JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITYEST. 1876

America’s First Research University

The Amazing Worlds of Antiquity

The Department of Classics is a leading center for the study of classics, classical reception, and ancient Greek and Latin language and literature. Our courses cover the history, civilization, religion, art, archaeology, philosophy, and mythology of the ancient Greek and Roman world.

  • Degrees Offered BA, BA/MA, PhD
  • Major Classics
  • Minor Classics

Explore the Department

graduate student looking at recent rare book acquisition

Graduate Program

Our graduate students are versatile scholars who develop a holistic view of ancient cultures.

undergraduate students at the Walters Art Museum

Undergraduate

Classes are small and students work closely with professors in their study of the languages and cultures of ancient Greece and Rome.

JHU Archaelogical Museum display case

Archaeological Museum

Students have access to a rich collection housed in the department’s midst.

Upcoming Events

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Roman Oratory Conference

The Classics Department is excited to host Oratory and Rhetoric in the Generation before Cicero. Sponsored by JHU Classics, the Singleton Center for the Study of Premodern Europe, and the Alexander […]

Catherine Conybeare

Join the JHU Classics department in learning about Catherine Conybeare's new book on Augustine of Hippo, in which she explores Augustine’s North African birth and Berber heritage. Catherine Conybeare is […]

UNWRUNG: Aesthetics, History, Decoupling

Please join Classics' affiliated faculty Jennifer Stager on October 7 and October 8 for Unwrung: aesthetics, history, decoupling. This will be a dialogue between the visual arts and music, antiquity […]

News & Announcements

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Prof. Shane Butler Awarded Visiting Professorship

Professor Shane Butler, who is currently on sabbatical, has received a prestigious appointment as the Francesco De Dombrowski Visiting Professor at Villa I Tatti (the Harvard University Center for Italian […]

PhD Success for Yanneck Wiegers!

On June 9th, Yanneck Wiegers defended his PhD thesis titled The Organic and the Synthetic. Creativity and Rome (abstract below). Yanneck wrote his thesis with Prof. Shane Butler as advisor, Nandini […]

Classics BA/MA Grad: Marie Wei

Classics BA/MA graduate, Marie Wei was featured in the Spring 2025 JHU Arts & Sciences Magazine. Although Marie will be starting her PhD in Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, she […]