Many of the fundamental ideas and beliefs of Europeans and North Americans, often different from those of other traditions, wer e formed in the meeting of Greek and Middle Eastern cultures in ancient times. To fully appreciate contemporary Western culture, it is important to study its historical origins. The Department of Classics actively encourages students of all backgrounds and traditions to participate in the study of the classical heritage. Such an understanding of the unique aspects of Western culture is most important in the contemporary world where all cultures have come into relation with one another.
Classics is the study of the intellectual forces that have shaped the European world.
To understand the assumptions and ideas of that civilization one has to go back to their early formulations. European literary forms, political and social institutions , and such disciplines as philosophy, history, and many of the natural sciences largely took shape in the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome. Classics is thus more than the study of ancient languages. Languages are not learned for themselfes, but because they are necessary for the scientific study of ancient history, literature, religion, mythology, and philosophy. The Classics Department pro vides instruction both in these subjects and in ancient languages.