{"id":2421,"date":"2026-04-30T19:57:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T19:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/?page_id=2421"},"modified":"2026-08-27T20:27:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T20:27:00","slug":"classics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/","title":{"rendered":"Classical Mediterranean and Middle East"},"content":{"rendered":"<section   class=\"callout-resource block-container callout-resource--inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-resource__inner\">\n        <div class=\"callout-resource__lockup-column\">\n            <div class=\"callout-resource__lockup\">\n                <div class=\"base-lockup\">\n\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t        <p class=\"base-lockup__copy\">The Classical Mediterranean and Middle East (CMME) program connects the past to the present in ways that might surprise you. When you study the ancient world, you\u2019re really studying how humans have argued, dreamed, loved, and led for thousands of years.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"callout-resource__content-column\">\n            <ul class=\"callout-resource__links-container\">\n                                    <li class=\"callout-resource__link\">\n                        <a class=\"base-cta-featured\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/facultystaff\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    Meet Our Faculty and Staff\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"base-symbol base-cta-featured__arrow\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    <use xlink:href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/svgs\/symbol-arrow.svg#icon\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                    <li class=\"callout-resource__link\">\n                        <a class=\"base-cta-featured\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/majorsminors\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    Classics Major and Minor Requirements\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"base-symbol base-cta-featured__arrow\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    <use xlink:href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/svgs\/symbol-arrow.svg#icon\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                    <li class=\"callout-resource__link\">\n                        <a class=\"base-cta-featured\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/courses\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    Explore Classics Courses\n\t\t\t\t\t\t    <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"base-symbol base-cta-featured__arrow\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    <use xlink:href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/svgs\/symbol-arrow.svg#icon\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where Past Meets Present<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Classical languages are not just relics of the past: Latin and Biblical Hebrew continue to shape liturgy and religious life today, while Arabic, studied in its classical and modern forms, remains a living, global language used in diplomacy, media, literature, and everyday communication across more than twenty countries. In our department, the ancient and the modern speak to one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you sharpen skills that matter everywhere: arguing a case, writing with precision, learning languages, working in teams. Recent grads have earned Fulbright grants, pursued medical and law degrees, and landed at places like the World Bank, Brookings Institution, and the Smithsonian.<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"context-image block-container context-image--left\" >\n    <div class=\"context-image__inner\">\n        <div class=\"context-image__image-column\">\n            <div class=\"context-image__image-wrapper\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"context-image__texture\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/images\/texture-context-image.png\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Group of students looking at an ancient site\" class=\"context-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/08\/class-at-the-forum-cropped.jpg\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"context-image__text-column\">\n            <div class=\"base-lockup\">\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">The Mediterranean is our classroom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <p class=\"base-lockup__copy\">Our idea of \u201cfieldwork\u201d isn\u2019t sitting in a library. It\u2019s standing among ruins in Greece, exploring mosaics in Morocco, or excavating archaeological sites in Israel. (Though we do love a good library.) <br><br>Closer to home? Analyze ancient art at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, dive into manuscripts at the Hill Museum &#038; Manuscript Library, or attend plays and cultural events in the Twin Cities.<\/p>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"context-image block-container context-image--right\" >\n    <div class=\"context-image__inner\">\n        <div class=\"context-image__image-column\">\n            <div class=\"context-image__image-wrapper\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"context-image__texture\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/images\/texture-context-image.png\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Professor sits on a desk in front of a classroom and teaches seated students\" class=\"context-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/02\/cmme-languages.jpg\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"context-image__text-column\">\n            <div class=\"base-lockup\">\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">Languages that open worlds<\/h2>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <p class=\"base-lockup__copy\">Some programs focus on Greek and Latin. We go further. At Mac, you can also study Hebrew and Arabic. You can explore ancient and modern culture, art, religion, and history through these four languages. Read the Bible, Homer\u2019s epics, and works by Virgil and Plato in their original languages. Discover how the language of the Qur\u2019an informs Arabic culture and literature of today\u2019s world. <br><br>Language is the gateway. Culture, art, religion, and history? That\u2019s what you\u2019ll explore once you step through.<\/p>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"context-image block-container context-image--left\" >\n    <div class=\"context-image__inner\">\n        <div class=\"context-image__image-column\">\n            <div class=\"context-image__image-wrapper\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"context-image__texture\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/images\/texture-context-image.png\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Students conducting an archaeological dig\" class=\"context-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2024\/04\/Copy-of-temple2-e1713201027208.jpg\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"context-image__text-column\">\n            <div class=\"base-lockup\">\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">Archaeology in Action<\/h2>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <p class=\"base-lockup__copy\">Archaeology is another hallmark of our program. We excavate with our students all over the world, in such places as Ukraine, Greece, Israel, and Turkey. You\u2019ll use cutting-edge technology in archaeology: flying drones to map sites, 3D printing replicas of artifacts, and visualizing excavation in the digital age. We offer funded summer research opportunities.<\/p>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"callout-quote block-container\" >\n    <div class=\"callout-quote__inner\">\n        <div class=\"callout-quote__container\">\n            <div class=\"callout-quote__image-column\">\n                <div class=\"callout-quote__image-wrapper callout-quote__image-wrapper--landscape\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\"\n                        src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/05\/Franki-Gillis-20-mobile.jpg\"\n                        alt=\"Franki Gillis\"\n                        class=\"callout-quote__image\"\n                    >\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"callout-quote__image-wrapper callout-quote__image-wrapper--portrait\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\"\n                        src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/05\/Franki-Gillis-20-scaled-1.jpg\"\n                        alt=\"Franki Gillis\"\n                        class=\"callout-quote__image\"\n                    >\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"callout-quote__text-column\">\n                <blockquote class=\"callout-quote__quote\">Archaeology is very much a mix between the humanities and sciences, which I think is really nice. The variety of classes at Mac made so many things possible for me.<\/blockquote>\n                <cite class=\"callout-quote__name\">Franki Gillis &#8217;20<\/cite>\n                                \t<cite class=\"callout-quote__title\">Geoarcheologist at Vindolanda Trust, classical Mediterranean and Middle East major and geology minor<\/cite>\n                                \t                <div class=\"callout-quote__cta\">\n\t                    <a class=\"base-cta-secondary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/alumni-pathways\/franki-gillis-20-2\/\" target=\"_self\">Read Franki&#8217;s story<\/a>\n\t                <\/div>\n                                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-quote__ornament\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/svgs\/texture-quote.svg\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"statistic-group block-container\" >\n\t<div class=\"statistic-group__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__header-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">Classical Mediterranean and Middle East in the Cities<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stats\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"statistic-group__stat-heading\">55<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"statistic-group__stat-copy\">Museums in the metro area, including class visits and projects with the Minneapolis Institute of Art<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tickets icon\" class=\"statistic-group__stat-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/03\/Classics-tickets-1.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"statistic-group__stat-copy\">Field trips to examine ancient manuscripts, see Greek plays or Latin comedies, visit mosques,  or attend the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"statistic-group__stat-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"statistic-group__stat-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/03\/Classics-museum-2.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"statistic-group__stat-copy\">Students intern at museums, historical societies, Nova Classical Academy, The Advocates for Human Rights, and the MN Council of Nonprofits<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"context-image block-container context-image--right\" >\n    <div class=\"context-image__inner\">\n        <div class=\"context-image__image-column\">\n            <div class=\"context-image__image-wrapper\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"context-image__texture\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/macalester-2020\/dist\/images\/texture-context-image.png\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Arabic House residents sit around a table full of food for iftar\" class=\"context-image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/02\/cmme-community.jpg\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"context-image__text-column\">\n            <div class=\"base-lockup\">\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <h2 class=\"base-lockup__heading\">Join our community<\/h2>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t        <p class=\"base-lockup__copy\"><ul>\r\n<li><strong>Live the language.<\/strong> Apply to the Arabic House to immerse yourself in Arabic and live with fellow language lovers. Not living there? Join the weekly events and lunches. Everyone\u2019s welcome to hang out and practice their conversational Arabic.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Cookie party, anyone?<\/strong> End your semester the sweet way by decorating cookies with your classmates and professors. The Classics Cookie Party has been a tradition for over 20 years.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Try it out!<\/strong> Sample a language course, the sweeping Classics 101, or Intro to Archaeology.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/p>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t    \t\t\t<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"callout-featured-media block-container\"\n >\n    <div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-featured-media__accent callout-featured-media__accent--cyan\"><\/div>\n    <div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-featured-media__accent callout-featured-media__accent--red\"><\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-row\">\n        <div class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-column\">\n                    <div class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup\">\n                                                    <h2 class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-heading\">Are you a future CMME major at Mac?<\/h2>\n                                                    <p class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-copy\">If you&#8217;re considering Mac, let us know. We&#8217;ll keep you up to date on application deadlines and visit opportunities.<\/p>\n                                                    <ul class=\"callout-featured-media__lockup-cta\">\n                                                    <li class=\"callout-featured-media__cta-item\">\n                                <a class=\"base-cta-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/admissions\/request-information\/\" target=\"_self\">Introduce Yourself<\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n                                                                    <\/ul>\n                            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n            <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Five students stand in front of a temple in Petra, Jordan\" class=\"base-background-media base-background-media--image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/02\/cmme-welcome-photo-crop-5-960x0-c-default.jpg\" srcset=\"        https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/02\/cmme-welcome-photo-crop-5-720x0-c-default.jpg     480w,         https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/02\/cmme-welcome-photo-crop-5-960x0-c-default.jpg     720w,         https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/02\/cmme-welcome-photo-crop-5-1280x0-c-default.jpg    960w,         https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/02\/cmme-welcome-photo-crop-5-1440x0-c-default.jpg    1280w,         https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/561\/2026\/02\/cmme-welcome-photo-crop-5-1920x0-c-default.jpg    1440w            \">\n    \n    \n        <span class=\"base-background-media__overlay\"><\/span>\n    \n        <div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-featured-media__accent callout-featured-media__accent--yellow-long\"><\/div>\n    <div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"callout-featured-media__accent callout-featured-media__accent--yellow-short\"><\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Where Past Meets Present Classical languages are not just relics of the past: Latin and Biblical Hebrew continue to shape liturgy and religious life today, while Arabic, studied in its classical and modern forms, remains a living, global language used in diplomacy, media, literature, and everyday communication across more than twenty countries. In our department, [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":875,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template_2020_level_2.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2421","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/875"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2421"}],"version-history":[{"count":79,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2421\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2713,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2421\/revisions\/2713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/classics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}