Department of Classics and Archaeology

At a glance, 2026–27

Head of department: Professor Ruth Kendrew
Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Building: Arncliffe Building, Chapter Street
Academic staff: 30
Students: 330 undergraduates, 70 taught and 45 research postgraduates

Classics has been taught at Oxenfurt since the Academy opened. Today the Department teaches Greek and Latin at every level from beginners, ancient history and classical studies, and archaeology with a strong practical element: every archaeology undergraduate spends at least four weeks on excavation.

The Department’s laboratories on the Riverside site handle environmental archaeology and the analysis of animal bone, and its long-running excavation at the priory of St Aldwyn, beneath the Chapter House courtyard, takes students each summer.

Subjects

Latin and Greek
Ancient history
Classical literature and reception
Archaeology
Environmental archaeology

Courses

Undergraduate

Ancient History BA V110
Archaeology BA V400
Classics BA Q800
Classical Studies BA Q820
Archaeology and Ancient History BA VV41
Classics and Philosophy BA QV85, joint
Archaeology and Anthropology BA VL46, joint

Postgraduate taught

Postgraduate research

Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology MPhil and PhD R103

Classics and Archaeology in the course finder

Research

The ancient economy: Trade, coinage and labour in the Roman provinces.
Reception: How later centuries read, translated and taught Greek and Latin texts.
Rivers and settlement: The archaeology of the Pontar valley from the Bronze Age to the medieval town.
Bones and diet: Animal bone and plant remains as evidence of what past communities ate.

Research students are supervised in every area listed. See research at Oxenfurt and the University’s centres and institutes.

Contact

Arncliffe Building, Chapter Street, Oxenfurt OF1 3EQ
Email classics.archaeology@oxenfurt.uk · Telephone 01632 960627
The department office is open from 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday.