School of Arts & Sciences - University of Pennsylvania

Undergraduate Program in Ancient History

CLASSICAL STUDIES OR ANCIENT HISTORY?
The descriptions below concern the minor and and major in Ancient History. The separate minor and major in Classical Studies are described on a separate page

Ancient History Major

The Department of Classical Studies offers a major in Ancient History. This major demonstrates that the student has engaged in a sustained study of premodern cultures and has become competent in multiple methods of historical inquiry. Although it begins from a basis in the Greco-Roman world, this major encourages students to examine the cultures and civilizations of the Mediterranean world more broadly, including those of the Near and Middle East, drawing upon the curricular offerings of multiple academic departments and exploring rich terrain for intercultural comparison. Like the major in Classical Studies, the major in Ancient History conceptualizes history as an interdisciplinary area of study, requiring the student to become competent in interpreting the textual and material evidence for ancient societies, and with the social and ideological functions of ancient politics, economics, art and architecture, urban planning, slavery, imperialism, philosophy, religion, mythology, and other cultural spheres. But because an unusually rich set of courses is available to choose from at Penn, an emphasis requirement has been added, challenging the student to select an overarching intellectual rationale for his or her curriculum, from the following three "groups":

"Greco-Roman Culture in a Broader Context"
"Languages of the Ancient Mediterranean World"
"Comparative Studies of Premodern Cultures"

Each of these emphases has its own intellectual geneaology and methodological implications, and thus enables the student to specialize in a productive way within the sea of options. As in Classical Studies, the interdisciplinary aspect makes it difficult to predict the future path of an Ancient History graduate. Yet it guarantees that he or she may make intelligent and creative contributions in whatever path he or she takes.

The major in Ancient History comprises 12 units divided into three clusters:

Cluster 1. 2 units in core classes: Ancient History 25, "Ancient Middle Eastern History and Civilization," Ancient History 26, "Ancient Greece and Ancient History 27, "Ancient Rome."
Cluster 2. 4 units in the history of the Graeco-Roman world. (At least two units must be at 200 or above). Classes in this cluster include, but a re not restricted to: CLST 28, "Worlds of Late Antiquity," CLST 35, "Ancient Cities and City Planning," ANCH 105, "Greece Under the Roman Empire," ANCH 145, "The Roman Empire," ARTH 220, "Greek Art and Architecture," ANCH 376, "Slavery and Society in Ancient Rome."
Cluster 3. 6 units taken from the following groupings. At least four of these units must come from one group. (Two units at 200 or above)

The Minor

The minor in Ancient History consists of six courses, configured as follows:

Students take one of the following core classes:

ANCH 25, "Ancient Middle Eastern History and Civilization"
ANCH 26, "Ancient Greece"
ANCH 27 Ancient Rome

Student then take five other courses from the clusters above, in consultation with the Undergraduate Chair of Classical studies. Please see the Undergraduate Chair for further details.

Honors Program

Students with an average of 3.0 or better in major or related courses are eligible to become candidates for honors. To achieve honors the student must enroll in ANCH 398 his or her junior or senior year. The honours thesis will be a substantial project guided by an adviser and evaluated by a departmental committee.

For program details, and a full list of classes in the various clusters, please contact Dr. Jeremy McInerney by email or telephone at 215 898-8619 or -7425.