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 will be giving a talk at the National Archaeological Museum in Florence.
Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026
Topic: Gli uccelli in Etruria: religione e vita quotidiana
For more information, please click HERE!
Department News!
The Department of Classics & Archaeology is excited to announce that applications for the excavation at Caere are now open!
For more details about the dig, click HERE!
Faculty News!
Dr. Jan-Mathieu Carbon will be the Edwin C. and Elizabeth A. Whitehead Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, for 2026-2027!
Please see details HERE!
Congratulations, Dr. Carbon!
Student Spotlight
Spotlight on Punagvi Linghan!
Classics and Archaeology's recently graduated Master's student, Pungavi Linghan, presented at the International Conference on Tamil and Thai Studies. The Faculty of Arts and Science has written an article on Pungavi's experience. To read the article, please 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. Emily Lamond, whose topic is: Dynamics of Dowry and Disability
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Location: Dunning, Room 27
Time: 2:30 pm
We hope to see you there!
Classical Association of Canada Conference 2026!
Queen's University's Classics & Archaeology recently hosted the 2026 Classical Association of Canada Conference!
Dates: May 5th - 7th, 2026
The Faculty of Arts and Science recently published an article on the conference. To read it, click HERE!
The Program has now been posted! To view the Program, click HERE!
For more information, please visit the Conference Website!