Classical Studies at Centre

Study Abroad

What about outside the classroom and beyond the campus?

Classics majors can take their studies on site while participating in Centre’s programs in Greece, Italy, and Eastern Europe. These trips allow students to visit Athens, Olympia, Rome, Florence, Venice, and Pompeii—both the ancient sites and the modern cities. Other travel options include the College’s programs in England, Mexico, France, and several shorter trips to places such as Israel, Central Africa, and Vietnam. For more info click here.

Internships

An internship, which is guaranteed under The Centre Commitment, provides the perfect opportunity to combine academic study and real life situations. In the recent past, classics students have gained valuable experience through interning at law firms, as well as at the University of Kentucky as a classics researcher.

Recent Trips Abroad

GREECE: WINTER TERM

Trip Details

Students spent 20 days in Greece, exploring ancient (and more recent) art, architecture, literature, history, and philosophy on the Greek mainland and on the island of Crete. There were visits and stays in Athens, Delphi, Olympia, near Mycenae, and Crete.

Overview of Hotel and Ferry Schedule:

• Jan. 20-26 (six nights) Athens
• Jan. 26-28 (three nights) Arachova
• Jan. 28-29 (one night) Olympia
• Jan. 29-Feb. 1 (two nights) Nauplion
• Feb. 1-2 (one night) Athens
• Feb. 2-3 (overnight) Ferry: Athens to Crete
• Feb. 3-5 (two nights) Iraklion (on Crete)
• Feb. 5-6 (overnight) Ferry: Crete to Athens
• Feb. 6-7 (one night) Athens

Courses Taught
INS 45: Ancient & Modern Greek Culture explores the distinct features of ancient Greek culture, seeking to learn how Greek men, women, and children lived their lives on a day-to-day basis. Topics include: citizenship, slavery, politics in a polis, religious festivals, burial rites, animal sacrifice, agriculture, sexuality, fashion, cultural identity, technology, Panhellenic competition, education, calendars, astronomy, and philosophy. These facets of ancient Greece are juxtaposed with modern Greece, especially in the 20th century. Sources include literary, historical, dramatic, and philosophical literature, complemented by a study of art, architecture, and archaeology.

Students visited museums, ancient temple and sanctuary sites, restaurants, and olive presses.

HIS/CLA 31A: History of Ancient Greece focuses on Greek History from the fifth century B.C., with primary reliance on the Greek Historians, Herodotus and Thucydides. Topics include: the Greek polis, Greek colonization, warfare in antiquity, the invention of science and philosophy, Athenian democracy, the invasion of Xerxes, the Golden Age of Athens, the Peloponnesian War, and the development of historiography.

Students relied on primary literary sources and visited various sites and museums in Greece.

ITALY: WINTER TERM

Trip Details

Students spent 17 days in Italy exploring ancient, Renaissance, and modern art, literature, architecture, history, and culture in Italy. There were visits and stays in Rome, Naples, Florence, Padua, Venice, and Milan.

• Days 1-7: Rome. Walking tours of Ancient Rome, Forum, Capitoleum, Colosseum, Gallery of Borghese. Transport to Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Cathedral. Visits to Palazzo Altemps, National Roman Museum and other museums. Day excursions to Villa D' Este-Tivoli and Hadrian's Villa. Trip to Via Appia-St. Callisto Catacombs-Church of St. Paul outside the walls.
• Days 8-10: Naples. Pompei visit. Overnight stay in Villa Vergiliana. Trips to Herculaneum, the Naples Museum.
• Days 11-13: Florence. Walking tour of Petti Palace, Academy, Church of St. Cross, Uffizi Museum, Palace of Vecchio, and Ponte Vecchio. Padua visit.
• Days 14-15: Venice. Visits of Venice Doge's Palace, St. Marc's Cathedral, the famous canals, and Santa Maria de Miracoli Church. Stopped by Harry's Bar, world famous for its cocktails.
• Days 16-17: Milan via Verona. Transfer to airport for return flight to Cincinnati.

Entire trip included: 15 overnights in 3 star hotels in double rooms with private shower/bath and WC, with TV, heating and all comforts. Daily breakfast. Daily dinners. Coach transportation as per itinerary. Rail tickets 2nd class for Florence, Padova, Venice, and Milan. Transfers from railway stations to the hotels. Admission fees to the sites/museums were not included.

Course Taught
HIS 409: Ancient Rome, Renaissance Florence, Modern Italy (3 credit hrs.) The course includes a broad introduction to Italian culture; each student, in consultation with the instructor, chooses a term project in line with his or her own particular interests and major.

COSTS: Approximately $2850 per student which included airfare from Cincinnati to Rome (and return: Milan to Cincinnati), hotels, travel, and most meals in Italy.

The trip was assisted by Dimitri Cocconi and his staff at Educational Tours. Centre has worked with Cocconi in 1997, 2000, and 2001 during extremely successful trips to Greece and Turkey. His website can be found here.