Classics Major Profile
by Sara Jones, third-year Classics major
During my first year at UCSB, I was passionate about everything—from philosophy and law to geology and English. Unfortunately, all of my passions were short lived because I was incapable of remaining faithful to only one. It wasn’t until I stepped into the classroom of Professor Erickson for his course on Greek Mythology that I realized my absurdly wide array of interests could be streamlined into a single major—Classics. Not only does the study of ancient Greece and Rome satisfy my craving for philosophy, art, and poetry, but archaeology provides opportunities in the sciences as well, in fields such as geo and osteo-archaeology.
Because Classics is so all-encompassing, the department offers three emphases: Language and Literature, Greek and Roman Culture, and Classical Archaeology. Although each of these emphases requires a different set of classes and leads each student in a certain professional direction, they all inevitably intertwine. Both the Greek and Roman cultures hold a wonderfully archaic, yet timeless wisdom that is unsurpassed by even some of today’s brightest scholars, and you should never underestimate the value of reading the works of ancient authors, poets, and philosophers in their native language. Archaeology, too, is a way for students and professionals to further understand these civilizations through critical analysis of artifacts and ancient texts.
The Classics Department also offers amazing opportunities to travel, excavate, and study abroad. This past summer I participated in the Priniatikos Pyrgos Archaeological Project on the Greek island of Crete. Although I had long been interested in archaeology, I could never have predicted how incredible it is to physically unearth the civilizations described by ancient authors—to be the first person in thousands of years to run my fingers along a Minoan floor, or to gently wash away the dirt on a sherd of pottery and discover the tell-tale markings of the Byzantine period.
Although the Classics department has undoubtedly satisfied my intellect, I was most surprised to learn that it provided a social outlet as well; Classics is not just a major, it is a community. In addition to small class sizes that inevitably result in lasting friendships and a more personalized learning experience, the staff and faculty work hard to make everyone feel welcome. Even the study of Classics, itself, is not merely about reading and understanding ancient works, it is about getting to know people. Whether it is the ancient Greeks or the person sitting next to you in your Latin class, I have learned that understanding another person or culture is one of the best ways to get to know yourself—who you are, how you live, and most importantly, how you want to be remembered.
