Classical Philology

Founded in the year 1810, the Classics Department at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin looks back on a long and illustrious past. Though this is not the place to elaborate on the subject’s history, the names of the scholars that worked and taught at the Berlin University - such as Friedrich August Wolf, August Boeckh and Theodor Mommsen in the 19th century, as well as Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, Hermann Diels and Eduard Norden in the early 20th century - attest to the department’s reputation in the field. For the more recent years particularly Werner Jaeger, who migrated to the US in 1936, and Wolfgang Schadewaldt, who taught at our university from 1941 to 1950, are worth mentioning.

The subject’s long tradition is mirrored in the classics collection at the University Library which, though it hasn’t grown without interruptions since the early 19th century, provides a solid basis for research and teaching.

Further information on the Holdings can be found at Subject Holdings.