Welcome to the Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies
The Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies is committed to excellence in scholarship and teaching. We study past societies of North America and the ancient Mediterranean through archaeology, language and literature. Within a culturally and intellectually diverse framework, we are devoted to heritage preservation and awareness.
Classical Studies
Classics is the study of the classical period from the dawn of European civilization in Greece, to the fall of the Roman Empire - a span of over 2,000 years which includes half of all civilization in Europe. Within this vital period came the growth of the first democracies, the vast empire of Alexander the Great, and the growth of Rome from a tiny republic into a world empire. Through the medium of ancient writers and the department's large coloured slide collection, students in Classics meet not only the languages themselves, but the history, politics, philosophy and culture of both Greece and Rome. Classical archaeology involves not only the art and architecture of ancient societies, but requires knowledge of excavation methods, dating techniques, and other scientific methodologies. Luckily, students at Laurier have had the opportunity to engage in field work abroad, both in Italy and Greece. Graduates in both honours and general programs will be prepared for careers in teaching and for graduate study in such varied fields as art, archaeology, ancient philosophy, linguistics, medieval studies, and the Classics themselves. Individual courses will also prove useful to students in the related disciplines of English, modern languages and history.
