Academics

Academics > Departments & Programs > The Classics > Extended Study to Italy

Students of the Classics who have taken at least two semesters of Latin are eligible to participate in CLAS 250: Material Culture of Rome and Pompeii. The spring semester seminar meets once a week and students immerse themselves in the history and culture of ancient Rome. The course is then complemented by a three week extended study to Italy where students continue the course on-site in Rome, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Naples, and other locations throughout Italy.

The course examines both public and private life in ancient times and looks at every socio-economic class. While the focus is on Rome, the agricultural and seaside towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum are also studied. Through the texts of Livy, Tacitus, Virgil and other selected readings, students will follow the rise of Rome from its Etruscan origins to the height of its empire. Participants are also required to take on a semester-long research project to be presented on-site in Italy. For more information check out the course description page.