Classics: Useful Research Materials

Introduction

The Classics collections are in the Brotherton Library. They include works published from 1613 to the present day, with well over two-thirds of the collection dating from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The main subjects covered include:

• Antiquities
• Tombs
• Excavations
• Mythology
• Latin and Greek manuscripts in the series "Codices graeci et latini photographice depicti"

Supporting material includes

• bibliographies & catalogues
• biographical and other reference works
• monographs
• long sets of scholarly journals

The Library continues to make extensive purchases of sources and supporting material, so as to maintain a leading research collection.

A selection of major research sources has been listed below.
Abbreviations: [co] = photocopy or other copy; [mf] = microform; [ms] = manuscript or typescript; [rep] = reprint.

Enquiries about the Library's resources for research should be sent by email to r.a.robinson@leeds.ac.uk.

General Collections

There are a variety of collections that cover primary material from the ancient world.

• The Bude Collection texts
  Established according to the most significant recognised manuscripts and constitute true critical editions. They comprise a short critical apparatus, justifying the text which is given.
• The Loeb Classical Library
  Covers original texts, including epic and lyric poetry; tragedy and comedy; history; medical writers and mathematicians; and some Church fathers, in which an up-to-date text and accurate and literate English translation face each other page by page. The editors provide introductions as well as essential critical and explanatory notes and selective bibliographies. These are found at various shelfmarks at both the Brotherton and the Edward Boyle libraries.
• Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubnerianan
  Authoritative editions of classical Latin and Greek texts for research and teaching.

Papyrology & Epigraphy

There are many collections of Greek and Latin papyrology and epigraphy. These include:

• Cavenaile, R. Corpus Papyrorum Latinarum
  350 Latin texts - literary, documentary and legal.
• Wessely, C. Corpus Papyrorum Raineri
  Greek papyri.
• Inscriptiones Graecae
  Planned on a geographical system. Its first volumes deal with Attica, and the rest with the remainder of Greece, Italy and the western provinces of the Roman Empire.
• Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
  Comprehensive collection of ancient Latin inscriptions. The descriptions include images of the original inscription if available, drawings showing the letters in their original size and position, and an interpretation reconstructing abbreviations and missing words, along with discussion of issues and problems.

Numismatics

There are many printed sources covering coins in both the Greek and Roman periods. Amongst the more academically accessible are:

• Jenkins, G. Ancient Greek coins
  A guide to Greek coinage up to the Roman conquest
• Head, B. Historia Numorum : a manual of Greek numismatics
  Classic reference for Greek Coins
• Mattingly, H. Roman coins from the earliest times to the fall of the western empire
  General handbook on Roman coins

Art & Architecture

There are many different types of Greek and Roman art. This section is divided up into general sources on art, and then into specific subjects e.g. sculpture and pottery. Good sources for architecture are then covered.

• Burn, L. The British Museum book of Greek and Roman art

Greek Art

• Pollitt, J.J. The art of ancient Greece: sources and documents
  A comprehensive collection in translation of ancient literary evidence relating to Greek sculpture, painting, architecture, and the decorative arts.
• Woodford, S. An introduction to Greek art
  Shows and discusses Greek sculpture produced between the eighth and fourth centuries B.C., looks at the development of Greek art, and describes various types of vases and their decoration.

Roman Art

• Pollitt, J.J. The art of Rome, c. 753 B.C.-337 A.D. : sources and documents
  A comprehensive collection of ancient literary evidence on Roman art and artists.

Greek Sculpture

• Gardner, E. A. A handbook of Greek sculpture
• Boardman, J. Greek Sculpture, Archaic Period
  Fully illustrated handbook.
• Ashmole, B. A Architect and Sculptor in Ancient Greece
  For Olympia, Parthenon and Mausoleum.
• Bieber, M. The Sculpture of the Hellenistic Age

Roman Sculpture

• Kleiner, D. Roman Sculpture
• Koch, G. & Sichtermann, H. Römische Sarkophage

Pottery

• Beazley, J. D. Attic Black-Figure Vase-Painters and Attic Red-Figure Vase-Painters
  The definitive works on Greek pottery.
• Boardman, J. Athenian Black Figure Vases and Athenian Red-Figure Vases
  Well-illustrated source material for vases.

Architecture

• Gruben, G., Hirmer, M. Die Tempel der Griechen
  For full studies of individual buildings.
• Lauter, H. Die Architektur des Hellenismus
• Ward-Perkins, J. B. Roman Imperial Architecture
  A clear and comprehensive survey.

Politics

Sources include:

• Rhodes, P.J., Lewis, D. M. The decrees of the Greek states
  Evidence for decrees through which the states of the ancient Greek world were governed. The evidence is used to study the decision-making procedures and the extent to which the citizens were actively involved.
• Lintott, A. Imperium Romanum : politics and administration
• Scullard, H. H. Roman politics, 220-150 B.C.

Law

There are a vast amount of good books and sources covering a variety of periods. Some of the more general works are listed below:

• Arnaoutoglou, I. Ancient Greek laws : a sourcebook
  Presents a collection of ancient Greek laws and covers a wide area of legislative activity in major and minor Greek city states, ranging from Delphoi and Athens in mainland Greece, to Gortyn in Crete, Olbia in South Russia and Aegean cities. The book divides legislation into three main areas: the household - marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, sexual offences and personal status; the market-place - trade, finance, sale, coinage and leases; and the state - constitution, legislative process, public duties, colonies, building activities, naval forces, penal regulations, religion, politics and inter-state affairs.
• Girard, P. F., Senn, F. Textes de droit romain
  Latin text and French commentary.
• Crawford M.H. Roman Statutes
  A very significant work intended to replace the older collections on the subject. Vol. I contains the text of 39 inscriptions (of "Tabula Bembina" in the "Lex of imperio Vespasiani"), Volume II contains 26 texts known by literary sources (of the "Law of the Twelve Tables" in "Lex Iunia Vellaea"). Each text is accompanied by an introduction, a bibliography, a critical apparatus, a translation and a commentary.

Religion & Philosophy

Again, this covers a variety of areas. Material includes:

• Rice, D. G., Stambaugh J. E. Sources for the study of Greek religion
• Schofield, M., Kirk, G. S., Raven, J. E. The Presocratic Philosophers
  A detailed and scholarly treatment of the various fragments.
• Cooper, J. Complete Works/Plato
  All of Plato's dialogues in good translations.
• Ackrill, J. L. A New Aristotle Reader
• Lieu, S. N.,Montserrat, D. From Constantine to Julian : pagan and Byzantine views : a source history
  This text provides students with source material, covering an age of major transition in Europe; an age which saw the establishment of Rome as a Christian empire and a period of recidivism under Julian. Texts included are the anonymous "Origo Constantini"; "Eumenius", "Panegyric of 310"; "Byzantine life of Constantine"; " Libanius", "Oration 59"; and the "Passion of Artemius".

Science & Technology

The Greeks and Romans had a major input into the development of the Western world. Sourcebooks include:

• Irby-Massie, G. L., Keyser, Paul T. Greek science of the Hellenistic era : a sourcebook
  Presents the work of 100 scientific authors active from 320 BCE to 230 CE. Disciplines cover range from the science that the Greeks saw as fundamental - mathematics - through astronomy, astrology and geography, mechanics, optics and pneumatics, and then on to the non-mathematical sciences of alchemy, biology, medicine and "psychology".
• Stahl, W. Roman science : origins, development and influence
  Basic work on Roman science with an extensive bibliography.
• Humphrey, J. W., Oleson J. P., and Sherwood A. N. Greek and Roman technology : a sourcebook : annotated translations of Greek and Latin texts and documents
  An analysis of the origins & development of technology.

Ancient Life

Ancient life and customs in the classical world are vast and complex. Some of the source material has been gathered together, and includes the following works:

• Garland, R. Daily life of the ancient Greeks
  Taking account of the most up-to-date discoveries, the author provides a wealth of information on such varied subjects as food and drink, dress, housing, literacy, juvenile delinquency, the plight of the elderly, the treatment of slaves, and much more.
• Shelton, J. As the Romans did : a source book in Roman social history A sourcebook on Roman social history.
  The selections are drawn from a wide array of documents - letters, manuals, recipes, graffiti, and inscriptions as well as literary sources - and together they offer a fascinating glimpse into family life, housing, entertainment, health, education, religion, and other important topics.

Further assistance

More online information on other historical periods and related resources can be found via the Library's Classics Pages.
The School of Classics at the University of Leeds also hosts a number of web pages which may be of value.
If you have any more specific enquiries please feel free to contact the Faculty Librarian for Classics Rachel Robinson. Depending on your request it may also be useful to contact any of the other Faculty Librarians in the Arts Faculties Team.