Classics#Philology

The Classical Philology (including classics ) is the philology, dealing with the two ( "classical " consideration ) languages ​​Latin and Greek, as well as literary evidence of the Greek and Roman antiquity busy. They can be divided into Gräzistik (Ancient Greek Philology ) and Latin Studies ( Latin Philology ).

Term

While the word classical has been based in the English-speaking world since the late 16th century to the ancient Greek and Latin authors, this use was in the German language on until much later.

The oldest known evidence comes in Erduin Julius Koch 1792 in Halle before. The official name " Classical Philology " for Latin Studies and Gräzistik first appears in 1803 as " altclassische philology " in the course catalog at the University of Dorpat. Karl Morgenstern is the first of this term as " Prof. of eloquence and altclassischen philology, aesthetics and literature and art " was wearing.

Area of ​​responsibility

The Classical philology - in addition to archeology and ancient history - a branch of classical archeology. The area covered by the classics range covers the period from the beginning of Greek literature ( Homer, Hesiod ) in the late 8th century BC to the widespread extinction of the late antique literature around the year 600 AD

It should be noted that classical philology in addition to the artistic- literary texts of poetry, epic poetry, drama and prose unlike the Modern Languages ​​Literature also discusses philosophical, historiographical and even scientific texts. Not to classical philology count the study of Greek or Latin remnant texts, ie texts use pure non-literary provenance that can be found in papyri, inscriptions or legends on coins. For these written documents there are the papyrology Sciences, numismatics and epigraphy, which in turn are assigned as auxiliary sciences of ancient history. Related disciplines are the Medieval Latin Philology and Byzantine Studies.

The old term " Classical Philology " can now be found in many cases replaced by the term " classics ". Even the largest German Association organized a "classic " German philologists say Altphilologenverband (DAV).

Study and career options

Latin and Greek can be studied at most German universities full, as they are part of the traditional canon of subjects and also in all the provinces high school teachers need to be trained for these subjects. At the universities, the term " Classical Philology " than traditional collective term for the subjects of Latin Philology and Greek philology is common, but there is usually no actual program " Classical Philology "; you can enroll in one of the two compartments, or for both. At some universities, but a promotion is only in "Classical Philology " possible; habilitation can one then usually only in Latin and Greek philology, even if professors almost always focus one of the two languages ​​to the object.

Career Options for Classical philologists are primarily the teaching profession ( teacher of Latin or Greek) and higher service. In very limited circumstances, there are employment opportunities in publishing or archives. In particular, because of the high number of retirements of Latin teachers in recent years and the renewed and increased demand of the students after teaching Latin is Latin still a relatively high number of students, because at least for the next 5-10 years pretty good attitude prospects for future Latin teachers seem to offer. Because of the long period of strong (in the meantime, however, lower ) decline of Greek lessons in the schools, there are other, much less students studying Greek.