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A Classics Research Guide

Resources to help Classics, Ancient Mediterranean Studies, and the study of the civilization and cultural achievements of ancient Greece and Rome

Reference Works

Reference works such as dictionaries and encyclopedias are a great place to start. They often give good introductions to subject matters and offer bibliography for deeper analysis. Reference works are often available online or on the second floor of the Woodruff library. We recommend the following resources:

Oxford Classical Dictionary

The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Fourth Edition (2012)
Woodruff Reference: DE5 .O9 2012
Online: http://pid.emory.edu/ck777

This one-volume dictionary contains over 6,000 entries dealing with the classical world. The entries range from brief definitions to several paragraphs long, and are accompanied by bibliographic references.
   
Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece & Rome

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece & Rome (2010)
Woodruff Reference: DE5 .O95 2010

This is a seven-volume encyclopedia that is aimed at a general audience. It only treats eleven-hundred articles but the articles are typically longer than the Oxford Classical Dictionary and places more emphasis on the interpretation of the subject matter.
   
Brill’s New Pauly

Brill’s New Pauly (2002-2010)
Woodruff Reference: DE5 .N4813 2002
Online: http://pid.emory.edu/chzhc

Translated from the German, this encyclopedia offers a detailed treatment of all aspects of Greek and Roman antiquity. Because it was originally a German work, the bibliographic references favor German sources.

 

Other dictionaries and encyclopedias:

  • Cambridge Dictionary of Classical Civilization (2006)
    Woodruff Reference: DE5 .C28 2006
     
  • Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece (2006)
    Woodruff Reference: DF16 .E52 2006
     
  • The Grove Encyclopedia of Classical Art and Architecture (2007)
    Woodruff Reference: N5610 .G76 2007
     
  • Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae (1981-2009)
    Woodruff Reference: NX650 .M9 L48
     
  • The Music of Ancient Greece: An Encyclopedia (1978)
    Music Media Stacks: ML169 .M52
     
  • Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization (1998)
    Woodruff Reference: DE5 .092 1998
    Online: http://pid.emory.edu/ck777
     
  • Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. Third Edition (2011)
    Woodruff Reference: PA31 .H69 2011
    Online: http://pid.emory.edu/ck777
     
  • Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (1991, 2005)
    Woodruff Reference: DF521 .O93 1991
    Online: http://pid.emory.edu/ck777