edinburgh university classics phd

• Schools & departments

PhD in Classics

The PhD in Classics offers you the opportunity to study Classics at an advanced level through independent research.

Classics at the University of Edinburgh, with its broad range of supervisors and stimulating and supportive intellectual environment, can offer you a first-class experience in focused and sustained research.

We welcome applications from anyone keen to work on topics that overlap with the research interests of our academic staff, including:

• Homer and early Greek poetry
• Ancient philosophy
• Greek drama
• Hellenistic and Roman poetry
• classical Greek and Hellenistic history
• the ancient economy
• Archaic and Classical Greek archaeology
• Jewish history in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods
• Byzantine history and literature
• the Greek East under Rome
• the Hellenistic and Roman Near East
• Roman imperial history
• Greek literature of the Roman empire
• late Roman literature and history
• Christianity in the Roman empire
• ancient slavery
• ancient law
• gender in antiquity
• Greek sculpture
• mythology in art
• Roman and late antique archaeology

Our strong relationship with other subjects such as Archaeology, History, Philosophy and Law, mean that interdisciplinary study and supervision can be arranged.

Details of PhD projects currently being undertaken in the School can be found on our list of research student web profiles .  

We also interviewed a PhD in Classics student, Meg , about her time studying with us.

Programme structure

The PhD is a substantial piece of independent research which makes a contribution to the state of existing knowledge in the field. The PhD programme is designed to take three years full-time or six years part time. The PhD is examined by submission of a thesis of up to 100,000 words and by oral examination.

PhD students work closely with their supervisors, who are recognised experts in the field of study. All PhD students pursue an individually tailored programme of research training agreed with their supervisors, which in Classics includes a practical skills course run by the Head of Subject and the Graduate Officer in Classics as well as professional and research skills training provided by the School of History, Classics and Archaeology and the Institute for Academic Development. Full details of the training we provide are available on our PhD training pages . PhD students are also encouraged to share their research with other postgraduate students through workshops and seminars, and to take an active part in the research life of the archaeology subject area, the School and the University.

You must  contact a potential supervisor  to discuss your research project before making a formal application.

If you have any questions about the programme, please contact the Programme Director:

Dr Simon Trépanier (PhD)

Programme Director

Contact details

• Email: [email protected]
• Web: Simon Trépanier's staff profile

Apply for this programme

• Fees and funding
• School guidance on  applying (link to 5 step guide)
• If you require a visa we advise that you apply as early as possible.
• All candidates who want apply for funding must submit their application for a place at the University in advance of the relevant funding deadline (in December and January typically - details can be found on the  funding website ).
• The final deadline for which the School will consider applications for the programme is 1 July 2024.
• If you are hoping to study for this degree by distance please read further details and entry requirements here - PhD by Distance

This article was published on 2024-08-01

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Classics PhD

The university of edinburgh, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, similar courses at different universities, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Course type.

Our Classics research group is one of the most significant clusters of scholars in the UK, working in all areas of the discipline: Greek and Latin language, literature and thought; Greek, Roman and Byzantine history; and classical archaeology from the Archaic period through to Late Antiquity.

Our research culture centres on the weekly research seminar which welcomes distinguished speakers in all fields of classics, one of the most high-profile and best-attended events of its type in the UK. Every year we host major international conferences (including the biennial conference on a Greek topic endowed by the Leventis Foundation, which is organised by an eminent visiting professor), as well as a wide range of one-day events.

Our PhD students develop a highly valued set of research and professional skills which enable them to go on to a wide variety of careers.

Many of our PhD students wish to pursue an academic career, and we have an excellent record of helping our students obtain research and teaching posts in universities in the UK and overseas.

PhD students also develop a portfolio of skills which are highly desirable across a wide range of sectors, from museums and heritage to the civil service, banking and the law.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

A UK 2:1 honours degree in a relevant discipline and a relevant masters degree with an overall mark of at least 65%, or or international equivalent.

Classics MA

Birkbeck, university of london, classics mphil/phd, the classical mediterranean pgcert by distance learning, university of leicester, the classical mediterranean ma by distance learning, the classical mediterranean pgdip by distance learning.

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Classics PhD

Central campus, edinburgh, united kingdom, # =27 qs subject rankings, 36 months program duration, yes scholarships, classics and ancient history main subject area, program overview, main subject.

Classics and Ancient History

Study Level

Our Classics research group is one of the most significant clusters of scholars in the UK, working in all areas of the discipline: Greek and Latin language, literature and thought; Greek, Roman and Byzantine history; and classical archaeology from the Archaic period through to Late Antiquity.

Research topics

We welcome applications from anyone keen to work on topics that overlap with the research interests of our academic staff. Major research interests include:

• Homer and early Greek poetry
• Greek philosophy
• Greek drama
• Hellenistic and Roman poetry
• classical Greek and Hellenistic history
• the ancient economy
• Archaic and Classical Greek archaeology
• Judaism in the ancient world
• Byzantine history and literature
• the Roman republic
• the Hellenistic and Roman Near East
• Roman imperial history
• Greek literature of the Roman empire
• late Roman literature and history
• Christianity in the Roman empire
• ancient slavery
• ancient law
• gender in antiquity
• the reception of classical antiquity
• Greek sculpture
• mythology in art
• Roman and late antique archaeology

Admission requirements

Important dates, tuition fee and scholarships, scholarships.

One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.

In this guide you will find:

Where to look for scholarship opportunities

How to apply to scholarships relevant to you

A list of available scholarships around the world

A scholarship application checklist

QS WUR Ranking By Subject

More programs from the university, bachelor ug.

Undergraduate programmes at the University of Edinburgh

We offer almost 400 degrees across 60 different subject areas . Many of these are joint honours degrees, offering the potential for innovative cross-disciplinary subject combinations. Some of our degrees let you study a single subject in depth, developing a deep understanding of one area. Others feature an open and flexible structure with options to tailor your own studies. This lets you choose whether to experience a wide range of topics before you specialise, or sample multiple subjects in a broader degree.  Our global links offer you possibilities for fieldwork, industry placements and study abroad opportunities, and our research-led, industry-informed teaching incorporates the latest developments in your field. Your options 

As one of Scotland’s four ‘ancient’ universities, many of our full-time degrees in the humanities and social sciences are undergraduate masters qualifications that require four years of study. In science and engineering we offer four-year bachelors degrees or five-year integrated masters. We also offer a smaller number of other qualifications including LLB Law, as well as a few degrees with shorter or longer full-time study durations. These range from three to five or even six years (MBChB Medicine). Depending on your qualifications, you may have the option to start in the second year of some of our science, engineering, biomedical sciences and medical sciences, and art and design degrees. We also offer an expanding range of options for students progressing from a Higher National Certificate or Diploma.

Supporting you and your studies

We provide a range of support services to help not only with your academic needs, but also your personal needs.

Your first point of contact for teaching, academic advice and guidance will be within the School in which you study. You will be supported by a combination of academic and dedicated student experience and administrative staff who will be able to provide you with or direct you to appropriate support for challenges that may occur during your studies, whether this is directly related to your learning and teaching skills or rising from life situations. You will also have access to a variety of peer-to-peer learning networks as well as student societies. Funding and scholarships We appreciate studying here is a significant financial commitment. We awarded more than £10m in undergraduate financial support in 2022/23, and are dedicated to helping students of all ages and social backgrounds enter higher education, regardless of your financial situation. Check our scholarships and student funding pages for more details and to explore your options.

Arts and Humanities (6)

Ba animation, ba fine art, ba graphic design, ba illustration, ba interior design, ba jewellery and silversmithing, ba performance costume, ba product design, ba textiles, ba/ma architecture, bd divinity, bsc acoustics and music technology, ma ancient history, ma ancient history and greek, ma ancient history and latin, ma ancient mediterranean civilisations, ma ancient and medieval history, ma arabic and ancient greek, ma arabic and business, ma arabic and french, ma arabic and history, ma arabic and persian, ma arabic and politics, ma arabic and social anthropology, ma arabic and spanish, ma arabic with islamic and middle eastern studies, ma archaeology, ma archaeology and ancient history, ma archaeology and social anthropology, ma architectural history and archaeology, ma architectural history and heritage, ma celtic and archaeology, ma celtic and english language, ma celtic and english literature, ma celtic and french, ma celtic and linguistics, ma celtic and scandinavian studies, ma celtic and scottish history, ma celtic and scottish literature, ma chinese and french, ma chinese and german, ma chinese and history, ma chinese and linguistics, ma chinese and russian studies, ma chinese and spanish, ma classical archaeology and ancient history, ma classical archaeology and greek, ma classical archaeology and latin, ma classical studies, ma classics, ma classics and english language, ma classics and linguistics, ma divinity and classics, ma english language, ma english language and literature, ma english literature, ma english literature and classics, ma english literature and history, ma english and scottish literature, ma fine art (5-year programme), ma french and business, ma french and classics, ma french and english language, ma french and english literature, ma french and german, ma french and history, ma french and history of art, ma french and italian, ma french and linguistics, ma french and philosophy, ma french and politics, ma french and portuguese, ma french and russian studies, ma french and scandinavian studies, ma french and social policy, ma french and spanish, ma german and business, ma german and classics, ma german and english language, ma german and english literature, ma german and history, ma german and history of art, ma german and linguistics, ma german and philosophy, ma german and politics, ma german and portuguese, ma german and russian studies, ma german and scandinavian studies, ma german and social policy, ma german and spanish, ma greek studies, ma history and archaeology, ma history and classics, ma history and economics, ma history and history of art, ma history and politics, ma history and scottish history, ma history of art, ma history of art and architectural history, ma history of art and chinese studies, ma history of art and english literature, ma history of art and history of music, ma history of art and scottish literature, ma islamic studies, ma italian and classics, ma italian and english language, ma italian and english literature, ma italian and history, ma italian and history of art, ma italian and linguistics, ma italian and philosophy, ma italian and politics, ma italian and spanish, ma japanese, ma japanese and linguistics, ma landscape architecture, ma latin studies, ma linguistics, ma linguistics and english language, ma linguistics and social anthropology, ma persian studies, ma persian and english literature, ma persian and middle eastern studies, ma persian and social anthropology, ma philosophy, ma philosophy and economics, ma philosophy and english language, ma philosophy and english literature, ma philosophy and greek, ma philosophy and linguistics, ma philosophy and mathematics, ma philosophy and politics, ma philosophy and psychology, ma philosophy and scottish literature, ma philosophy and theology, ma portuguese, ma portuguese and english language, ma portuguese and english literature, ma portuguese and linguistics, ma portuguese and philosophy, ma portuguese and scottish literature, ma religious studies, ma religious studies and english literature, ma religious studies and scottish literature, ma russian studies, ma russian studies and classics, ma russian studies and english language, ma russian studies and english literature, ma russian studies and history, ma russian studies and history of art, ma russian studies and linguistics, ma russian studies and philosophy, ma russian studies and politics, ma russian studies and scandinavian studies, ma russian studies and social policy, ma russian studies and spanish, ma scandinavian studies (danish, norwegian, swedish), ma scandinavian studies and classics, ma scandinavian studies and english language, ma scandinavian studies and english literature, ma scandinavian studies and history, ma scandinavian studies and linguistics, ma scandinavian studies and philosophy, ma scandinavian studies and politics, ma scandinavian studies and social policy, ma scandinavian studies and spanish, ma scottish ethnology, ma scottish ethnology and archaeology, ma scottish ethnology and celtic, ma scottish ethnology and english language, ma scottish ethnology and english literature, ma scottish ethnology and scandinavian studies, ma scottish ethnology and scottish history, ma scottish literature, ma scottish literature and classics, ma scottish literature and history, ma scottish literature and scottish history, ma scottish studies, ma spanish and business, ma spanish and classics, ma spanish and english literature, ma spanish and history, ma spanish and history of art, ma spanish and linguistics, ma spanish and philosophy, ma spanish and politics, ma spanish and portuguese, ma theology, mdiv divinity - graduate entry, business and management (6), ma accounting and business, ma accounting and finance, ma business management, ma business and economics, ma business and law, ma business with decision analytics, ma business with enterprise and innovation, ma business with human resource management, ma business with marketing, ma business with strategic economics, ma economics, ma economics and accounting, ma economics and mathematics, ma economics and politics, ma economics and statistics, ma economics with finance, ma economics with management science, ma finance and business, ma international business, ma international business with chinese, ma international business with french, ma international business with german, ma international business with italian, ma international business with japanese, ma international business with spanish, engineering and technology (6), beng chemical engineering, beng civil engineering, beng computer science, beng electrical and mechanical engineering, beng electronics and computer science, beng electronics and electrical engineering, beng mechanical engineering, beng software engineering, beng structural engineering with architecture, beng structural and fire safety engineering, beng/meng engineering, bsc artificial intelligence, bsc artificial intelligence and computer science, bsc cognitive science, bsc computer science, bsc computer science and management science, bsc computer science and mathematics, bsc computer science and physics, ma cognitive science (humanities), meng chemical engineering, meng civil engineering, meng electrical and mechanical engineering, meng electronics and computer science, meng electronics and electrical engineering, meng mechanical engineering, meng structural engineering with architecture, meng structural and fire safety engineering, minf informatics (5-year undergraduate masters programme), mphys computational physics, life sciences and medicine (6), bn nursing studies, bsc anatomy and development, bsc biological sciences, bsc biological sciences (biochemistry), bsc biological sciences (biotechnology), bsc biological sciences (cell biology), bsc biological sciences (development, regeneration and stem cells), bsc biological sciences (ecology), bsc biological sciences (evolutionary biology), bsc biological sciences (genetics), bsc biological sciences (immunology), bsc biological sciences (molecular biology), bsc biological sciences (molecular genetics), bsc biological sciences (plant science), bsc biological sciences (zoology), bsc biological sciences with management, bsc biomedical informatics (based in china), bsc biomedical sciences, bsc infectious diseases, bsc integrative biomedical sciences (based in china), bsc medical sciences, bsc neuroscience, bsc oral health sciences, bsc pharmacology, bsc physiology, bsc psychology, bsc reproductive biology, bvm&s veterinary medicine (5-year programme), bvm&s veterinary medicine (graduate entry programme - 4-year programme), ma psychology and business, ma psychology and economics, ma psychology and linguistics, mbchb hcp-med for healthcare professionals, mbchb medicine (6-year programme), mbiol biological sciences, natural sciences (6), bsc applied mathematics, bsc astrophysics, bsc chemical physics, bsc chemistry, bsc computational physics, bsc earth science and physical geography, bsc earth sciences, bsc ecological and environmental sciences, bsc ecological and environmental sciences with management, bsc environmental geoscience, bsc geography, bsc geophysics, bsc geophysics and geology, bsc geophysics and meteorology, bsc mathematical physics, bsc mathematics, bsc mathematics and business, bsc mathematics and music, bsc mathematics and physics, bsc mathematics and statistics, bsc medicinal and biological chemistry, bsc physics, bsc physics with meteorology, bsc theoretical physics, ma geography, ma mathematics, mchem chemistry, mchem medicinal and biological chemistry, mchemphys chemical physics, mearthphys geophysics, mearthphys geophysics and geology, mearthphys geophysics and geology with professional placement, mearthphys geophysics and meteorology, mearthphys geophysics and meteorology with professional placement, mearthphys geophysics with professional placement, mearthsci earth science and physical geography, mearthsci earth sciences, mmath applied mathematics, mmath mathematics, mphys astrophysics, mphys mathematical physics, mphys physics, mphys physics with meteorology, mphys physics with a year abroad, mphys theoretical physics, social sciences and management (6), ba childhood practice, ba film and television, bsc applied sport science, bsc social work, bsc sport management, llb global law, llb law (graduate entry), llb law (ordinary and honours), llb law and accountancy, llb law and business, llb law and celtic, llb law and french, llb law and german, llb law and history, llb law and international relations, llb law and politics, llb law and social anthropology, llb law and social policy, llb law and sociology, llb law and spanish, ma government, policy and society, ma government, policy and society with quantitative methods, ma health in social science, ma interdisciplinary futures, ma international relations, ma international relations with quantitative methods, ma learning in communities, ma middle eastern studies, ma physical education, ma politics, ma politics with quantitative methods, ma politics, philosophy and economics, ma primary education with gaelic (fluent speakers), ma primary education with gaelic (learners), ma social anthropology, ma social anthropology and politics, ma social anthropology and social policy, ma social anthropology with development, ma social policy and economics, ma social policy and law, ma social policy and politics, ma social policy and sociology, ma social policy with quantitative methods, ma sociology, ma sociology and politics, ma sociology and psychology, ma sociology and social anthropology, ma sociology with quantitative methods, ma sustainable development.

Postgraduate programmes at the University of Edinburgh

We offer over 300 taught masters courses and 135 research areas . Study with us and you will enjoy expert teaching from leading academics, at a university respected globally for its innovation and research excellence. We also offer first-class facilities and support, in a city steeped in history and culture.

Quality teaching and research

The 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) rated 90% of our research activity as world-leading or internationally excellent, ranking us fourth in the UK based on the quality and breadth of our research.

All our postgraduates benefit from this inspiring research culture. The academics involved in your teaching and learning are leaders in their fields, and the University is dedicated to delivering high-quality, innovative teaching. The latest report from the Quality Assurance Agency awarded us the highest rating possible for the quality of the student learning experience. 

We offer a range of ways to study, from on-campus taught programmes to online part-time study. We are the largest provider of online distance learning in the Russell Group of UK research-intensive universities, and offer more than 70 online programmes .

Industry links and innovation

Edinburgh was one of the first UK universities to develop commercial links with industry, government and the professions. Our commercialisation office, Edinburgh Innovations , has helped to launch more than 500 companies since 1967. They can help you take your first step to market, whether its’s through collaborative research, licencing technology or providing consultancy services.

Funding and scholarships

Postgraduate study can be a significant financial commitment; however, the range of funding sources available may surprise you. We offer several postgraduate scholarships and studentships to outstanding candidates. Check our scholarships pages for details. 

Acoustics and Music Technology MSc

Advanced sustainable design msc, american history msc, ancient history msc, ancient worlds (archaeology and classics) (online learning) msc, applied linguistics msc, archaeology msc, archaeology mscr, architectural conservation msc, architectural and urban design msc, architecture mscr, architecture, landscape and environment msc, architecture, master of (arb/riba part 2) march arb pt 2, biblical studies mth, chinese mscr, classical art and archaeology msc, classics msc, classics mscr, collections and curating practices mscr, comparative literature msc, composition mmus, contemporary art practice ma, contemporary art theory ma, contemporary history msc, creative industries msc, creative writing msc, cultural studies mscr, design and digital media msc, design for change ma, developmental linguistics msc, digital media design (online learning) msc, east asian relations msc, english language msc, english language mscr, english literature mscr, english literature: literature and modernity: 1900 to the present msc, english literature: literature and society: enlightenment, romantic and victorian msc, european archaeology msc, european masters in landscape architecture, evolution of language and cognition msc, film directing ma, film studies msc, film, exhibition and curation msc, french mscr, german mscr, global premodern art: history, heritage and curation msc, globalised muslim world, the msc, graphic design ma, history (online learning) msc, history msc, history mscr, history of art mscr, history of art, theory and display, human osteoarchaeology msc, illustration ma, intellectual history msc, interior, architectural and spatial design ma, intermediality: literature, film and the arts in dialogue msc, islam and christian-muslim relations msc, islamic and middle eastern studies (imes) mscr, islamic and middle eastern studies msc, italian mscr, japanese mscr, korean studies mscr, landscape architecture mla, landscape and wellbeing msc, late antique, islamic and byzantine studies msc, linguistics msc, linguistics mscr, medieval history msc, medieval studies mscr, mediterranean archaeology msc, mind, language and embodied cognition msc, modern and contemporary art: history, curating and criticism msc, musicology mmus, narrative futures: art, data, society (online learning) msc, narrative futures: art, data, society msc, philosophy msc, philosophy mscr, philosophy, science and religion (online learning) msc, phonetics msc, playwriting msc, religion and literature mth, religious studies msc, russian mscr, science and religion msc, scottish ethnology mscr, scottish history msc, scottish history mscr, sound design msc, sound design mscr, speech and language processing msc, sustainable lands and cities msc, theology and religious studies mth by research, theology in history mth, translation studies msc, urban strategies and design msc, world christianity mth, accounting and finance msc, banking innovation and risk analytics msc, business analytics msc, climate change finance and investment msc, data and decision analytics (online learning) msc, economic and social history mscr, economics / economics (econometrics) / economics (finance) msc, entrepreneurship and innovation msc, finance msc, finance, technology and policy msc, financial modelling and optimization msc, global strategy & sustainability msc, management msc, management mscr, management of bioeconomy, innovation and governance msc, marketing msc, mathematical economics and econometrics msc, service management and design (online learning) msc, service management and design msc, advanced chemical engineering msc, advanced power engineering msc, advanced technology for financial computing msc, artificial intelligence msc, bioengineering mscr, cognitive science msc, computer science msc, cyber security, privacy and trust msc, data science msc, data and artificial intelligence ethics (online learning) msc, data and artificial intelligence ethics msc, data, inequality and society (online learning) msc, data, inequality and society msc, design informatics ma (eca), design informatics msc, digital communications mscr, digital design and manufacture msc, electrical power engineering msc, electronics msc, energy systems mscr, fire engineering science msc, future governance (online learning) msc, future governance msc, high performance computing (online learning) msc, high performance computing msc, high performance computing with data science (online learning) msc, high performance computing with data science msc, infrastructure and the environment mscr, integrated micro and nano systems (imns) mscr, international master of science in fire safety engineering msc, materials and processes mscr, sensor and imaging systems msc, signal processing and communications msc, sustainable energy systems msc, advanced clinical practice (online learning) mvetsci, advanced nursing (online learning) msc, advanced nursing msc, anatomical sciences (online learning), animal breeding and genetics msc, applied animal behaviour and animal welfare msc, applied conservation genetics with wildlife forensics (online learning) msc, applied medical image analysis (online learning), applied poultry science (online learning) msc, applied psychology (healthcare) for children and young people msc, biochemistry msc, biodiversity and taxonomy of plants msc, biodiversity, wildlife and ecosystem health (online learning) msc, bioinformatics msc, biomedical sciences (life sciences) mscr, biotechnology msc, cancer biology and precision oncology (online learning) msc, cardiovascular biology mscr, clinical anatomy msc, clinical animal behaviour (online learning) msc, clinical education (online learning) msc, clinical management of pain (online learning) msc, clinical microbiology and infectious diseases (online learning) msc, clinical ophthalmology (online learning) chm, clinical trials (online learning) msc, conservation medicine (online learning) mvetsci, counselling (interpersonal dialogue) mcouns, counselling mcouns, counselling studies msc, counselling studies mscr, critical care (online learning) msc, data science for biology msc, data science for health and social care (online learning) msc, developmental science msc, doctor of medicine md, drug discovery and translational biology msc, ecology, evolution and biodiversity msc, endodontology dclindent, epidemiology (online learning) msc, epistemology, ethics and mind (online learning) msc, equine science (online learning) msc, evolutionary genetics msc, family medicine (online learning) mfm, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (fasd) (online learning), general surgery (online learning) chm, global health challenges (online learning), global health policy msc, global health studies (online learning), global health and infectious diseases (online learning) msc, global mental health and society msc, health humanities and arts mscr, human anatomy msc, human cognitive neuropsychology msc, human complex trait genetics msc, imaging (online learning) msc, infectious diseases mscr, integrative biomedical sciences (based in china) mscr, internal medicine (online learning) msc, international animal health (online learning) msc, international animal welfare, ethics and law (online learning) msc, medical sciences mmedsci by research, mental health in children and young people: psychological approaches (online learning) msc, mental health in children and young people: psychological approaches msc, neuroimaging for research (online learning) msc, neurological rehabilitation and care (online learning), neuroscience (integrative neuroscience) mscr, nursing with pre-registration (adult) mn(t), one health (online learning) msc, orthodontics dclindent, pet-mr principles and applications (online learning), paediatric emergency medicine (online learning) msc, patient safety and clinical human factors (online learning) msc, physical activity for health msc, primary care ophthalmology (online learning) msc, 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The university of edinburgh: classics (phd).

Our Classics research group is one of the most significant clusters of scholars in the UK, working in all areas of the discipline: Greek and Latin language, literature and thought; Greek, Roman and Byzantine history; and classical archaeology from the Archaic period through to Late Antiquity.

Research topics

We welcome applications from anyone keen to work on topics that overlap with the research interests of our academic staff. Major research interests include:

Homer and early Greek poetry

Ancient philosophy

Greek drama

Hellenistic and Roman poetry

classical Greek and Hellenistic history

the ancient economy

Archaic and Classical Greek archaeology

Jewish history in the Hellenistic and Roman periods

Byzantine history and literature

the Greek East under Rome

the Hellenistic and Roman Near East

Roman imperial history

Greek literature of the Roman empire

late Roman literature and history

Christianity in the Roman empire

ancient slavery

ancient law

gender in antiquity

Greek sculpture

mythology in art

Roman and late antique archaeology

Research culture

Our research culture centres on the weekly research seminar which welcomes distinguished speakers in all fields of classics, one of the most high-profile and best-attended events of its type in the UK. Every year we host major international conferences (including the biennial conference on a Greek topic endowed by the Leventis Foundation, organised by an eminent visiting professor), as well as a wide range of one-day events.

Doctor of Philosophy - PhD

Full-time, 3 years started sep 2024.

Part-Time, 6 years started Sep 2024

Edinburgh. Extraordinary futures await.

The  University of Edinburgh  is one of the world's top universities, consistently ranked in the world top 50, and placed 27th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings. Our position as one of Britain’s leading research universities was reaffirmed by the results of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, ranked 4th in the UK for research power (Times Higher Education, Overall Ranking of Institutions), with 90% of our research activity classified as world leading or internationally excellent in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. Our …

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