Classical Archaeology and Ancient History

Student profile: Felix

The first day of Freshers’ Week was only the second time I had set foot in the College. I had applied elsewhere and had visited Balliol only briefly for an interview. Two years later, that unfamiliar place has become my home. CAAH is always a small subject group, but most of the teaching is organised centrally by the Classics Faculty and, in College, Classicists and Historians are always willing to help out as well as the CAAH-ists from the years above. Balliol’s JCR is one of the best in the University. Among other things, the JCR runs Pantry (a cheap alternative to hall food) and the Lindsay Bar. Even if you don't drink, the Lindsay Bar is a fantastic place to play pool or table football or just hang out with friends at the end of a long day. It can also provide you with an income if you train to work behind the bar. Overall, Balliol's excellent blend of hard work and good fun has been really enjoyable so far; long may it continue that way.

Number of places at Balliol

Subject information

See the Faculty of Classics pages and also the undergraduate admissions pages for information on Classical Archaeology and Ancient History (CAAH). CAAH is jointly run by the School of Archaeology and the Faculty of Classics; please see their respective web pages for more information on the staff and the research they encompass.

Course requirements

A-levels in subjects related to the ancient world are desirable but not essential. A-levels in Classical Civilisation or History, Latin, and Greek are particularly relevant. Knowledge of ancient languages is not required. Please see the entrance requirements pages on the undergraduate admissions website for more information

College requirements

None specific to Balliol.

Admissions/Selection criteria

For information on how applicants are assessed, see the selection criteria pages on the Classics Faculty website.

Classical Archaeology & Ancient History at Balliol

Balliol was one of the founding colleges for this relatively new degree and is fully committed to it. We usually take two students We are looking for lively, enquiring students who are keen and committed to the study of the ancient world, including its material culture and archaeology. We welcome applicants who have already had some archaeological experience as well as those who have not. The College helps fund travel to the Mediterranean for both general exploration and the formal requirements of the course. Several of our students have been on the excellent summer school at the British School at Athens. Balliol CAAH students go on to a wide range of careers – from further degrees in archaeology or ancient history, to law.

Tutors

Professor Rosalind Thomas, Fellow in Ancient History, has published widely on ancient literacy and oral tradition (Oral Tradition and Written Record in Classical Athens, 1989; Literacy and Orality in Ancient Greece, 1992). She has also written Herodotus in Context. Ethnography, Science and the Art of Persuasion (2000), and is interested in many aspects of the culture, politics, and society of the ancient world. She has practical experience in Greek archaeology and has travelled extensively in the Mediterranean.

Alison Rosenblitt teaches across the Roman history periods: 241-146 BC; Republic in Crisis: 146-46 BC; Rome, Italy and Empire from Caesar to Claudius: 46 BC –AD 54; Cicero and Catiline; Tacitus and Tiberius; Cicero: Politics & Thought; Augustan Rome; Sallust’s Jugurtha.