asu classics: what we do & why

Classics, the study of the language, history, culture, and archaeology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, is the root of modern academic programs in the humanities. The Classics program at ASU offers a large and growing Latin language program which appeals to a diverse audience: our lower level Latin courses are designed for a more general student body wishing to take Latin to fulfill language requirements at ASU or supplement another course of study such as medicine, science, or law. Majors and other continuing Latin students have the opportunity to take upper level translation courses designed to acquaint them with the most important Roman authors and prepare them for graduate school. Our ancient Greek program offers small class sizes and a rigorous and vibrant environment for the serious student. Classics faculty offer an expanding number of courses in the history, mythology and culture of the ancient Greeks and Romans, based upon their teaching and research interests. In addition, our major and certificate programs are truly interdisciplinary, encouraging students to explore offerings in other departments which feature the art history, archaeology, history, and religion of the classical world. Finally, our program features two truly outstanding student organizations, Solis Diaboli and Eta Sigma Phi, energetic groups of majors and certificate students who create a real sense of classics community on campus.

Why join us? Learning about the classics means learning about the world we live in. It was the Greeks and the Romans who invented and spread philosophy, mathematics and other sciences, literary genres like history and tragedy, the art and architecture we see all around us, and even strongly influenced our political system. To learn about antiquity is to learn about the present, while at the same time training students in attention to detail, criticial analysis of sources, and recognition of our literary and historical past.