Department of Classics, King's College London explained

Department of Classics,
King's College London
Parent:Faculty of Arts and Humanities, King's College London
Established:1831
Head Label:Head of Department
Head:Will Wootton
Location:Strand, London, United Kingdom
Website:Department of Classics

The Department of Classics is an academic division in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at King's College London. It is one of the oldest and most distinguished university departments specialising in the study of classical antiquity in the United Kingdom.[1] [2] [3]

History

Foundation

King's College was established in 1829 under the patronage of George IV.[4] Its royal charter outlined its mission as "the general education of youth in which the various branches of Literature and Science are intended to be taught, and also the doctrines and duties of Christianity [...] inculcated by the United Church of England and Ireland."[5] The College counted among its founders and benefactors the Duke of Wellington, who was Prime Minister at the time, and a number of other eminent politicians and theologians of the British Establishment.[6] [7] [8]

The College included a Chair of Classical Literature as part of its foundational setup. Classical subjects, along with Law, Literature and Theology, were therefore taught at King's from the day it first formally opened its doors in 1831. The inaugural Professor of Classical Literature was the English scholar Joseph Anstice, whose introductory lecture on the enduring significance of classical education marked the beginning of what is today the Classics Department.[9] [10]

The Tale of Troy

The Tale of Troy is the title given to a series of famous performances in London between 1883 and 1887.

George Charles Winter Warr, Professor of Classical Literature from 1879 to 1901, developed an adaptation of the Iliad and the Odyssey entitled The Tale of Troy. Four performances were scheduled in late May and early June 1883, two in English and two in the original Greek. The goal was to raise sufficient funds to secure premises in Kensington for the newly founded King's College Lectures for Ladies.[11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Although originally planned on a modest scale, the end product was a lavish spectacle staged in the South Kensington mansion of Sir Charles and Lady Freake. The plays were attended by prominent figures in scholarship, art, music, theatre and high society. The production was revived in May 1886, this time to raise funds for the extension of university teaching in London. This expanded version was moved to Prince's Hall in Piccadilly and included the story of Orestes, adapted from Aeschylus's Oresteian Trilogy. The Prince and Princess of Wales were also in attendance. The complete final version was published in 1887 under the title Echoes of Hellas with illustrations by Walter Crane.[11] [13] [14] [16]

The Koraes Chair

The Koraes Chair of Modern Greek and Byzantine History, Language and Literature was established at King's College in 1918 to serve as the focal point in Britain for Hellenic studies beyond antiquity.[17] It was championed by the likes of the Anglo-Hellenic League and by Eleftherios Venizelos, then Prime Minister of the Hellenic Parliament and a close friend of King's College Principal Ronald Montagu Burrows.[18] [19] Burrows was himself a famous classical scholar and philhellene.[20]

The Koraes Chair is named in honour of Adamantios Koraes, the founding father of the modern Greek nation state. Its inauguration also marked the beginning of the Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, which has itself since been merged into the Department of Classics.[21] [22] [23]

The Koraes Chair was recently held by Roderick Beaton for a thirty-year period from 1988 to 2018. It is currently held by the Belgian-American scholar Gonda Van Steen.[24]

Second World War

The Parthenon sculptures were hidden directly underneath the department in the tunnels of the now-disused Strand station during the Second World War. They were only brought back to the British Museum in nearby Bloomsbury in 1948, where they have remained since.[25] [26] [27]

The work of the original Chair of Classical Literature was split into two separate Chairs of Greek and Latin during this period.[28]

Modern Era

The Centre for Hellenic Studies (CHS) was established at the Department in 1989 to promote research and scholarship of Hellenic history, culture and language. On Greek Independence Day in 2010, plans were announced for the CHS to include teaching alongside its research activities. Under these new arrangements the CHS also came to incorporate the Department of Byzantine & Modern Greek Studies.[29]

A public dispute arose in 2010 over plans to axe the last Chair of Paleography in the United Kingdom and wider English speaking world.[30] Principal Rick Trainor announced the controversial plans as part of a College restructuring project.[31] The issue was debated as an Early Day Motion in Parliament.[32]

The British parliamentarian Boris Johnson visited the College in 2011 as Mayor of London to deliver a speech on the importance of classical education.[33] [34]

In 2014, the Centre for Hellenic Studies merged its teaching and research activities with the Department of Classics. The CHS continues to be a prominent research centre of its own in the Arts & Humanities Research Institute (AHRI).[35] [36]

Location

The Department of Classics is located on the historic Strand. It occupies a set of buildings at the corner of Surrey Street which are linked internally through a series of corridors and staircases. 169 Strand was purpose-built for College use in 1928 above the disused Strand station and features the old King's coat of arms on its facade. The Royal Strand Theatre stood on this site from 1832 until its demolition in 1905. 170 Strand contains offices, teaching rooms and the department common room with a balcony overlooking the street. 171 Strand is a corner house with retail operating on ground floor level. Academic offices extend along 39 to 41 Surrey Street.[27] [37]

The King's College London Rifle & Pistol Club (KCLRPC) has occupied the Strand underground tunnels beneath the department as their shooting range since the 1920s.[38]

The vaults at the rear of the Surrey Street buildings house the old Roman Baths on Strand Lane.[39] [40]

Reputation

In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014), the department ranked 7th out of 22 in the United Kingdom for research.[41] The Complete University Guide ranked Classics at King's as 11th nationally in 2019,[42] and in its 2022 Guide, it ranked Classics as 16th[43] and history (inclusive of ancient history) at 10th.[44] In 2018, the QS World University Rankings ranked the department at 5th nationally and 21st globally.[45] [46] In the Guardian University Guide, Classics & ancient history at King's was rated 22nd out of 26 in 2020,[47] rising to 15th out of 25 in 2021.[48]

Traditions

The King's Greek Play has been an annual tradition since 1953. It is the only dramatic production in the United Kingdom to be performed every year in the original ancient Greek language. The production has also previously toured America and Canada. The Department of Classics houses a physical archive of related materials and recordings.[49] [50] [51]

Every year on the first Thursday of February, the department hosts its annual Runciman Lecture named in honour of Sir Steven Runciman. The lectures were established in the early 1990s and funded in perpetuity by the Czech count and artist Nicholas Egon. The event is traditionally preceded by an Orthodox Vespers in the College Chapel on the Strand.[52] [53] [54]

The Jamie Rumble Memorial Fund was established in 2013 through a major donation from a former student. The Rumble Fund sponsors field trips where students have the opportunity to engage directly with the classical lands in their studies. Travel destinations have so far included Athens and Rome, with future trips to sites in Cyprus, Sicily, North Africa and Turkey proposed. The Rumble Fund also subsidises an annual guest lecture in classical art.[55] [56]

The Department of Classics also supports the Iris Project, an educational charity designed to promote study of the classical world to state schools in the United Kingdom. Students in the department have the opportunity to teach Latin to disadvantaged children.[57] [58] [59]

Student life in the department is administered by the Classics Society (formerly the Classical Society). The Society publishes a journal titled the New Satyrica. A new undergraduate research journal, Kerberos, was also launched in 2018. There is a common room at 170 Strand which previously housed the departmental library.[49] [60] [51] [61]

The Classics Society hosts an annual Winter Ball.[62]

People

There are a number of notable individuals associated with the Classics Department at King's.

Academics

Alumni

See also: List of King's College London alumni.

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.kcl.ac.uk/classics/about
  2. https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/profiles/units-of-assessment/29
  3. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ref-2021-classics
  4. Web site: King's Collections : Online Exhibitions : The Freemasons' Hall meeting: June 1828. www.kingscollections.org.
  5. Web site: The University of London: The Constituent Colleges - British History Online. www.british-history.ac.uk.
  6. Web site: King's College London - Foundation of the College. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  7. Web site: The University of London: The Founding Colleges. www.victorianweb.org.
  8. Web site: King's College London and its archives relating to the long eighteenth century. 20 January 2017.
  9. https://www.kcl.ac.uk/classics/about/history
  10. Web site: King's Collections : Calendars : Page 246. www.kingscollections.org.
  11. Web site: King's College London - The Tale of Troy. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110506203435/https://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/classics/about/hist/troy.aspx. 2011-05-06.
  12. Web site: King's Collections : Victorian Lives : Warr, George Charles Winter. 2021-01-22. kingscollections.org.
  13. Web site: Professor Warr's 'Tale of Troy'. Trapp. Michael.
  14. Benson, Mushri, and the First English "Oresteia". 29737302. Walton. J. Michael. Arion: A Journal of Humanities and the Classics. 2006. 14. 2. 49–68.
  15. Book: The tale of Troy: Scenes and tableaux from the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer: Represented at Cromwell House by permission of Sir Charles and Lady Freake: For the benefit of the Building Fund for the King's College lectures to ladies May 29 & 30 and June 4, 1883. Nineteenth Century Collections Online: British Politics and Society. 1883. Printed by Spottiswode & Co.
  16. 'Echoes of Hellas.' by Prof George C. Warr, with illustrations by Walter Crane. London: Marcus Ward & Co., 1887. £4 4s. 10.1017/S0009840X00193291. 1888. Jebb. R. C.. The Classical Review. 2. 8. 248–249. 162549578 .
  17. Web site: Info . 2017 . www.kcl.ac.uk .
  18. Web site: A Celebration of 100 Years of the Koraes Chair. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  19. Burrows, Ronald Montagu (1867–1920), classical scholar and university principal. 2004. 10.1093/ref:odnb/37248.
  20. News: A controversy revisited: Arnold Toynbee, the Koraes Chair, and the Western question in Greece and Turkey. talks.ox.ac.uk.
  21. Web site: King's College London - The Koraes Chair . Kcl.ac.uk . 2018-10-30 . 2019-01-31 . 14 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181014165334/https://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/ahri/centres/chs/about%20us/the-koraes-chair.aspx . dead .
  22. Web site: King's College London - Byzantium at King's . Kcl.ac.uk . 2019-01-31.
  23. Web site: King's Collections : Archive Catalogues : BYZANTINE AND MODERN GREEK: King's College London Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies records. www.kingscollections.org.
  24. Web site: King's College London - Professor Gonda Van Steen. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  25. News: How did the Elgin Marbles get here?. BBC News. 5 December 2014.
  26. News: Odyssey of our age, from the Acropolis to Aldwych station. Jack. Malvern. 5 December 2014. www.thetimes.co.uk.
  27. Web site: King's College London - Classics on the Strand. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  28. Web site: King's College London - People. www.kcl.ac.uk. 9 December 2018. 6 May 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110506203443/https://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/classics/about/hist/peop.aspx. dead.
  29. Web site: King's College London - News archive 2010 . Kcl.ac.uk . 2019-01-31.
  30. Web site: Writing was on the wall for palaeography chair. 21 October 2010. Times Higher Education (THE).
  31. Web site: It's Tuesday. Why Not Post Some Sad Paleography News.. Macy. Halford. 9 February 2010. www.newyorker.com.
  32. Web site: CHAIR OF PALAEOGRAPHY AT KING'S COLLEGE LONDON - Early Day Motions. edm.parliament.uk.
  33. Web site: King's College London - Boris Johnson praises Classics at King's. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  34. Web site: The Iris Project - Capital Classics. irisproject.org.uk.
  35. Web site: King's College London - Centre for Hellenic Studies merges with Classics. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  36. Web site: Greek News Agenda. www.greeknewsagenda.gr.
  37. Web site: Info . transact.westminster.gov.uk .
  38. Web site: Rifle. www.kclsu.org.
  39. Web site: Strand Lane 'Roman' baths. National Trust.
  40. Web site: Early C17 cistern to Old Somerset House (aka The Roman Bath), Non Civil Parish - 1237102 - Historic England. Historic. England. historicengland.org.uk.
  41. Web site: Results & submissions : REF 2014 : View results and submissions by UOA. results.ref.ac.uk.
  42. Web site: Top UK University League Tables and Rankings 2019. www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk.
  43. Web site: Classics Subject League Table 2022 . The Complete University Guide . 21 December 2021 . en.
  44. Web site: History Subject League Table 2022 . The Complete University Guide . 21 December 2021 . en.
  45. Web site: Top Universities for Classics & Ancient History in 2018. 28 February 2018. Top Universities.
  46. Web site: Classics & Ancient History. 22 February 2018. Top Universities.
  47. News: Best UK universities for classics & ancient history – league table . 21 December 2021 . The Guardian . 5 September 2020 . en.
  48. News: Best UK universities for classics & ancient history – league table . 21 December 2021 . The Guardian . 11 September 2021 . en.
  49. Web site: The Greek Play - King's College London. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  50. Web site: King's College Greek Play - Theatricalia. theatricalia.com.
  51. News: Obituary: Professor R. P. Winnington-Ingram. 5 February 1993. The Independent.
  52. Web site: Peter Brown to deliver Runciman Lecture, HELBI Kathimerini. 2021-01-22. www.ekathimerini.com. English.
  53. Web site: Arts & Humanities Research Institute King's College London. 2021-01-22. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  54. Web site: Event story King's Events King's College London. 2021-01-22. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  55. Web site: King's College London - The Jamie Rumble Memorial Fund. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  56. Web site: King's College London - New 'Jamie Rumble Travel Fund' to facilitate fully subsidised fieldtrips to Classical lands. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  57. Web site: The Iris Project - Mission Statement. irisproject.org.uk.
  58. Web site: The Iris Project - Our supporters. irisproject.org.uk.
  59. Web site: King's College London - The Iris Project. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  60. Web site: THE NEW SATYRICA. THE NEW SATYRICA.
  61. Web site: New Undergraduate Research Journal Launched at King's College. 11 August 2018. ΗΣΦ.
  62. Web site: Classics Society. www.kclsu.org.
  63. Web site: King's Collections : Calendars : Page 181. www.kingscollections.org.
  64. Web site: King's Collections : Victorian Lives : Warr, George Charles Winter. www.kingscollections.org.
  65. Web site: Arnold Toynbee - British historian. Encyclopedia Britannica.
  66. Web site: Edwyn Robert Bevan. 15 August 2014. The Gifford Lectures.
  67. Web site: King's Collections : Archive Catalogues : SCULLARD, Professor Howard Hayes (1903-1983). www.kingscollections.org.
  68. Web site: Professor Cyril Mango. The British Academy.
  69. Web site: Professor Donald Nicol. 23 October 2003. www.telegraph.co.uk.
  70. Web site: King's College London - Professor Alan Cameron, 1938-2017. www.kcl.ac.uk. 10 December 2018. 12 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141146/https://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/classics/newsrecords/2017/Professor-Alan-Cameron-1938-2017.aspx. dead.
  71. Web site: Professor Dame Averil Cameron - Faculty of Classics. www.classics.ox.ac.uk.
  72. News: Professor Geoffrey Waywell. 23 May 2016. www.thetimes.co.uk.
  73. Web site: Professor Roderick Beaton. The British Academy.
  74. Web site: Professor Michael Silk. The British Academy.
  75. Web site: Herrin, Judith - Encyclopedia.com. www.encyclopedia.com.
  76. Web site: King's College London - Professor Charlotte Roueche. www.kcl.ac.uk.
  77. Web site: King's College London - Professor William Fitzgerald . 2018-12-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181229173856/https://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/classics/people/academic/fitzgerald/index.aspx . 2018-12-29 . dead .
  78. Web site: Home. edithhall.co.uk.
  79. Web site: Reading Greece - Professor Gonda Van Steen on her lifelong fascination with all things Greek. www.greeknewsagenda.gr.
  80. Web site: Alex Beard — People — Royal Opera House. www.roh.org.uk.
  81. CHURCH, Alfred John. Who's Who. 1907. 59. 333.
  82. News: The Right Rev Anthony Crockett: Forthright Bishop of Bangor. 11 July 2008. The Independent.
  83. Web site: Memorial . www.pc-alumni.co.uk .
  84. Web site: Is Dorothy King going to help the British Museum keep the Elgin Marbles?. 16 November 2003.
  85. Web site: Edward Perchard. Resource Magazine.
  86. Web site: Our Team - Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra. monteverdi.co.uk.
  87. Web site: Francesca Spiegel - Humboldt Universität zu Berlin - Academia.edu. hu-berlin.academia.edu.
  88. Web site: Faulty Towers - Jack Baldwin - Interactive Theatre International. www.torquaysuitetheatre.com.
  89. Web site: Directors. 9 October 2014.
  90. Web site: Jacob Klein - Philosophy Faculty - Colgate University. www.colgate.edu.
  91. Web site: About me. John Manners-Bell.
  92. Web site: John Psaropoulos - Al Jazeera. www.aljazeera.com.
  93. Web site: Dr Julia Jordan. UCL. 30 April 2018. UCL English.
  94. Web site: MARIE LOUISE COOKSON Mash Stories.
  95. Web site: Shiel Obituary, The Times, February 20, 1947. www.alangullette.com.
  96. Web site: Conservatoire Conversations – Nona Shepphard and Antonia Gillum-Webb.
  97. Web site: Friston Baptist Chapel Website. www.fristonbaptistsuffolk.org.uk.
  98. Web site: Secularism is not a strong foundation for British society, says Bishop Egan. 11 March 2014. Catholic Herald.
  99. Web site: Ralph Jackman - The Author. www.ralphjackman.net.
  100. Web site: Roger Bland - The British Museum - Academia.edu. britishmuseum.academia.edu.
  101. Web site: Notable alumni - Virginia Woolf - King's Alumni Community. alumni.kcl.ac.uk.

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