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Classics and Ancient History

Research impact

Warwick's Classics Department believes that research into Greek and Roman antiquity contributes important social and cultural insights for modern society. We're committed to engaging diverse audiences and communicating our research in innovative ways to organisations and individuals. Our research has increased popular engagement with, and knowledge about, the ancient world by feeding into critically-acclaimed radio and television programmes.

We're committed to supporting teaching and learning of Classics in secondary education in the UK by providing educational resources and teacher training sessions based on the most recent research developments. We utilise cutting-edge digital technology to make the world of ancient Greece and Rome accessible to the widest audience possible. Writing for mainstream and online media for a variety of audiences further extends engagement with our research.

For more information on our broader engagement, outreach and widening participation activities, visit our engagement page.

Popularising Classics and ancient history

Michael Scott surrounded by ancient armour
Our researchers appear regularly on radio and television as expert interviewees and programme presenters, bringing ancient Greek and Roman civilisation to audiences around the world. Dr Michael Scott has presented five TV documentary series for the BBC and one for National Geographic US. His BBC Two series Who Were The Greeks? (July 2013) reached over 4 million viewers and was a critics' choice in The Sunday Times.

Improving public understanding through popular writing

Greek god
An understanding of the ancient world can offer insights into modern society and culture. By writing for mainstream media, online information providers, special interest groups and publications for young people, our writings encourage widespread interest in the Classics. Professor James Davidson has written more than 20 articles for the London Review of Books and produced a series on Greek mythology for The Guardian. Our researchers also contribute to BBC History Extra, magazines and books for school pupils, and blogs.

Enhancing teaching and learning in Classics

Peace in Pompeii
We are committed to improving the quality of teaching and learning in classical antiquity and to increasing access to university classics. Sourcebooks and textbooks written by our researchers on a range of topics are used by UK exam boards for GCSE, AS-Level and A-Level courses in ancient history. Alison Cooley's sourcebook on Pompeii has transformed how students and teachers access the ancient world. We contribute to enhancing the continuing development of teaching by participating in teacher INSET days offered by JACT and OCR.

Classics 2.0: digital humanities

Roman coins
We are at the forefront in exploiting the latest digital technology to preserve, enhance and increase access to classical materials and their history. Our database, The Beginnings of Empire, gathers together provincial coins from the Roman Republic. Our Coin of the Month Blog highlights significant coins and explains how they help us understand the ancient world and money in general. Warwick Epigraphy on Twitter @W_Epigraphy shares the latest research in Latin epigraphy.

Ancient medicine and its legacy

Apollonius the physician
Warwick is a leading centre for the study of the history of medicine. Three current funded projects are opening up the continuity and tranformations in medicine from ancient Greece through the Middle Ages to the present day by exploring surviving medical texts. Medical Prognosis in Late Antiquity, led by Caroline Petit, Galen's Commentary on the Hippocratic Epidemics and The Best Accounts of the Classes of Physicians, are bringing important historical moments in the advancement of medicine to public audiences through popular books, exhibitions and public lectures.

Latin inscriptions in the Ashmolean Museum

Inscription
This current AHRC-funded project, with the University of Oxford, explores how Latin inscriptions in the Ashmolean Museum can be used to educate the general public, visitors and children about the Roman world. Project researchers will produce the first catalogue ever to be published of Latin inscriptions in the Ashmolean, to be made available online. They will create resources for schools, new interactive activities for visitors of all ages, and introduce new displays into the Reading and Writing Gallery and the Rome Gallery. Visit the project blog: Reading, Writing, Romans.

Image credits

Inscription C3-45: copyright Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents, Oxford

Our impact

Enhancing public appreciation for and understanding of Greek and Roman classical history through critically-acclaimed radio and TV programmes, writing for popular media and public events

Shaping the design and delivery of teaching and learning of the Classical World in Secondary, Further and Higher Education in the UK and internationally

By exploiting the latest digital technology in our Classics 2.0 series, we have re-presented and preserved our shared cultural heritage, and made it accessible to wider audiences

Our partners

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
British School at Rome
Joint Association of Classical Teachers (JACT)
Newberry Library, Chicago
Royal Numismatic Society
Warburg Institute, London

Recent media

Podcasts and videos

Prof. Alison Cooley and Dr Jane Masséglia in conversation at the Ashmolean Museum: a Roman mother's memorial for her teenage son, with some unusual images of Hercules.

Secrets of the Roman Mint, 2013
Kevin Butcher and Matthew Ponting discuss how the Romans used to disguise the quality of silver coins.

The Pompeii sourcebook meant that I was very easily able to adjust the module prescription in full confidence that students and teachers would have easy access to the relevant texts with very helpful contextual commentary.”

— AS-Level Classical Civilisation Course Creator