Study the ancient Mediterranean world and its languages across disciplines, gaining insights into the origins of religion, urban life and Western and Near Eastern thought.
The ancient Mediterranean world—including Greece, Rome, the Near East and North Africa—is the territory of classicists, who are trained in ancient languages, history, archaeology, religion, philosophy, and textual and literary criticism. Ancient Greek and Latin are the foundation for an education in the classics, with the languages providing classics majors and minors a nuanced understanding of the origins of Western and Near Eastern thought, literature and other disciplines. Classics majors have the option of focusing on classical languages and literatures or classical studies, which offers a choice of your field of emphasis. You are encouraged to study abroad in Athens or Rome.
What You’ll Study
- Ancient Greek and Latin
- Mythology and classical literature
- History and philosophy
- Political theory and religion
- Classical civilization
Learning at Pomona
Uncovering History
Tristen Leone ’26 says archaeology removes a layer of separation between us and ancient cultures. When she finds a piece of pottery, a glass vile or a coin, she says she may be the first person in 2,000 years to lay eyes on that object.
Digital Archaeology
As a rising junior, Clementine Yao ’27 attended a photogrammetry workshop in North Macedonia. With funding from the Classics Department, Yao was introduced to digital archaeology, which strengthened her knowledge of heritage preservation.
During my time at Pomona, I’ve loved taking numerous language courses with Professor Chris Chinn, who is always down to talk about eco-criticism in bucolic poetry (or about Metallica), and all of Professor Jody Valentine’s courses on gender, sexuality, and pedagogy in the Ancient World. Not only do I love the work I do, but the Classics Department is one of the closest departments.