Classics at the University of Cape Town has well-established research strengths in the areas of Roman historiography, material culture, Greek and Latin poetry, ancient philosophy, and the history of classical scholarship in Africa. Each year we host a number of visiting academics who contribute regularly to the School's weekly research seminar series and we welcome applications from prospective postgraduates and postdoctoral researchers interested in basing themselves at UCT.

Selected Publications

Our research projects and interests are best shown by our recent publications. Open the link below to view a selection of monographs authored or edited by our academic staff and research affiliates.

Distinguished Visiting Scholar Programme

In most years, the distinguished visiting scholar (DVS) programme brings a leading classicist to the University of Cape Town for a few weeks. The DVS usually delivers a set of undergraduate lectures, hosts a workshop for staff and postgraduate students on a chosen theme, and gives the Mezzabotta Memorial Lecture. The first Mezzabotta Memorial Lecture was delivered by Marianne McDonald and Athol Fugard in 2006. 

Below is a list of academics who have visited UCT Classics in recent years, some under the DVS programme:

  • list of recent visitors

     

    2025: Alan Ross (Ohio)

    2024: Aneurin Ellis-Evans (Oxford); Tanja Itgenshorst (Fribourg); John Rist (Toronto)

    2023: Mark Bradley (Nottingham); Emily Gowers (Cambridge); Andrew Gregory (UCL); Nicola Terrenato (Michigan); Henriette van der Blom (Birmingham)

    Invited conference speakers (CASA Conference): Mary Beard (Cambridge); Stephen Harrison (Oxford); Elizabeth Irwin (Columbia)

    Invited conference speaker (Cohabitation, Cooperation, and Conquest in Archaic and Early Roman Italy): Nicola Terrenato (Michigan)

    2022: Stephen Harrison (Oxford); Matthew Wright (Exeter) (postponed)

    2021: Anna Frieda Kuhn (Würzburg)

    2019: Julia Annas (Arizona); Gavin Kelly (Edinburgh); Eduardo Sánchez-Moreno (Madrid); Roberta Stewart (Dartmouth College)

    2018: Victor Castellani (Denver); Elizabeth Baynham (Newcastle, Australia); Grant Parker (Stanford); Daniel Ogden (Exeter); Robert Tordoff (York, Toronto); Rudolf Wachter (Basel)

    2017: Invited conference speakers (Valerius Maximus: 25 years after Bloomer): Alain M. Gowing (Washington); Rebecca Langlands (Exeter)

    2016: Diederik Burgersdijk (Amsterdam); Grant Parker (Stanford); Rolf Schneider (Munich); Thomas Wade Richardson (Victoria, Canada)

    2015: Richard Evans (UNISA)

    2014: Ewen Bowie (Oxford); Robert Tordoff (York, Toronto)

    2013: Matthew Trundle (Auckland)

    2011: Stephen Harrison (Oxford); Gunnar Seelentag (Cologne)

    2010: Grant Parker (Stanford); Rolf Schneider (Munich)

    2009: Rolf Schneider (Munich)

    2008: Kurt Raaflaub (Brown); Deborah Boedeker (Brown)

    2007: Invited conference speakers (CASA Conference): Mario Capasso (Lecce, Italy); Simon Hornblower (UCL)

    2006: Richard Seaford (Exeter)

    2004: Dominic Berry (Leeds); Alexandra Lesk (Nottingham)

    2003: Miriam Griffin (Oxford); Andreas Bendlin (Erfurt)

    2001: Daniel Ogden (Exeter)

    1998: Grant Parker (Princeton); Heinrich Von Staden (Princeton)

    1997: Anthony Boyle (California); Susanna Braund (Royal Holloway, London); Julia Frane (USA, independent classical archaeologist); Robert Lamberton (Princeton); Johannes Spruit (Utrecht); Pierre Vidal-Naquet (Paris, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales)

    1996: Elizabeth Craik (St Andrews); John Hale (Louisville, Kentucky)

    1995: G. Karl Galinsky (Austin, Texas); Stephen Harrison (Oxford); Kevin Lee (Sydney); Harold B. Mattingly (Leeds); Erika Simon (Würzburg)

    1994: James Ilevbare (Ibadan)

    1993: Mortimer Chambers (California); David Konstan (Brown); Barbara Levick (Oxford); Maurice Pope (Oxford, formerly UCT); Nicholas Purcell (Oxford)

    1992: W. Geoffrey Arnott (Leeds)

    1991: Jan Bremmer (Groningen)

    Invited conference speakers (CASA Conference): Jan Bremmer (Groningen); Gabriele Thome (Munich)

    1990: Wolfgang Kullmann (Freiburg im Breisgau); Enoch Powell (MP)

    1987: John Crook (Cambridge); Peter George (St Andrews); Jasper Griffin (Oxford); Harry Jocelyn (Manchester); John Killen (Cambridge); Joyce Reynolds (Cambridge); Klaus Rosen (Heidelberg); Ronald Syme (Oxford)

    Invited conference speaker (The 1987 Cape Town Linear B Symposium): John Killen (Cambridge)

    1985: Kenneth Dover (St Andrews); Pat Easterling (Cambridge); John Luce (Dublin); Ronald Syme (Oxford); Michael Winterbottom (Oxford)

    1984: Albrecht Dihle (Heidelberg); Ronald Syme (Oxford); Κ. D. White (Reading)

    1983: Michael Winterbottom (Oxford)

    1981: Clive Foss (Boston); Frank Goodyear (London)

    1975: Mary Smallwood (Queen’s, Belfast)

    1969: Kathleen Atkinson (Queen’s, Belfast)

    1967: H. D. F. Kitto (Bristol); Mary Smallwood (Queen’s, Belfast)

    1965: Ernst Badian (Durham); Willem den Boer (Leiden)

Seminars and Reading Groups

Classics Seminar Series 

During term time, Classics runs a regular research seminar series. If you would like to be added to the mailing list for Classics seminars and events, contact Matthew Shelton.

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Postgraduate ergasterion

Towards the end of the year, we hold a work-in-progress workshop, or ergasterion, for postgraduate students in Classics. This is a relaxed and supportive space for honours, masters, and doctoral students to give short presentations of their research to peers and colleagues in the discipline. Participation is voluntary, and students are encouraged to give particular focus to the most challenging aspects of their projects.  

Ancient Literature Reading Group

The Ancient Literature Reading Group (ALRG) meets weekly during term time to discuss ancient literary texts both in translation and in their original language. We welcome anyone who is interested in ancient literature: for example, students and scholars of Classics, literature, history, philosophy, or other relevant disciplines. We read selected ancient literary texts, always accompanied by an English translation, and discuss prepared sections of the text at each meeting. Discussion focuses on points of philosophical, literary, or historical interest. Although some discussion might include points of textual or grammatical interest, knowledge of Greek, Latin, or any other ancient language is not required. Each term we will select a new focus based on feedback from the group. Please contact Lora Botha, Kate McLachlan, or Alexa Shneier for more information.

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Ancient Philosophy Reading Group

The Ancient Philosophy Reading Group (APRG) meets weekly during term time and is made up of classicists, philosophers, and anyone who is interested in ancient philosophy. We read selected texts in English translation and typically discuss prepared sections of the text at each meeting. Members sometimes take it in turns to chair each session, leading the discussion on points of philosophical, literary, or historical interest. Sometimes we refer to the original text, but knowledge of Greek or Latin is not required. For more information, contact Tom Angier or Matthew Shelton.

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