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UGA Europe - Unearthing the Past

Introduction 

The Venus de Milo

Climb the Acropolis to the majestic Parthenon in Athens, Greece; stroll through the once vibrant streets of ancient Pompeii and the poetic landscape of Paestum, Italy with stately Greek Temples; retrace Julius Caesar's steps in the Roman Forum, Rome;  and anticipate the start of gladiator combats in the Colosseum, Rome. Admire ancient artistic masterpieces in the Vatican and Capitoline Museums, the Venus de Milo and Nike of Samothrace in the Louvre, and Michelangelo's iconic statue of David in Florence. Look up at the dome of the Pantheon in Rome; Brunelleschi's dome in Florence; and the domes of the Pantheon in Paris and St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Stroll through the Classical gardens of Versailles and Stourhead, England and the timeless streets of Roman Florence, Paris, and London. Enter the Roman baths of beautiful Georgian Bath, England, and contemplate the legacy of Pericles' Athens as you marvel at the breathtaking Classical beauty of the Parthenon Sculptures in the British Museum.    

... it's the fast track to being cultured.

Program Description

A Maymester program that focuses on the history, art, architecture, and archaeology of Classical antiquity (Troy to Augustine) and its reception in Europe with site visits to iconic monuments, museums, and excavations.  Various topics and itineraries throughout Europe examine the material culture of Classical Europe and its legacy on Western Culture.  Students enroll in 2 courses (6 credit hours total): CLAS4800 Selected Topics in Classical Antiquity and its Reception and a second course depending on the program itinerary: CLAS4395 Legacy of Classical Antiquity OR CLAS4390 The Grand Tour OR CLAS4110 Early Rome and the Etruscans. The program is physically challenging and may not be suitable for all students.  Participation is limited to a maximum of 20 students with preference given to students who declare a Classics Minor.  Both of the program's courses (6 credit hours total) count towards the Classics Minor (15 credit hours of advanced course work).  The program also fulfills the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Experiential Learning requirement.

Topics

From the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens, Greece to Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Countries: Greece, Italy, France, England and Scotland

Academic Goals: To study step-by-step the material legacy and impact of the Classical cultures of ancient Greece and Rome throughout Europe on the history, art, architecture, literature, and archaeology of key periods in Western history: Middle Ages, the Renaissance, Enlightenment, Counter-Reformation, Neoclassicism, the Grand Tour; Fascism, and Contemporary Culture.

Program Director and Faculty

Mario Erasmo is Professor of Classics at the University of Georgia specializing in the Legacy of Classical Antiquity, the Cultural History of Death, and the Meta-theatricality of Ancient Rome.  He is an Associate Faculty Member of the UGA Center for Archaeological Sciences.  Professor Erasmo is the author of numerous books and articles, including Death: Antiquity and Its Legacy (I.B. Tauris, 2012) and Reading Death in Ancient Rome (Ohio, 2008). His extensive travel and study abroad experience across Europe informs his walking guides Strolling Through Rome: The Definitive Walking Guide to the Eternal City (I.B. Tauris, 2015; Tauris Parke 2019) and Strolling Through Florence: The Definitive Walking Guide to the Renaissance City (I.B. Tauris, 2017). 

Courses

CLAS4800: Selected Topics in Classical Antiquity and its Reception 

Credits: 3
Course Description: Special topics in the reception of Classical antiquity in art, architecture, ideas, and economics in Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Consideration of continuities and discontinuities, change and innovation, and social, political, and cultural contexts.
Meeting date(s): TBA
Instructor: Professor Mario Erasmo 
Department: UGA Department of Classics
E-mail: merasmo@uga.edu

CLAS4395: The Legacy of Classical Antiquity

Credits: 3
Course Description: An examination of the cultural legacy of Classical antiquity in the West on the development of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Modern art and architecture studied against the backdrop of the rise of Christianity, Humanism, the Counter-Reformation, the Enlightenment and Fascism.
Meeting date(s): TBA
Instructor: Professor Mario Erasmo 
Department: UGA Department of Classics
E-mail: merasmo@uga.edu

TOTAL: 6 Credit Hours

Program Dates 2024

May 10th, 2024 - All participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to Athens, Greece at the start of the program and from London, England at the end of the program. In order to arrive in Athens, Greece on May 14th for the official start of the program, May 13th is the last possible day to depart the United States. All other travel within Europe is included in the program fee.

May 11th, 2024 - Official start of the program

May 31st, 2024 - Official end of the program

June 1st, 2024 - Departure from Edinburgh

Program Itinerary (Tentative)

Athens, Greece

  • Acropolis - The Parthenon, Erechtheum (Porch of the Maidens: Caryatids), and Areopagus
  • Theatre of Dionysus
  • Ancient Agora and Classical Athens
  • New Acropolis Museum
  • National Archaeological Museum
  • Historic Plaka Area
  • Free Day on island of Poros.

Pompeii, Italy

  • Pompeii Archaeological Site including the Temple of Isis, Roman Amphitheatre, and the Villa of the Mysteries

Paestum, Italy

  • Greek Temples and Archaeological Museum

Naples, Italy

  • National Archaeological Museum with Pompeii frescoes and the Farnese Collection of Ancient Sculpture

Rome, Italy

  • Vatican Museums; Renaissance Rome: Raphael Rooms, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, and Vatican Grottoes
  • Ancient Rome: Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Colosseum
  • Piazza del Campidoglio and Capitoline Museums
  • Pantheon and Piazza Navona Area
  • Piazza della Repubblica Area
  • Baroque Rome (Quirinal Hill; Trevi Fountain; Spanish Steps)
  • Villa Aurora
  • Free Day

Tivoli, Italy

  • Hadrian's Villa
  • Villa d' Este: Renaissance palace and garden with famous fountains

Florence, Italy

  • Galleria dell' Accademia (Michelangelo's David)
  • Brunelleschi's Dome and Historic Centre including Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio; Roman Florence

Paris, France

  • Parc Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  • Louvre
  • Pantheon and Latin Quarter: Roman Paris
  • Versailles
  • Free Day

Bath, England

  • Roman Baths
  • Georgian Bath: Pulteney Bridge, the Circus and Royal Crescent
  • Stourhead Gardens
  • Rousham House (Oxfordshire)

London, England

  • Roman London
  • Museum of London
  • New St. Pancras
  • British Museum with Parthenon Sculptures (Elgin Marbles)
  • Free Day

Edinburgh, Scotland

  • Calton Hill
  • Little Sparta

Housing and Meals

All hotels are centrally located and include breakfast and access to WiFi (occasionally for a fee). Several group meals are included, otherwise, students have many food options at various price points as opportunities to interact with the local culture and people.

Program Costs: $5,460.00*

*Subject to change. Amount does not include tuition or flights to and from Europe.

The basic cost of the program is estimated at $5460.00 ($5,760.00 including the $300.00 deposit). Tuition is not included in this cost. See bursar.uga.edu for tuition rates. The cost of the program includes:

  • Program Deposit (due after acceptance to program) - applied towards total program cost
  • International Health Insurance (UGA requirement)
  • Transportation on excursions on the program itinerary (charter coach; metro bus or train)
  • Admission to sites and museums on the program itinerary
  • Airfare and Eurostar travel within Europe
  • Shared hotel accommodations (twin room) including breakfast
  • Scheduled group meals on select days on the program itinerary

*Students who are not residents of Georgia or do not attend a University System of Georgia University or College pay an additional $250.00. 

Undergraduate Programs

UGA Classics explores Greek and Roman culture (material; intellectual; religious) from Troy to Augustine; Classical languages and literatures (Greek, Latin, and in English translation); and the reception of Classical Antiquity with A.B. and M.A. Classics degrees with multiple areas of emphasis. Double Dawgs degrees focus on careers in Historic Preservation and World Language Education. Minor degrees in Classical Culture and Classics and Comparative Cultures complement degree programs across campus. New to Classics? Take a course with us on campus or in Europe and acquire future-ready skills.

Explore our Degrees