I. Purpose

The library's collections in Classical Studies support a wide range of graduate and undergraduate programs embracing all aspects of Greek and Roman literature and civilizations.

The graduate program in Classics, leading to the masters or doctoral degree, is both departmental and interdepartmental. Departmental programs emphasize ancient literature, philology, history, papyrology, epigraphy, law, and palaeography. Interdepartmental programs in classical art and archaeology are supported mainly by the Marquand Library. Since Sanskrit is taught by the classics department, there is collecting in Indo-European linguistics in general and in Vedic Sanskrit -- language, grammar, texts, commentaries, lexicography, metrics -- in particular.

The collection further supports a number of programs where the literatures of Greece and Rome are studied in translation such as in the Classics Department itself, Comparative Literature, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Linguistics, English, French and Italian, Hellenic Studies, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Ancient World and, to some extent, Art History, Architecture, Anthropology, and Archaeology.

II. Scope

A. Language

The collection consists principally of primary texts in classical Latin and Greek and critical works in the major European languages. However, other ancient languages such as those of Asia Minor (e.g. Phrygian, Lycian), the Sanskrit and Etruscan languages are also
collected. The literature of antiquity includes all branches of knowledge: Historical, philosophical and scientific treatises are acquired as well as literary texts.

Criticism that is part of the literature of classical studies is collected in the original Greek or Latin and is considered primary text. Modern criticism, including literary history and theory, is acquired chiefly in English, German, Italian, French, and Spanish; in other languages primarily where English translation is not available.

B. Geographic Areas

Included are regions governed or influenced by ancient Greece and Rome.

C. Chronological Periods

The classics collection spans the periods from the 8th century B.C.E. through the 5th century C.E. (the fall of the Roman Empire) in the west and to 1453 in the east. Bronze Age (Minoan and Mycenaean) materials are collected chiefly by the Marquand Library; however, major and important treatises in these areas are acquired for the circulating collection in Firestone. Primary source materials in the Greek and Latin literatures of the Middle Ages are acquired both in the original languages and, where available, in translation. Also collected are significant scholarly treatises on the literature of the Middle Ages. Scholarly research on the history (including some titles in the history of art) of classical antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Byzantine period are collected in support of programs in Classics, History, Hellenic Studies, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, and Art and Archaeology. Medieval texts are collected chiefly by the bibliographers for
History, French, Italian, and German

III. Types of materials

A. Included

Monographs, monographic series, serials, proceedings, facsimiles, reprints, Festschriften, microforms, electronic media (including electronic texts), and video recordings. Exhibition catalogs, sound recordings, and dissertations are acquired selectively.

B. Excluded

Maps, graphs, manuscripts, ephemera, posters, most textbooks.

IV. Strengths

Holdings for Classical Studies in Firestone, supplemented by the Marquand Library in the areas of ancient art and archaeology, represent a very significant scholarly resource. The Classics Department at Princeton is among the largest and most distingished in the country.

Material in classics has been collected since the library's inception. The retrospective collection is excellent in primary classical texts and in critical works in western European languages. Consequently, there is not a strong need for retrospective collecting: however some retrospective collection building for the latter years of the 1990's-2001 is currently being undertaken.

The bulk of the classics materials are shelved in a separate "Clas" designation and in the rooms for graduate study in the Firestone Library. The Graduate Study Rooms contain primary sources, critical studies, and reference works in the Ancient Greek and Latin literatures and languages, epigraphy, papyrology, numismatics, palaeography, law, science, religion, and history.

Some Byzantine reference material is housed in the Hellenic Studies Study Room and the collections of Byzantine materials housed in Firestone and the Marquand libraries are very strong.

The library provides access to a number of databases for the study of primary texts in classical and Byzantine/Medieval studies such as the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae, the Packard Humanities Institute's databases, Acta Sanctorum, Patrologia Latina, Anselm's Opera Omnia, the works of Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas in English translation as well as a large number of related indexes such as l'Année Philologique, Dyabola, and International Medieval Bibliography.

The Manuscript Division collects codices of texts of classical authors and Greek papyri. The Rare Books Division houses outstanding collections of Horace and Vergil and collects early editions of other classical authors, both in the original and in translation. It further maintains a Greek and Roman coin collection of some 10,000 coins.

The University Art Museum possesses a fine collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, including early ceramics, small bronzes, coins, and mosaics.

Access to classics-related materials is strengthened by the libraries of the Princeton Theological Seminary for patristic Greek and Latin and the Institute for Advanced Study.

Continuing efforts will focus on the development of a collection very strong in major and many minor editions of primary texts and in criticism. Because of interest in interdisciplinary research as represented by, for example, programs in the Ancient World and in Medieval Studies efforts to acquire materials in all aspects of antiquity are necessary. This interest also includes the geographic areas of the Near East, Egypt, and Anatolia, the collecting of which is the responsibility of the Near East Curator.

V. Subjects and Desired Levels of Collecting

PA 201-899    Greek philology and language                                    4
PA 2001-2915  Latin philology and language                                    4
PA 3050-4505  Greek literature                                                       4
PA 6001-6971   Latin literature                                                        4
PA 5000-5660   Byzantine literature                                                 4
PA 8001-8595  Medieval & Modern Latin literature                         4
PA 3300-3367  Papyri and papyrology                                            4
PK 201-976      Vedic Sanskrit                                                        4
PK 3591-4485  Sanskrit Literature                                                  4
DF 10-289        Ancient Greece -- history                                        4
DF 275-289      Local history and description                                   3
 DG 11-365      Ancient Italy -- history                                             4
 DG 221-225    Etruscan language and history                                  3
 DF 501-649    Byzantine Empire, 323-1453                                   4
 CJ 5581-5690 Numismatics -- ancient                                            3
 CN 120-740   Epigraphy -- ancient                                                 4
 B 108-708      Philosophy -- ancient                                                4
 JC 51-93        Political science -- ancient                                         4
 KJA 2-3660   Ancient law                                                              3/4
 

Last Updated: December 2004