Classics Programs with an emphasis on Ancient History

[keeyacf]

Hello,

I am currently an undergraduate (Senior) and recently switched majors to Classics, planning to pursue it in graduate work. I have been taking Latin andI am starting Greek this upcoming Fall (and also plan to enter a Post-Bac program at my university) but I am leaning more towards the Ancient History aspect of Classics (particularly Roman) than pursuing the languages and literature emphatically. I was wondering if anyone knew of some great Ancient History Programs or Classics Graduate programs in the US, geared more towards historical interpretation than literature? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Ardea]

Carolina has a history track within their Classics program. I simply can't recommend that department enough. There is also a concentration in ancient history in the History department, but that leans toward the Greek side of things.

http://classics.unc.edu/grad/degrees/gr ... Dhist.html

http://history.unc.edu/fields/ancienthistory

Penn and Chicago also might be of interest for ancient history.

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/anch/

http://pamw.uchicago.edu/graduate/about.shtml

[ogulnia]

They are doing some great things in Ancient History at UCSB:

http://www.classics.ucsb.edu/graduate_program.php

[blukorea]

Some great suggestions by kemet and ogulia...

If you are interested in the historical aspect of things, you should absolutely consider the programs hosted in History departments rather than Classics. There are three ways to pursue ancient history in the US: in Classics departments, in History departments, and in specialized ancient history programs. It all depends on the program, but this is what I find to be the general trend: the Classics track will focus more on languages, History track on the historical methodology, and the specialized ones on material culture and ancillary disciplines (epigraphy, papyrology, etc).

I myself am pursuing a degree on ancient history in a History department, and I can testify that there is a considerable amount of interaction with pre-modernists, modernists, Americanists, etc. I find myself engaging more with theory and social science approaches than on language and material culture, in large part by virtue of my affiliation.

For example, at Berkeley you can pursue ancient history through AHMA or through the History department. The History departments with reputable ancient history programs that come to my mind are Yale, Berkeley, Columbia, UVA, WashU, and UNC, in no particular order.

Hope this helps!

[keeyacf]

Thanks so much!! All this helps a tremendous amount!