The Department of Classics at Brown University

05/06/2026

Happening now!

05/01/2026

Seats still available for this summer course offering in Classics: This course is an introduction to Ancient Greek mythological traditions, as well as to the concept of ‘myth’ and its relevance and resonance today. Topics include the Olympian gods; ‘culture heroes’ (e.g. Heracles), Homer and the Trojan Cycle of myths; mythical traditions about the families of Oedipus and Agamemnon; etc. We will be reading ancient hymns, epics, and tragic dramas and other primary source material. Throughout the course, we will be considering questions of identity, migration, belonging, belief, and adaption. We will investigate myth’s relationship with literature, visual culture, and religion. We will explore modern adaptations of and engagements with ancient mythology. We will try to come to grips with conceptions of divinity and the imagined relationship—and symbiosis—between gods and mortals.

05/01/2026

Join us TODAY for the last AntiquiTea in Macfarlane! Let’s all gather to celebrate the building that has been our home for so long.

04/23/2026

Attention all Brown Undergrads!

A reminder that the Department of Classics’ language prize exams are being held NEXT WEEK!
Financial prizes will be awarded for each exam! Exam dates, times, and eligibility vary, so please read the details carefully.

To REGISTER please follow this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfNhL_4O8KIXYfEHnCNfYyKRgvaRJh-9dGfvwtdU20O4uGEDg/viewform

If you have any questions, please email the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Joseph Reed ([email protected]).

We look forward to giving our students the opportunity to be awarded for their dedication to Latin and ancient Greek. Good luck!

04/10/2026

It’s that time again! Classics@Brown is looking for creative undergraduate students to design a Classics graphic for 2026!

The winning design will be featured on button badges/pins, to be distributed to department members and others in the Brown community.

The winner of this year’s contest will receive a cash prize of $200!

Contestants are asked to submit a high-resolution image that creatively depicts the Brown Classics Department. The submission should be between 5x5 inches (1500x1500 pixels) and 7x7 inches (2100x2100 pixels) and include the contest year (2026) and “Brown Classics” or “Classics@Brown” in some way. Please be sure your design will appropriately fit either a circular or square button. Feel free to collaborate with others and share the prize!


Submissions are due Friday April 20th. Good luck!

04/02/2026

The Classics Department is pleased to invite you to a first look at the film Eurydice in the Underworld by Classics Postdoctoral Fellow, Felicity Palma. The Screening will take place at the McCormack Family Theater, 70 Brown St. on Saturday, April 11th, from 5:00–6:30pm, followed by a Q&A. The screening is free and open to the public. For more information and to register visit https://events.brown.edu/classics/event/330408-film-screening-eurydice-in-the-underworld-by

04/02/2026

The Modern Greek Studies Program invites you to join us for a discussion on the book, Literature’s Refuge on Thursday, April 9 at Andrews House (13 Brown Street) at 5:30 pm. For more information visit https://events.brown.edu/classics/event/330409-literatures-refuge-will-strobel-and-johanna-hanink

04/01/2026

Join us TONIGHT!

03/26/2026

Join us for The Ruckus Sessions with Tim Blake Nelson '86.

Celebrated actor, writer, director, and producer with over 100 screen acting credits including The Lowdown, Lincoln, Minority Report, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Holes, and Watchmen.

A former Commencement Speaker and Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Nelson has spent the decades since his time at Brown building one of the most versatile careers in modern entertainment. From his iconic turn as Delmar O'Donnell in the Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou? to his critically acclaimed performance as Looking Glass in HBO’s Watchmen, Nelson has amassed over 100 screen credits while simultaneously establishing himself as a formidable voice in American letters and theater.

In this live, candid conversation, Nelson, BAI Director Sydney Skybetter, and student interlocutor Ilektra Bampicha-Ninou ’26 will explore the intersections of acting, authorship, and the mechanics of storytelling in an era of Hollywood upheaval. The dialogue will dive deep into Nelson’s latest creative frontiers: his newest novel, Superhero (2025), a biting exploration of the Hollywood machine; insights into his latest film as writer-director, The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd and his recent role in Captain America: Brave New World; and the dystopian themes of his Off-Broadway hit, And Then We Were No More.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to welcome one of Brown’s most distinguished artistic alumni back to campus for a Ruckus Session that promises to be as provocative and intellectually rigorous as the career it celebrates.

Join us on March 31, 2026, at Martinos Auditorium in The Granoff Center for Creative Arts!

Please click the link to learn more about the Ruckus Sessions and to RSVP for Tim Blake Nelson.

March 31, 2026 | Ongoing VISIONARY CONVERSATIONS | BROWN 2026 Up Next: Tim Blake Nelson '86 Live, candid conversations with artists, researchers, and cultural leaders examining the rapidly evolving landscape of contemporary culture.

03/19/2026

Usher in Spring Break with us at Macfarlane! Tomorrow we will all be free, and you know what rhymes with free? AntiquiTea!!! You know what else is free? The plethora of coffee, and snacks, and tea we will enjoy tomorrow at three.

03/09/2026

Please join us in person or virtually this Wednesday.

(Click the link for simulcast information.)
https://events.brown.edu/classics/event/327477-a-service-in-memory-of-michael-c-j-putnam