Why Study Classics?
Questions of Democracy, Justice, Power and Empire Remain Unanswered, Even Today
Was ancient democratic Athens a democracy for women, too?
Was Alexander the Great really great—or a war criminal?
Did Rome’s empire benefit the citizens of Rome?
Were Christian slave owners kinder than pagans were to their slaves?
Did the Greeks and the Romans really believe those stories about the gods?
These are among the questions that students of the ancient Greek and Roman world try to answer. But, in fact, such questions involving notions of democracy, justice, power and empire remain unanswered even today, in reference to our own society.
In other words, when you study the worlds of ancient Greece and Rome, you’ll also be learning about yourself and the world you live in now. Your attempt to understand the Greek and Roman past will help you learn about your own present.
In the Department of Classics & World Religions you’ll address these and other important questions with the help of dedicated teachers and in the company of other Ohio University students who, like yourself, are serious about their learning.
You’ll also learn to read carefully, think productively, and write persuasively—skills that future employers value.
Courses to Take
CLAS 2510 Ancient Jerusalem, looks at the city of Jerusalem as a mythic and historic place.
CLAS 2520 Classical Athens, looks at Athens when the original Athenians undertook the world’s first democratic experiment.