Department of Classical Philology
Welcome to the homepage of the Department of Classical Philology!On this website, you will find key information about our department, including current events and important dates, our staff, and our teaching programs. You will also find practical guidance on how to organize your studies, both in traditional degree programs (such as teacher training and the former Magister) and in our current international degree formats (B.A., M.A., M.Ed.).
Classical Philology (often referred to as “Classics”) focuses on the study of the ancient Greek and Latin languages. Students can choose to study Latin (Latin Philology) and Greek (Greek Philology) either together or as separate subjects. The field explores the rich literary and cultural heritage of the Greco-Roman world, covering a period from around 800 BC to AD 600.
The Department of Classical Philology at the Faculty of Humanities of Georg-August University Göttingen has a long and distinguished history. It was established in 1734, even before the university itself was officially founded in 1737. Over the centuries, the department has been shaped by influential scholars such as Johann Matthias Gesner, Christian Gottlob Heyne, Karl Otfried Müller, Friedrich Leo, Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, Konrat Ziegler, and Kurt Latte.