Department of Classics

Our courses include beginning languages, careful reading and analysis of major Greek and Latin texts, general courses on tragedy and myth (read in English) and courses on ancient history and culture. Students can choose to gain an overview of long periods of classical history, or study shorter periods in great detail. Often, course subjects are closely related to the research projects of the professors, so the class benefits from the most up-to-date insights, even before publication! In class, we apply various modern, even pioneering, theoretical approaches drawn from the disciplines of anthropology, sociology, and literary criticism. Between the department's offerings on language, literature, history, and culture, and the courses offered by other departments on, for example, ancient philosophy, classical art and architecture, Greek and Roman political thought, and ancient warfare, students choose from an extensive array of courses. They can emphasize different aspects of the curriculum to suit their individual tastes.

Through Colby's study abroad program, there is also the opportunity to study in Greece or Italy in programs especially designed for American students, as well as the possibility of experiencing field archaeology through arrangement with other institutions. Many students in both Classics and Classical Civilization have taken advantage of the opportunity to study in Greece and Italy through programs especially designed for American students. In Athens, the cradle of Western democracy, and the birthplace of Greek Tragedy and Plato's Academy, Colby students can further their studies while familiarizing themselves with the Acropolis and Agora. In Rome, they can continue to pursue the ideals of a classical education and walk the streets that millenia ago saw the likes of Augustus Caesar and Virgil pass by.