Ancient History and Classical Archaeology

Ancient history and classical archaeology together examine the civilisations of the ancient Mediterranean world through two complementary sets of tools. Ancient history uses written sources, including inscriptions, literary texts, administrative documents, and historical narratives, to reconstruct and interpret the political, social, religious, and cultural life of Greece, Rome, and their neighbours. Classical archaeology examines the physical evidence of ancient life, from monumental temples and sculpture to pottery, coins, and the material remains of everyday existence.

Together, the two disciplines give you access to the ancient world from multiple angles, producing a richer and more nuanced understanding than either approach achieves alone.

At the University of Warwick, the Department of Classics and Ancient History offers degrees that can be studied part-time, designed to reflect students' interests in the classical world. This flexibility makes serious engagement with ancient history and classical archaeology accessible to students with existing professional or personal commitments. You will develop your skills in source analysis, archaeological interpretation, and historical argument progressively, engaging with primary evidence from across the ancient world alongside the rich scholarly tradition that classicists and archaeologists have built over centuries.

Graduates from this combination go on to work in heritage, museums, archival and library services, education, publishing, journalism, and the civil service. The combination of analytical rigour, close reading of diverse sources, and deep historical knowledge the degree develops is valued wherever careful thinking about evidence and interpretation is needed. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in classics, ancient history, classical archaeology, or museum studies, developing specialist expertise for academic, curatorial, or professional careers in the field.