Studying Classical Philology - What does it mean?
Classical Philology is the science of Greek and Latin texts of antiquity. It strives to develop a comprehensive understanding of these texts and examines the Classical Greek and Latin languages, the texts themselves and the history of their influence, as well as Greek and Roman culture.
© Mario Waida
Studying Classical Philology
Classical Philology is the science of Greek and Latin texts of antiquity. It strives to develop a comprehensive understanding of these texts by concentrating on:
- the Classical Greek and/or Latin language, which is a communication tool that is a prerequisite for understanding the texts;
- the texts themselves, which collectively form the body of Greek or Roman literature, as well as on the history of their influence;
- Greek and Roman culture, which influenced and provides the context for our understanding of this literature.
The courses offered at our Institute seek to do justice to the three working areas of classical philology: through translation exercises, lectures, seminars, and reading courses on Greek and Roman literature, as well as through courses that broaden and deepen the knowledge and understanding of ancient culture in various aspects. Despite an increasing number of students, Classical Philology is still a relatively small discipline, which is in many ways conducive to the relationship between teachers and learners, as well as to the individual's academic interests.
In present-day Europe, which is striving to cooperate more closely, our common traditions of language, literature, and culture are of particular relevance; this is probably also one of the reasons for the continued interest in classical languages at secondary schools.