Quick Guide to Classical Research: A Step by Step Approach

Embarking on the journey of research, especially in the field of Classics, can be both daunting and exhilarating. Finding a subject to focus on is often cited as one of the most challenging steps in the research process. Without a predetermined topic, the initial phase of exploration can feel overwhelming. However, by engaging with primary and secondary sources, a world of intriguing issues opens up, ready for investigation. In this blog post, I will walk you through the essential steps of conducting proper research on Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, drawing from my own experience of developing a master’s thesis. From initial inspiration to conducting a thorough literature search, you’ll gain insights into how to navigate this complex yet rewarding process. I hope it will be useful not only for high school and undergraduate students who need to prepare assignments but also for those who are curious about Ancient Rome and Greece and want to conduct their own research to find accurate information. As the title suggests, this is just a quick guide: For a comprehensive guide to advanced research, I highly recommend David M. Schaps’ Handbook for Classical Research.

1.FINDING THE SUBJECT

If the teacher doesn’t provide a topic, you must choose one yourself. Many consider this stage the most challenging. Ideas don’t just appear out of nowhere; however, by reading primary or secondary sources, you’ll discover numerous issues worth investigating. Start with reading broader topics of interest, and as you delve deeper, your research subject will naturally become clear.

Using my own master’s thesis as an example may clarify the steps in this guide. I found my thesis topic when my professor read a translation he made from Dionysius Halicarnassus (2.26, to be specific) in class. Dionysius mentioned that a Roman father could kill his son at will, regardless of the child’s status or age. Intrigued by this, I began researching filicide in Rome. So, where did I start?

2. LITERATURE SEARCH

Conducting a thorough literature search is a crucial step in any research project. This phase helps you gather the necessary background information, identify key concepts, and locate primary and secondary sources relevant to your topic. By familiarizing yourself with ancient sources and existing scholarship about them, you can build a solid foundation for your research. In this section, I’ll guide you through the essential resources and strategies for conducting an effective literature search in the classical studies.

2.1 Encyclopedias

The first places to begin a research into antiquity are two excellent encyclopedias:

-Oxford Classical Dictionary.

-Brill’s New Pauly.

We can call these two the classicist’s Wikipedia, more formally tertiary sources. In exploring my own topic, I initially searched for an entries specifically on ‘filicide’ in these, but didn’t find one. This led me to broaden my search to the broader topic of “family,” where I encountered two pivotal concepts: head of the Roman family known as the paterfamilias, and his authority over the family termed patria potestas. I immediately examined these entries and learned that the paterfamilias’ right to kill their child with patria potestas is called ius/potestas vitae necisque (right of life and death). At this stage, I acquired a foundational understanding of filicide in Roman society and identified key keywords for further exploration. In order of importance: filicide, ius/potestas vitae necisque, patria potestas, paterfamilias. This knowledge positions us to advance our research to a more detailed level.

Brill’s New Pauly is actually a shortened and partially updated version of the more comprehensive encyclopedia known as:

-Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft (some articles are not accesible yet, try this instead),

Its often referred to as RE or Pauly-Wissowa. Pauly-Wissowa places greater emphasis on primary sources, such as ancient texts, and examines topics much more thoroughly. For instance, while the entry on patria potestas in New Pauly spans approximately two pages, the same topic occupies 129 pages in Pauly-Wissowa. Therefore, it’s advisable to consult Pauly-Wissowa for a deeper understanding. However, this encyclopedia has two drawbacks: it is somewhat dated and it is in German (although translation tools like Google Translate can be helpful). Despite its age, Pauly-Wissowa remains crucial because it references nearly all significant primary sources, which are essential for original research. While primary sources may seem daunting, especially for simpler assignments, they are indispensable for achieving originality in scholarly work, allowing researchers to move beyond mere repetition of others’ interpretations. We will come back to finding primary sources again.

Q: What About Wikipedia?

There are some excellent entries on Wikipedia that read like scientific articles. However, from what I’ve observed, many of articles present the views of certain researcher as if they were established facts. That’s the beauty of studying the classics, despite examining the same material, interpretations can vary widely, sometimes even contradicting each other completely. For instance, consider a imaginary Wikipedia entry on filicide in Rome: if the author follows Paul Veyne, they might assert that the right to life and death was unlimited and could be exercised arbitrarily; whereas following Brent Shaw would lead to the assertion that such a right did not exist at all. (If one were to follow the humble author of a master’s thesis, they would argue that the right certainly existed but was constrained by social pressures, and its exercise led to various consequences for those involved.) Moreover, I’ve noticed instances on Wikipedia where fictional history books are cited as sources, or where the time period an author lived in is mistakenly given as AD instead of BC.

Using Wikipedia for assignments can be risky, especially if basing arguments on assumptions that are difficult to defend, like Shaw’s perspective, without thorough scrutiny. Teachers may scrutinize such arguments rigorously. However, inspiring ideas can come from unexpected sources, including Wikipedia. It’s crucial to approach Wikipedia critically, verifying its information and checking its sources. Even for a casual overview, consulting resources like the New Pauly and Oxford Classical Dictionary instead of Wikipedia is highly recommended.

2.2 Primary Sources

Now we have obtained general information about the subject and collected some of the primary sources. However, some primary sources may have been overlooked in encyclopedias. Therefore, it may be useful to conduct another search for primary sources.

-Sourcebooks are collections of primary sources organized around specific topics. For example, Daily Life in Ancient Rome: A Sourcebook compiles nearly all primary sources related to daily life, categorized under various headings.

The sourcebooks might not cover the topic youre investigating. In that case you can scan the collections listed below:

For ancient texts: Loeb (paid); Perseus; Diogenes application.

For epigraphy: Epigraphic Datebase,

Numismatics: https://numismatics.org; For Rome, the two most important sources are Crawford’s Roman Republican Coinage; Roman Imperial Coinage. For Greek, Archaic and Classical Greek Coins.

2.3 Books, Articles and Other Sources

Now that we have find and read the primary sources, we should investigate what modern researchers have written about these sources. Its time to move on to the secondary sources.

-L’Année Philologique is the number one tool in classical studies for finding modern literature. By searching for your keywords in L’Année Philologique’s catalogue, you can find all the reliable scholarship. Unfortunately, it is only accessible from libraries.

–Gnomon bibliographische datenbank is a database that searches not only articles but also dictionaries, edited volumes, and more. However, it is often incomplete. You can think of this database as the catalog of a single big library.

While it has its shortcomings, it can be used when you have no access to L’Année Philologique.

–Oxford Bibliographies lists the most important studies on certain topics. However, the topics covered here are general, and you won’t find specialized entries such as filicide. Instead, you should examine broader entries like “Family, Roman.” Starting with general topics and moving to more specific ones can be very beneficial, as it helps you gain a detailed understanding of your subject.

–JSTOR is a large database of all important journals. By searching for your keywords in the search bar, you can find nearly all the important articles written on the subject. However, due to a system called the moving wall, the articles uploaded to JSTOR are several years behind. For example, the moving wall of The Journal of Roman Studies is three years. This means an article published in this journal in 2024 will only be available in 2027. To have complete access to the latest work in your field, you should either use L’Année Philologique or manually scan the journals one by one.

–Handbooks and Companions are books consisting of articles written by leading experts in the field around specific topics. For example, The Oxford Handbook of Childhood and Education in the Classical World is a book that examines childhood and education in the classical world from every angle. You can read the chapters that are useful to you. In these chapters you will find both a summary of the topic and a bibliography for further reading. For Handbooks and Companions, see the following series:

– Oxford Handsbooks Series

– Cambridge Companions Series

– Blackwell Companions Series

–Google Scholar let you search the literature very broadly. The downside is that it will include lower-tier journals, books, and articles without peer review. It’s up to you to sort through a huge amount of data.

In addition to the above methods, there is another for searching books, articles and other sources: Some large libraries allow online browsing of their catalogs so you can try your luck there. We have noted down the sources that seem useful to us and now it is time for a much more challenging process; to access these sources.

Q: Should I Read Everything?

We’ve created the bibliography and its look like a mountain! Should we read everything? It’s up to you to decide. You should organize your bibliography in order of importance and decide where to start reading. For example, sources with the title ius/potestas vitae necisque or filicide were of primary importance to me. Those about patria potestas are second, paterfamilias are third, etc. As you read the primary ones and see the sources cited by these studies, you will be in a position to get to know the literature and decide what to read in full and what to scan quickly. Then you can move on to writing.

3. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

– Cambridge Ancient History

– Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

– Le Dictionnaire des Antiquités Grecques et Romaines de Daremberg et Saglio

– Broughton’s The Magistrates of the Roman Republic

– Crawford’s Roman Statutes, Volume I and II

– Kajanto’s The Latin Cognomina

– Conte’s Latin Literature

– The Roman Law Library

– L. Richardson A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome

Conclusion

Finding a research topic in the field of Classics is a process that requires patience, curiosity, and diligence. By starting broad and gradually narrowing your focus, you can uncover a wealth of fascinating subjects to explore. Remember to utilize a variety of resources. Be critical of the information you encounter and prioritize primary sources to ensure originality in your work. As you delve deeper into your research, you will not only develop a more profound understanding of your chosen topic but also gain invaluable skills in scholarly inquiry. Feel free to ask if you need help. Happy researching!

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