Department of Classics | Queen's University

What is Classics and Archaeology?

Classics refers to the study of the Greek and Roman worlds. Multi-disciplinary in approach, it involves the studies of history, literature, archaeology, religion, mythology, drama and philosophy, in addition to the ancient languages of Greek and Latin. Archaeology is the study of ancient (and more recent) societies through the remains of their material culture. The methods of archaeology are many (excavation, remote sensing, surface survey, imaging, chemical and physical analysis to name a few) and can be applied to any area and period. The study of the physical remains of the Greek and Roman cultures and of the many other cultures that interacted with them is called Classical Archaeology.

Today our understanding of Greek and Roman culture is further enhanced by the latest digital techniques that increasingly pervade studies in archaeology, epigraphy, papyrology, and ancient science and medicine. At Queen’s, students have the opportunity to get hands-on experience in the latest techniques by participating in one of two archaeological excavations supervised by our own faculty, or through a variety of projects and assignments.

It can be said that studying Classics can lead to a wider appreciation of human values and achievements, and a more objective understanding of ourselves and our times. Our undergraduates have gone on to a variety of occupations and have been accepted into graduate programs nationally and internationally.

Feel free to contact any of our faculty (see our Faculty page for our experts' listings) or come visit us in the department with questions you have about our courses and programs.

Interested in Graduate Studies at Queen's? Click to see application information!

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Faculty News

Dr. Cristiana Zaccagnino has published a new book!

Title: Gli uccelli nella pittura funeraria tarquiniese

For more information, please click HERE!

CAGC News!

The CAGC is excited to announce its Pottery Night Event!

Date: Wednesday, January 21
Location: Watson Hall 217
Time: 5:30 - 8:30

To read the poster, click HERE!

**Please note that Watson Hall does not have a working elevator.

Department News!

Dr. Jan-Mathieu Carbon and Dr. Steliani Skaltsa will be presenting at the 2026 Annual AIA/SCS Meeting!

Dr. Skaltsa
Title: A Microhistory of Power and Politics from a Public Building in Rhodes
Date: Thursday, January 8th
Time: 2:00 pm

Dr. Carbon
Title: Sacrificial Price Fixing in Hellenistic Sanctuaries: From Athens to Delos, Kos and Beyond
Date: Friday, January 9th
Time: 8:00 am

For more information, click HERE!

Student Spotlight

Spotlight on Robert Carrusca, a new addition to our Graduate Master's program this year!

To read Robert's publication on Michal and Jonathan: The Gendered Support of Davidic Kingship, click HERE!

Classics and Archaeology Presents...

The Colloquium Speaker Series is an ongoing series of talks by Professors from other universities discussing their areas of specialization.

Classics and Archaeology Presents... Dr. Stephen Russell, whose topic is: My Secret Life as an Anatomist: The Role for Classicists in Medical Language Research

Date: Wednesday, January 21st, 2026
Location: Dunning, room 11
Time: 2:30 pm

We hope to see you there!