Bachelor of Arts and Commerce - Classics

The University of Otago

Classics is the study of the civilisations of ancient Greece, Rome and the Mediterranean world. These civilisations have had an immense influence on the development of the modern world – on words and ideas, religion, literature, art and architecture, drama and philosophy. Many legal and political systems also have their roots in these ancient cultures.Classics aims to understand these ancient civilisations and appreciate what they achieved and how important they have been in historical terms. At the same time, Classics students are challenged to confront the major questions and problems that ancient people faced, and which humanity has continued to face down the ages: human behaviour, human society, ethics, war, politics and religion – indeed, the whole meaning and purpose of life.