Classics
Welcome to the Classics subject guide - your guide to using the library resources, services and facilities for your subject.
Search Library Resources
Use DiscoverEd to search the Library's collections and find books, ebooks, ejournal articles and more. Use your University Login to sign into your account and manage loans, requests and fines.
Key databases for Classics
- L'Annee philologiqueL’Année philologique is a specialised bibliographic database of scholarly works relating to all aspects of Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. It covers a wide array of subjects, including Greek and Latin literature and linguistics—which includes early Christian texts and patristics—Greek and Roman history, art, archaeology, philosophy, religion, mythology, music, science, and scholarly subspecialties such as numismatics, papyrology, and epigraphy.
- Brill's Companions in Classical Studies Online IThis first online collection of Brill's acclaimed series of Companions in Classical Studies presents the best in current scholarship in a variety of subjects. These 25 volumes, ranging from Homer to Ovid and from Aegean Greece in the Fourth Century BC to Flavian Rome, will be of use to scholars and students alike as excellent starting points for teaching as well as research.
- Loeb Classical Library OnlineThe Digital Loeb Classical Library contains more than 520 volumes of Latin, Greek and English texts aiming to be a virtual library of all that is important in Greek and Latin Literature, epic and lyric poetry, history, travel, philosophy and oratory, medical writers and mathematicians, and the Church Fathers who make particular use of pagan culture. Readers can browse, search, bookmark, annotate and use a Greek keyboard.
- Oxford Classical Dictionary OnlineThe Oxford Classical Dictionary is seen as one of the leading resources for online research in Classics and contains over 6,000 full-text articles from the 4th Edition, with new and updated articles added each month.
- TrismegistosAn interdisciplinary portal of papyrological and epigraphical resources formerly from Egypt and the Nile valley (800 BC-AD 800), now expanding to the Ancient World in general.
Cultural and heritage collections
The Centre for Research Collections (CRC) is the main space for anyone using the University of Edinburgh's historic, cultural and heritage collections, including rare books and manuscripts, University of Edinburgh archives, personal and institutional archives, Lothian Health Services Archives (LHSA), University of Edinburgh PhD theses, art collection, musical instrument collection and a wide range of other museum objects from geological specimens to anatomical models.
- 400,000 rare books
- Over 6km of manuscripts and archives
- Around 200,000 artefacts, works of art, potted material, models, specimens, musical instruments and scientific apparatus
- Over 40,000 digital images
- Around 25,000 PhD theses available digitally
The CRC are based on the 6th floor, Main Library.
Image on right is a Papyrus fragment, Aratus, Diosemeia, 2nd century AD. © University of Edinburgh
The Classics Teaching Collection is housed within the School of History, Classics and Archaeology (William Robertson Wing, Old Medical School). The teaching collection includes Greek and Roman pottery, a gallery of casts, and a large collection of photographic slides which are used to illustrate its teaching in Classical Art and Archaeology. The collection represents a wide variety of both chronological and geographical range: from prehistoric Egypt, Cyprus and Mycenaean Greece to Early Archaic, Classical Greece and the Roman era. A number of items from this collection are on display in the William Robertson Wing.
Cypriot White Slip Ware, late Bronze Age. © University of Edinburgh
- National Museums Scotland collections databaseThe NMS online database contains a selection of the 12 million objects and specimens in our collections. New records are added regularly.
- National Museums Scotland librariesNational Museums Scotland has the largest museum library collection in Scotland. Their library services support the research and learning needs of Museum staff, visitors and the wider external research community.
- National Library of ScotlandThe National Library of Scotland is Scotland's largest library and the world centre for the study of Scotland and the Scots. One of five legal deposit libraries in the UK it is also one of the major research libraries in Europe and their collections range from rare historical documents to online journals, covering every subject.
- Museums & Galleries EdinburghMuseums & Galleries Edinburgh is a collection of 13 venues and over 200 monuments across Edinburgh. Their vision is to inspire, enthuse and provoke through a shared passion for Edinburgh, Art and History.
- Edinburgh LibrariesPublic library service in Edinburgh. With the Central Library on George IV Bridge, 27 community libraries, mobile library and digital library.
- National Records of ScotlandNational Records of Scotland (NRS) is a Non-Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government. Their purpose is to collect, preserve and produce information about Scotland's people and history and make it available to inform current and future generations.
- Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh HeritageRCPE holds one of the largest medical history collections in the world and they work to share this heritage worldwide.
- Surgeons' Hall MuseumsSurgeons' Hall Museums (SHM) are owned by The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and consist of the Wohl Pathology Museum, the History of Surgery Museum and The Dental Collection.
Main Library
The Main Library holds the majority of books for Classics. Most of these books are on the 2nd floor or in the HUB Collection on the ground floor.
Watch the student-led tour of the Main Library to help you get your bearings and discover the resources, services and facilities on offer.
- Main Library - orientation guideThis guide will help you to find the Main Library, and to navigate its services and collections.
Resource Lists
Find your course reading lists via Resource Lists. Type in your course code or keywords from the course title, or your lecturer's name.
Please note that not all courses at the University use Resource Lists.
Exam Papers
Exam Papers Online provides access to the collected degree examination papers of the University from 2004 onwards. They may be used by students as a study aid only.
Your Academic Support Librarian
3 Lady Lawson Street
Edinburgh EH3 9DR
Online learning
The Library provides access to 100s of 1000s of online resources, including e-books, e-journals and online databases, but we also provide lots of other services and support for students on online learning programmes.