Departmental Facilities

The Department of Classics and Archeology is located on the fifth floor of John Watson Hall, which houses our reference collection, seminar room, departmental lounge and faculty offices. Graduate students also have access to a shared office where they can study and meet with undergraduate students as part of their TA duties.

In addition to our own reference collection, the Stauffer Library has substantial holdings in art, archaeology, classical literature, history and philosophy. Also available are publications in epigraphy and papyrology, and foreign periodicals. The Law Library contains resources for the study of ancient law.

Graduate Student Support

Assistance is available through the Ontario Graduate Scholarship system. The university offers a number of senior fellowships, Queen’s Graduate Awards and other support for students in Masters’ programs. Suitably qualified students are also appointed to Departmental Teaching Assistantships.

The Department offers additional financial support to successful applicants through the Alexander and Ian Vorres Travel Fellowship, the Classics Travel Grant, and the Ross Kilpatrick Student Initiatives Fund competition processes.

Fields of Research

The Department offers graduate instruction and opportunities for research in 2 fields:

• Classics and Archaeology
• Classical Studies and Archaeology

Admission requirements

Applicants are accepted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. Students must, however, as a minimum, show a strong upper second class standing in the upper years of their B.A. programs.

Applicants to our Classics and Archaeology field should have a good knowledge of Greek and Latin, and are required to take at least 6.0 language credits (Greek and/or Latin) at the graduate level. There are no ancient language requirements for admission to the Classical Studies and Archaeology field.

Modern Language Requirement

Before completing the thesis, major research paper or project, students in the Classics and Archaeology field (ancient languages required for admission) shall demonstrate to the department the ability to read and comprehend one of the languages of modem scholarship, normally French, German, or Italian. A written translation test may be taken. The requirement may also be satisfied by achieving undergraduate standing with a year-length (= 6.0 credit) course, or Ontario Academic Credit or equivalent.

Students in the Classical Studies and Archaeology field (no ancient languages required for admission) shall demonstrate to the department the ability to read and comprehend either one of the languages of modern scholarship, normally French, German, or Italian OR have completed two year-long courses (= 12.0 credits) in university-level ancient Greek, Latin, or Hebrew. If the student opts to fulfil a modern language rather than the ancient language option, a written translation test may be taken or the requirement may also be satisfied by achieving undergraduate standing with a 3.0 credit course, or Ontario Academic Credit or equivalent.

Faculty

Head
Griffith, R.D.

Graduate Coordinator
Colivicchi, F.

Professor
Colivicchi, F., Griffith, R.D., Lehoux, D., Zaccagnino, C.

Associate Professor
Kavanagh, B.J., Reeves, M.B.

Assistant Professor
Carbon, J.-M., Cummings, M.S.

Professor Emeritus
Hagel, D.K., Schroeder, F.M.

Cross-Appointed Faculty
Ascough, R., Bevan, G., D'Elia, A., Greenfield, R.

Programs

Courses

Normally, a minimum of six half courses will be offered each year from the list below. Course offerings for the upcoming academic year will be posted on the Department's website in July.

Most graduate courses are half-year courses (3.0 units).  However, the archaeology practicum courses (CLAS 808, CLAS 809, CLAS 810) which are offered in the summer term are weighted at 6.0 units.

Only CLAS 800 and CLAS 802 are offered every year.

GREK 820     Greek Poetry I: Epic     
Detailed study of selections from the works of Homer and Hesiod.

GREK 821     Greek Poetry II: Lyric     
Selections of Lyric, elegiac and iambic poetry from Archilochus to Pindar.

GREK 822     Greek Drama     
Detailed study of one play of Aischylos, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes or Menander.

GREK 823     Greek Historians     
An intensive study of Greek historical writings, with special emphasis on Herodotus, Thucydides and Xenophon.

GREK 824     Greek Rhetoric     
One speech from Lysias, one from Demosthenes' corpus.

GREK 830,831,832,833     Reading Courses     
Reading of any Greek author or authors approved by the Department. Informal instruction. Examination on ability to translate only.

LATN 810     Latin Drama     
A study of the work of Plautus, or Terence, or Seneca, and its position within the classical comedic or tragic tradition.

LATN 811     Latin Rhetoric     
An intensive study of the traditions of ancient rhetoric with readings in Cicero's rhetorical works and orations.

LATN 812     Latin Poetry I: Epic     
A study of Vergil's Aeneid, or Ovid's Metamorphoses, or Lucan's Civil War, or Statius' Thebaid, and its position within the Latin epic tradition.

LATN 813     Latin Poetry II: Lyric, Elegy, Didactic, and Satire     
A study of a major non-epic work or genre, such as Vergil's Georgics; Horace's Odes, Satires, or Epistles; or the elegiac poetry of Propertius, Tibullus, or Ovid.

LATN 814     Roman Historians     
An intensive study of Roman historical writings, with readings in Sallust, Livy and Tacitus.

LATN 815     Latin Epigraphy     
A lecture course examining the categories of Latin inscriptions, the archaisms, formulae and abbreviations. Sample inscriptions will be chosen from the earliest to later Imperial times.

LATN 830,831,832,833     Reading Courses     
Reading of any Latin author or authors approved by the Department. Informal instruction. Examination on ability to translate only.

CLAS 800     Research Forum I     
Discussion of the principal research problems and methodologies in the field of Classical studies. Presentation of faculty research and visiting speakers. Weekly meetings.

CLAS 802     Research Forum II     
Discussion of the principal research problems and methodologies in the field of Classical studies. Bi-weekly meetings and final presentation of graduate students in conference format.

CLAS 804     Topography of Athens     
The growth of Athens from the final Neolithic period to Late Antiquity based on archaeological, literary, epigraphical evidence. (May be offered jointly with CLST 404. There are additional requirements for students at the graduate level but these are determined and discussed at the onset of the course.)

CLAS 805     Topography of Rome     
The growth of Rome from the Neolithic period to Late Antiquity based on archaeological, literary, epigraphical evidence. (May be offered jointly with CLST 405. There are additional requirements for students at the graduate level but these are determined at the onset of the course.)

CLAS 808     Archaeology Fieldwork Practicum I     
An intensive six-week study of archaeological methods and interpretation while participating in a fieldwork project run by a member of the Classics Department. Students will actively contribute to the project with scientific reports and stratigraphic records. COST: students are expected to pay their own travel costs and a course fee to be determined. (6.0 credit units)

CLAS 809     Archaeology Fieldwork Practicum II     
An intensive study of archaeological methods and interpretation at a fieldwork project in Italy under the supervision of a member of the Classics Department. Students will actively contribute to the project with scientific reports and stratigraphic records. COST: students are expected to pay their own travel costs and a course fee to be determined. Spring/Summer term or Spring term or Summer term. (6.0 credit units)

CLAS 810     Archaeological Fieldwork Practicum III     
This course is an intensive study of archaeological and cultural heritage recording methods at a fieldwork site in the Balkans under the supervision of a member of the Department of Classics. COSTS: Students are expected to pay their own travel and accommodation costs. (6.0 credit units)

CLAS 814     Roman Archaeology     
This course is an intensive study of topics of Roman archaeology. Topics will vary according to the instructor, including, but not limited to, settlement pattern and land use, urban planning, architecture, visual art public and private, both in Italy and the provinces from the Iron Age to Late Antiquity.

CLAS 815     Archaeology of the Roman Army     
The goal of this course is to familiarize graduate students with the wide range of materials available for studying the Roman army. The Roman army constitutes one of the most documented groups from the ancient world. Forts, inscriptions, and military paraphernalia have been found in all parts of the former Roman Empire. A rich collection of ancient literary texts relating to Roman military practices has also survived. By studying this material, students will learn not just about the Roman army, but about the range of materials available for studying the ancient world in general. Fall or Winter Term.

CLAS 816 Greek and Roman Graffiti in Context
The goal of this course is to examine the graffiti produced by the ancient Greeks, Romans and neighbouring peoples from both a local and a global context. Although the focus will be on the ancient Mediterranean, topics will include general discussions of graffiti interpretation, recording, and cultural identity of relevance to all locations and time periods.

CLAS 820     Topics in Classical Studies I     
Intensive study of a special topic in the Greek and Roman World from the Dark Ages to Late Antiquity. Fall. 

CLAS 821     Topics in Classical Studies II     
Intensive study of a special topic in the Greek and Roman World from the Dark Ages to Late Antiquity. Fall  and Winter. 

CLAS 822     Greek Archaeology I     
This course focuses on architecture and the development of town planning in ancient Greece. Various building types, both sacred and secular, will be studied.

CLAS 823     Greek Archaeology II     
This course focuses on art in ancient Greece, emphasizing the post-Bronze Age. Classification and development of various styles in art from the so-called Dark Age to the Hellenistic period.

CLAS 824     Archaeology of the Western Greeks     
The course deals with the Greek colonies of the Western Mediterranean, and especially Southern Italy, from their foundation to the Roman conquest. The development of a peculiar “Western Greek” experience and its contribution to the Greek culture will be investigated by examining especially significant case studies. The distinctive and multifaceted milieu of the Greek “Western frontier” and the long term relationships with the local population of Italy, including Etruscans and Romans, will be one of the main topics. Fall/Winter Term.  Prerequisite: Permission of Course Instructor required in advance.

CLAS 825     Etruscan and Italic Archaeology     
This course is an intensive study of the archaeology of the Etruscans and the other cultures of Italy until the end of the 1st century BC, with the exclusion of the Greek colonies. Topics will vary according to the instructor.

CLAS 832 Greek History I: Archaic/Classical     
Specialized study of a topic in either period of Greek History.

CLAS 833  Greek History II: Hellenistic     
Specialized study of a topic in the Hellenistic era.

CLAS 834 Greek Documents of Cultural Contact
The course will examine Greek documents in translation, especially inscriptions, but also papyri, coins, and other categories of texts, by looking at case-studies of cultural interactions between Greeks and other groups. A combination of research methods will be used to explore a series of themes, which will vary according to the instructor. (3.0 credit units)

CLAS 842     Roman History I:  Early Rome and Republic     
Specialized study of a topic in the history of Rome from the urban formation to the end of the Republic.

CLAS 843     Roman History II: Empire     
Specialized study of a topic in the history of the Roman Empire.

CLAS 850     Comparative Literature I     
An introduction to comparative literary studies as currently practiced with particular emphasis on the relevance to such studies of contemporary theories of literature and criticism. (Given jointly with ENGL 950, FRAN- 50.)

CLAS 851     Comparative Literature II     
Specialized study in comparative context of particular authors, themes, movements, periods, genres, literary forms or some combination of these elements. (Given jointly with ENGL 951, FRAN 951, GRMN 890.)

CLAS 860     Ancient Science     
The course explores Greek and Roman approaches to understanding the natural world. The course will introduce students to issues in the ancient sciences by examining in detail a group of related ancient texts, both in terms of scientific content, as well as intellectual and cultural contexts. Themes will be developed with an eye to contemporary issues in political and social history, and to the history and philosophy of science and technology.
PREREQUISITE: Permission of Instructor required in advance.

CLAS 890 Directed Special Study I 
Directed research course on a select topic of history, culture, society, art and archaeology of the ancient Greeks, Romans, or other peoples of the ancient Mediterranean. (3.0 credit units)

CLAS 891 Directed Special Study II
Directed research course on a select topic of history, culture, society, art and archaeology of the ancient Greeks, Romans, or other peoples of the ancient Mediterranean. (3.0 credit units)

CLAS 898     Master's Essay Research     

CLAS 899     Master's Thesis Research