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Faculty of Classics

 

The major strength of the Classics Library is its collections on the Classical world of ancient Greece and Rome including literature, history, philosophy, mythology and religion, palaeography, linguistics and philology, art, sculpture, numismatics and classical archaeology. 

Make a Book or Journal Suggestion for Classics or other libraries in Cambridge.  

For up-to-date information on our electronic collections see the Classics Libguide.

Our classification system uses a 3 part classmark, e.g. F  4.78  9. The first letter, or letters, directs you to the relevant part of the collection. The middle number or letters indicate the sub-section, and the final number is a running number for items. The main divisions within the collection are as follows:

 

Start of classmark

Contents

R / S

Reference books, including dictionaries, encyclopaedias and atlases

A

Major Greek and Latin text series

B

Greek texts and commentaries

C

Latin texts and commentaries

D

History

E

Literature

F

Philosophy and Religion

G

Modern Greek

J

Linguistics

Per

Periodicals

V / VV

General archaeology by region

W

Architecture and pre-Hellenic archaeology

WW

Greek and Roman sculpture

X

General art, painting, vases

XX

Other arts

XX/NUM

Numismatics

Y

Specific archaeological sites

YY

Travel guides, archaeological theory, museology, Byzantine art

Other sections include:

Start of classmark

Contents

EP

Epigraphy

First aisle of rolling stacks

H

Palaeography

RVR – room opposite the issue desk

Pam

Pamphlets

Closed stacks – must be requested at the issue desk

SL (end of classmark)

Short loan books

Behind the Issue Desk – please ask a staff member

T

Language materials

On the Sidgwick Site side of the library, after the catalogue terminals

 

We also hold a number of prize-winning undergraduate Part II dissertations which may be consulted within the Library by university members or online via Moodle. Please ask at the Issue Desk for more details.

 

Special Collections

Please contact the Librarian if you would like to consult any of our special collections:

Early printed books

Mainly on ancient classical sites collected by the Museum of Classical Archaeology.

Other collections now in the Faculty Archives

Leake Collection

This is a collection of notebooks of the journeys in Greece of Colonel Leake (1777-1860), soldier and topographer are now housed in the Archives, please contact the archivist to consult.

Owen Collection

G.E.L. Owen studied Ancient Greek philosophy. This collection includes philosophical books, working versions of published papers and early working notes.  These are now housed in the Faculty Archives, please contact the archivist to consult.

Map Collection

The Library holds maps drawn up by the War Office in the 1940s. These are of particular interest to archaeologists for their excellent topographical detail. Please request at the Issue Desk or via email to arrange access.

 

Search the library collections across the University

 

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Latest news

Trinity College Project Completion Grant

28 February 2025

The Faculty is delighted to announce that Dr Frisbee Sheffield has been awarded a Trinity College Project Completion Grant. The award, for Mid-Career Researchers in the Humanities, will enable a period of research leave in Lent Term 2026 in connection with a project on Socrates and the Ethics of Conversation.

Teaching Associate in Ancient History (Temporary Cover)

21 February 2025

The Faculty of Classics is seeking to appoint a Temporary Teaching Associate in Classics (Ancient History) from 1 October 2025 (or as soon as possible thereafter) for two years. This post is open to those, at any stage in their career, with a primary research and teaching interest in ancient history. The Faculty is...

Assistant Professor in Classics (Ancient Greek History)

4 February 2025

The Faculty of Classics is seeking to appoint an Assistant Professor in Classics (Ancient Greek History) from 1 September 2025. The role is open to those, at any stage in their career, with a primary research interest in Archaic/Classical/Hellenistic Greek History. The successful candidate will have the ability, or be...

Philip Leverhulme Prizes 2024

18 October 2024

The Faculty is delighted to announce that both Dr Lea Niccolai and Dr Henry Spelman have been awarded Philip Leverhulme Prizes in the 2024 competition. Professor Anna Vignoles, Director of the Leverhulme Trust, said: “Now in its twenty-third year, this scheme continues to attract applications from extraordinarily high...