About the department

The Department of Classics at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, is the only institution of higher education in the Republic of Serbia offering comprehensive academic training in Classical Philology.

The Department is dedicated to the study of classical languages (Ancient Greek and Latin), as well as the literature and culture of classical antiquity. It also serves as the principal national institution for scholarly research in the field of classical philology.

With origins in the intellectual traditions of ancient Greece and Rome, Classical Studies stands at the foundation of the humanities. During the humanist revival of the late Middle Ages, it became a defining element of European education. In the nineteenth century, the discipline assumed its modern form — Klassische Altertumswissenschaft — defined by rigorous methodology and scholarly precision. Today, Classical Studies encompasses not only Greek and Latin language and literature but also ancient history, classical archaeology, and a wide range of related subdisciplines, including textual criticism, paleography, papyrology, codicology, epigraphy, numismatics, and the study of the reception of antiquity. Classical Philology provides an essential foundation for Byzantine and Neo-Hellenic studies, Medieval and Neo-Latin philology, and all branches of Romance philology. It has also played a formative role in the development of Indo-European linguistics, from its inception to the present day.

The teaching of classical languages in Serbia traces its origins to the Lyceum (1838–1863) and the Great School (1863–1905). The Chair of Classical Languages and Literatures was established in 1875, and by 1900 classical philology had become an independent programme of study. In 2025, the Department celebrated 150 years of formally organized instruction in Classical Languages and Literatures at the University of Belgrade.

The Department comprises two academic units: the Institute for Antiquity and Classical Heritage (https://www.klasicnenauke.rs/institut-akn/) and the Center for Biblical Philology and Hermeneutics (https://www.klasicnenauke.rs/centar-bfh/). The Institute focuses on the study of ancient languages, literature, culture, and civilization, and oversees the publication of the Department’s scholarly journal, Lucida intervalla (https://www.klasicnenauke.rs/lucida-intervalla/). The Centre for Biblical Philology and Hermeneutics is institutionally affiliated with the Department in recognition of the close connection between biblical philology and classical studies. The Centre promotes interdisciplinary research and collaborates with scholars from diverse academic backgrounds.

The Department maintains its public presence through its official website (https://www.klasicnenauke.rs) and its Instagram profile (@klasicne_nauke_bg), alongside its page on the Faculty of Philosophy’s website.

The Department offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes. Since 2024, the master’s curriculum has included an Interdisciplinary-Multidisciplinary-Transdisciplinary (IMT) programme entitled Ancient Culture and Classical Heritage, open to graduates of the Faculty of Philosophy and other faculties.

The Department currently comprises 15 faculty members and approximately 120 students.

Head of Department: Dr. Sandra Šćepanović, Associate Professor,

Department Secretary: Miroslava Majher, MA,.