The Centre for Classical Studies explores the language, literature, history, culture, and legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome. We teach Ancient Greek and Latin language from beginner to advanced levels, allowing students to discover the excitement, beauty, and joy of authors such as Homer, Sappho, Vergil, Tacitus, and Egeria, as well as the vast corpus of writing that survives on papyri, inscriptions, graffiti, and ostraca. These texts bring to life the experiences of Greeks and Romans across the social spectrum. Our history and literature courses in translation encompass topics such as Greek and Roman mythology, politics, imperialism, gender, slavery, theory, material culture, and memory, allowing students to engage with the fascinating and complicated societies of Greece and Rome and their impact on the contemporary world. The rich collection of the ANU Classics Museum allows students to study ancient textiles, pottery, glass, coins, statuary, and inscriptions first-hand.

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Teaching Areas

• Ancient Greek
• Classical Studies
• Latin
• Honours in Classical Studies
• Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Researchers and Research Areas of Expertise

The Centre for Classical Studies is one of the leading places to study Ancient Greece and Rome in Australasia. The team of internationally renowned staff have expertise in a wide range of topics such as Greek and Roman music, technology, literature, theatre, archaeology, religion, politics, and history, extending from the 12th century BC to the early Middle Ages. They also engage in research on the memory and cultural legacy of Greece and Rome in subsequent centuries.

Dr Tatiana Bur: Lecturer in Classics; ancient Greek history; ancient Greek religion; Greek and Roman science and technology, especially mechanics; intersection of science and religion in antiquity.

Associate Professor Caillan Davenport: Head of the Centre for Classical Studies; Roman history; Roman emperors and the imperial court; Greek and Roman historiography; Roman letter-writing; comparative study of monarchies and court societies.

Dr Tom Geue: Senior Lecturer in Classics; Late Republican and Imperial literature and culture (Latin and Greek), Roman satire, anonymous and pseudonymous texts, Roman slavery, authorship, autobiography, politics, literary theory (esp. Marxist criticism), classical reception, writing cultures, graffiti, early Christianity.

Dr Simona Martorana: Lecturer in Classics; Classical and Medieval Latin literature, Latin elegy, Roman drama, gender studies, ecocriticism, ancient medicine, medical humanities, reception studies

Dr Georgia Pike-Rowney: The Friends’ Lecturer and Curator of the ANU Classics Museum: Greek and Roman music and material culture; arts engagement and outreach.

Dr Estelle Strazdins: Lecturer in Classics; Greek Literature and Cultural History; the Eastern Roman Empire; Monuments, Memory, Commemoration; Reception & the Classical Tradition; Identity & Ethnicity; Literary Landscapes.

Centre Affiliate

Dr Meaghan McEvoy: Senior Lecturer in History; Late Antique, Early Medieval, and Byzantine History, especially emperors and empresses, generals and courtiers, Christian politics, patronage, and benefaction

Support Us

The Classics Endowment Fund supports teaching, research, and outreach at the Centre for Classical Studies. Your generosity helps to ensure the long-term sustainability of Classics at ANU, including the funding of new academic positions, the teaching of Ancient Greek and Latin, expanding the Centre’s curriculum, bringing distinguished international scholars to Canberra, prizes and scholarships for students, and the Centre’s outreach and engagement programme.