Lucretius, Seneca, and others.
Survey of history, literature, art, architecture, etc. of Rome from its founding to the Council of Nicaea, with emphasis on the material culture of an empire encompassing the whole Mediterranean world. Normally offered every year.
Survey of classical mythology, with attention to the process of myth-making, the development of religion and various critical approaches to mythology.
Introductory survey of the art and architecture of Ancient Greece and Rome, beginning with the Bronze Age in the Aegean to the reign of emperor Constantine. The course covers the history, culture and social context of major works produced by these civilizations and analyzes developments in style, taste and use of materials. Recommended ARTH 125. Offered once a year. ARTH 201 and CLA 201 are cross-listed.
Study of philosophers and philosophies of ancient Greece and Rome. Emphasis is on the Pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism, and Skepticism. PHIL 205 and CLA 205 are cross-listed.
Investigation of the impact that the Roman Empire had on the indigenous Celts and other peoples of Western Europe. The course takes a critical look at the idea that the spread of Roman "civilization" was ultimately beneficial to the supposed "barbarians" brought under imperial rule. The course also compares Roman colonialism with modern empires and imperial projects, and analyzes how examples of modern colonialism used the Roman Empire as a model and ideological justification for European colonial expansion and domination. ANTH 210 and CLA 210 are cross-listed.
Survey of the ancient peoples of Europe during the first millennium B.C. and their relation to the seven modern Celtic nations of the Atlantic fringe. Through an examination of archaeology, ancient history, mythology, and anthropology, this course investigates the relation between ancient and modern Celtic cultures, and the ways in which the archaeology of the ancient Celts has been used to construct modern Celtic identities. ANTH 214 and CLA 214 are cross-listed.
What determines our sex and gender? What sorts of romantic and sexual relationships are acceptable, and why? Who and what define the binaries of male and female, gay and straight, and can individuals move fluidly between them? How do people’s gender and/or sexuality relate to their social and economic positions? This course investigates ancient Greece as a case-study for the way that gender and sexuality works, providing new perspective on our own world. WGS 240 and CLA 240 are cross-listed.
Survey of Hellenic civilization from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period. CLA 251 and HIST 251 are cross-listed. Offered every other year.
Survey of various sites and material cultures of the Mediterranean world, from c. 1500 BCE through 500 CE, including some discussion of the goals, methods, and cultural/ legal issues involved in archaeological research. Normally offered every other year. ANTH 255 and CLA 255 are cross-listed.
In this course, we will study a selection of Ancient Greek tragedies by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, and Roman tragedies by Seneca. We will consider the following questions: what defines tragedy as a genre, how and in what context were ancient tragedies performed, what do tragedies tell us about Greek and Roman values and beliefs, what were the social and political functions of tragedy in the ancient world, and what meanings and uses can re-performance of these tragedies have in diverse contexts in the modern world? Course activities may include performance and/or adaptation of ancient tragedy, and attending a live production of a tragedy.
This course investigates constructions of “race” in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds and the ways in which constructions of “race” and “otherness” were implicated in power relations in the broader ancient Mediterranean, including systems of conquest, enslavement, and social differentiation. In addition, this course uses a critical understanding of these notions of “race” in the ancient world to contextualize modern ideas about race and systems of racism. This will include identifying similarities and differences between ancient and modern ideas about “race” and their implications for power relations, as well as considering the ways in which modern racist ideologies have drawn upon Greco-Roman antiquity as a justification for enslavement and racial hierarchies. Course units include: racial theories in the modern world and in the ancient Mediterranean, Greco-Roman perceptions of Blackness, ancient and modern Orientalism, the formation of Greek and Roman identity in opposition to the “other,” imperialism and notions of the “barbarian”, links between Greco-Roman antiquity and modern White Supremacy, and connections between slavery and race in the ancient Mediterranean and their legacy for American slavery.
Survey of the ancient peoples of Europe during the first millennium B.C. and their relation to the seven modern Celtic nations of the Atlantic fringe. Through an examination of archaeology, ancient history, mythology, and anthropology, this course investigates the relation between ancient and modern Celtic cultures, and the ways in which the archaeology of the ancient Celts has been used to construct modern Celtic identities. Prerequisite: ANTH 103 or ANTH 106
What determines our sex and gender? What sorts of romantic and sexual relationships are acceptable, and why? Who and what define the binaries of male and female, gay and straight, and can individuals move fluidly between them? How do people’s gender and/or sexuality relate to their social and economic positions? This course investigates ancient Greece as a case-study for the way that gender and sexuality works, providing new perspective on our own world.
Study from both a theoretical and methodological level of the various forms of social inequality that emerged in the ancient world, as well as the forms of egalitarianism that have persisted throughout the world to the present day. The course emphasizes in particular a critical understanding of the ways in which ancient forms of inequality compare and contrast to what we see today in the modern world. ANTH 345 and CLA 345 are cross-listed.
The Senior Seminar is offered periodically and meets the Capstone requirement for the major. Using appropriate analytical frameworks, students explore a topic selected by the instructor in a collaborative seminar format.
Study of plans and monuments of Greek and Roman cities as well as writings of classical authors about cities and urban life. A combined archaeological, historical, and literary approach is used, with an emphasis on how the growth of cities depended on the development of technology for the construction of fortifications, large buildings, aqueducts, and other urban necessities. The course begins with the Mycenaean period in Greece and concludes with Roman cities of the 6th century AD. Prerequisite: One 100 or 200 level Classics course or permission of the instructor.
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
Individualized research for half credit (0.50 units), graded A-F
Introduction to ancient Greek in preparation for reading Attic and New Testament texts, with emphasis on vocabulary, pronunciation, morphology, and syntax.
Continuation of Greek I, introduction to ancient Greek in preparation for reading Attic and New Testament texts, with emphasis on vocabulary, pronunciation, morphology, and syntax. Offered every spring. Prerequisite: Greek 101 or placement.
Designed to increase the student's skill in reading texts. Selections chosen at the discretion of the instructor. Offered every other fall. Prerequisite: Greek 102 or placement.
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
Introduction to reading and pronunciation of Latin, with emphasis on vocabulary, morphology, syntax. Juniors and Seniors need permission of Department Chair.
Continuation of Latin I, introduction to reading and pronunciation of Latin, with emphasis on vocabulary, morphology, syntax.
The purposes of this course are to develop students’ Latin reading skills and to familiarize them with the distinguishing features of various genres and authors of Latin prose. In addition to developing students’ command of Latin grammar and vocabulary acquired in prior study, the course will focus on central questions involved in the interpretation of Latin prose and the significance of particular authors and their works in the broader context of Roman literary history and culture. Authors and texts studied will vary from semester to semester. With departmental permission, students may repeat the course. Students who enroll in this course at the 303 level will have additional/special assignments as set by the instructor. Pre-requisite for Latin 203: Latin 102 or by departmental permission or placement.
The purposes of this course are to develop students’ ability to read Latin verse, familiarizing them with various meters, genres, and authors of Latin poetry. In addition to developing students’ command of Latin grammar and vocabulary acquired in prior study, the course will focus on central questions involved in the interpretation of Latin poetry and the significance of particular poets and their works in the broader context of Roman literary history and culture. Poets and texts studied will vary from semester to semester. With departmental permission, students may repeat the course. Students who enroll in this course at the 304 level will have additional/special assignments as set by the instructor.
Pre-requisite for Latin 204: Latin 102 or by departmental permission or placement.
The purposes of this course are to develop students’ Latin reading skills and to familiarize them with the distinguishing features of various genres and authors of Latin prose. In addition to developing students’ command of Latin grammar and vocabulary acquired in prior study, the course will focus on central questions involved in the interpretation of Latin prose and the significance of particular authors and their works in the broader context of Roman literary history and culture. Authors and texts studied will vary from semester to semester. With departmental permission, students may repeat the course. Students who enroll in this course at the 303 level will have additional/special assignments as set by the instructor. Pre-requisite: At least one Latin course at the 200 or above, or by departmental permission or placement
The purposes of this course are to develop students’ ability to read Latin verse, familiarizing them with various meters, genres, and authors of Latin poetry. In addition to developing students’ command of Latin grammar and vocabulary acquired in prior study, the course will focus on central questions involved in the interpretation of Latin poetry and the significance of particular poets and their works in the broader context of Roman literary history and culture. Poets and texts studied will vary from semester to semester. With departmental permission, students may repeat the course. Students who enroll in this course at the 304 level will have additional/special assignments as set by the instructor. Pre-requisite: At least one Latin course at the 200-level or above, or by departmental permission or placement.
In-depth exploration of a unifying topic in Classics, using original Latin texts and appropriate historical, literary, philosophical or other analytical frameworks. Topics vary with the interest and expertise of the instructor. Prerequisite: 300-level course in Latin or permission of the instructor.