Newcastle University

Classics, Ancient History, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies: Unit of Assessment 59

The majority of research in UoA 59 Classics, Ancient History, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies is officially classified as world-leading, internationally excellent or recognised internationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour, having been placed in the three highest categories for quality in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.

Since 2002 Classics at Newcastle has been part of the School of Historical Studies together with History and Archaeology. These institutional structures have enabled new synergies in teaching and research, and have encouraged a greater sense of interdisciplinary work.

During the review period, Classics has vigorously implemented a strategy aimed at strengthening its contribution to research and scholarship, enhancing its productivity and visibility at internationally competitive level, and increasing impact and critical mass. New junior appointments (from Italy, the US, Germany, Spain and the UK) have increased our unit to 11 permanent staff, all fully research active, with three further fixed-term appointments, all externally funded. Three eminent visiting/emeriti professors also make an active contribution to our research culture.

We have greatly expanded our existing strength in ancient medicine, developed new collaborative projects in ancient history, rhetoric and philosophy, and laid the foundations for further interdisciplinary research in ancient religion, the ancient Near East, early Christianity and the Classical Tradition.

Two major collaborative efforts have been developed within Classics during the review period:

• The Northern Centre for the History of Medicine founded jointly with colleagues in Durham. The Centre is the main forum for Classicists' interdisciplinary research collaboration within the School and has become firmly established as a major national and international centre for the study of the history of medicine.
• The Ancient Courts project, which has involved all Newcastle ancient historians and selected external and overseas contributors.

We have raised over £1.3m in external research awards and received prestigious awards and other signs testifying to our international standing in research.

We have significantly increased our number and completion rate of research students, supported by an energising research culture, external studentship funding and by strategic investment in postgraduate study facilities. Newcastle PhD projects have led to publication with distinguished publishers such as CUP and Brill. Five of our recent research students have secured permanent positions in academia or Classics secondary education.

There is an excellent concentration of research facilities within a small physical area. The University Robinson Library has a good research collection in Classics and outstanding holdings in Ancient Medicine (including the special Pybus Collection) and Classical Archaeology (the ‘Shefton Research Collection’). Classics has a dedicated internal Classics Library with a wide-ranging provision of primary texts and reference works (eg a complete Pauly). The nearby Cowen Library has strong Archaeological and Ancient History holdings.

At the physical heart of the Classics section in the Armstrong Building lies the Shefton Museum of Greek Art and Archaeology. The adjacent Museum of Antiquities has an excellent collection of material relating to the Roman wall. In 2009 the Shefton Museum and the Museum of Antiquities are due to be incorporated into the Great North Museum, a £26m project part funded by the Heritage Lottery bringing these valuable collections into one place and giving them greater public access than ever before.

The rigorous strategy of the past seven years, in combination with the University’s investment in our unit and the significant levels of external funding, have put us in a strong position to make even greater contribution to international research and scholarship in Classics.