Overview 

The BA in Classics & the Ancient World at King's College London offers a broad, self-directed exploration of the ancient societies of Europe, Asia, and North Africa, from Greece and Rome to Persia, Egypt, and the Near East. With a fully flexible module structure, the course allows students to approach antiquity through whichever lens interests them most, from literature and philosophy to politics and art. It matters because it connects the study of ancient cultures to enduring questions about power, identity, and justice that remain relevant today.

What You'll Learn

• The literature, history, and material culture of Greece, Rome, Persia, Egypt, and the wider ancient Mediterranean and Near East

• Philosophical and political ideas from antiquity, including concepts of justice, governance, and social order

• Themes such as empire, ethnicity, religious identity, gender, and social conflict as they appear in ancient sources

• The reception and influence of ancient Greek and Roman culture on later history, including the modern world

• Optional study of Ancient Greek, Latin, or Hittite, with routes available for beginners and those with prior language experience

• Approaches to working with a wide range of ancient textual and material evidence

Learning Outcomes 

By the end of the course, students will be able to critically interpret ancient literary, historical, and material sources, and situate them within their original cultural and political contexts. They will be equipped to trace how ideas and institutions from the ancient world have shaped later societies, including the present day. Students will develop strong skills in independent research, textual analysis, and constructing evidence-based arguments, along with the flexibility to bring perspectives from literature, philosophy, history, and the arts into their study of antiquity. These skills prepare graduates for further study or careers requiring rigorous analytical and communication abilities.