How to do research in Classics

Library resources for researchers working on Ancient Greek and Latin Studies

START WITH GOOD KEYWORDS

Topic-specific keywords will help improve your results in a general multidisciplinary database like Google, Google Scholar, HOLLIS, or Academic Search Premier. 

Add keywords like these to your search:

  • Historical events - “Punic wars”
  • Authors and texts - Ovid Metamorphoses
  • Document collections - Oxyrynchus papyri

KEY DATABASES

The best tool for your project may be a specialized search engine, also known as a database. These databases are subject-specific or format-specific search tools:

L'Année Philologique: Bibliography of the Classical World (via HarvardKey) – The top database for journal articles and other scholarship in this field. Includes many articles in English as well as other languages.

Oxford Bibliographies Online: Classics (via HarvardKey) – Nearly 400 bibliographical articles identify and describe the key works of classical scholarship on everything from Anaxagoras to Zeus.

Dig Deeper

Inter Libros – this research guide for Classics provides a list of top databases for full-text Greek and Latin works, dictionaries, histories, art, and inscriptions.

Databases for Classics and Medieval Studies – explore the full list of Harvard Library databases in this subject category.

CONNECT WITH US 

Steve Kuehler, the library liaison to Classics, is available to support researchers via email or in-person consultation.

Service Alert:

  • We're experiencing difficulty with our Research Appointment Request form (under "Meet"). For now, please click on "Email" and describe for us: 
    •  your Harvard affiliation
    • the project you'd like help with
    • whether it's for a particular class, faculty member or department

Chat

Monday-Thursday 9am-9pm

Friday9am-7pm

Saturday9am-5pm

Sunday 12noon-7pm

Chat is intended for brief inquiries from the Harvard community.

Meet

Talk to a librarian for advice on defining your topic, developing your research strategy, and locating and using sources. Make an appointment now.

These services are intended primarily for Harvard University faculty, staff and students. If you are not affiliated with Harvard, please use these services only to request information about the Library and its collections.