Research Guides: LATN 211: Dear Cicero (HC) Fall 2024: Background and Reference Sources

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Subjects: Asian Studies, Chinese Language & Literature, East Asian Languages & Cultures, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Islamic Studies, Japanese Language & Literature, Philosophy, Religion

Encyclopedias

Brill's New Pauly by Hubert Cancik (Editor); Helmut Schneider (Editor); Manfred Landfester (Editor); Christine F. Salazar (Editor)
ISBN: 9789004122598

Publication Date: 2011-05-10

Updated and translated version of the standard encyclopedia for Antiquity, Paulys Real-Encyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft. Articles are extensive and often address the topic in general before analyzing the issues in Greece and in Rome specifically. Bibliographies list books, essays, and journal articles for further reading.

Brill's New Pauly and Supplements
*Access on BMC or SC campuses. HC campus access only with BMC/SC login.*

Digital edition of Brill's New Pauly, also featuring these additional supplements:

1. Chronologies of the Ancient World
2. Dictionary of Greek and Latin Authors and Texts
3. Historical Atlas of the Ancient World
4. Reception of Myth and Mythology
5. Reception of Classical Literature
6. History of Classical Scholarship - A Biographical Dictionary
7. Figures of Antiquity and their Reception in Art, Literature, and Music

Latin Literature: A History by Gian Biagio Conte; Joseph B. Solodow (Translator); Don P. Fowler (Revised by); Glen W. Most (Revised by)
ISBN: 0801862531

Publication Date: 1999-11-04

A comprehensive history of Latin literature from the early republic through the late empire. Treats cultural history and reception in addition to the lives and works of authors, development of genres, and sources.
The Oxford Classical Dictionary by Sander Goldberg
ISBN: 9780199545568

Publication Date: 2017

An extensive single-source reference for the study of the Greco-Roman world.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome by Michael Gagarin (Editor)
ISBN: 9780195170726

Publication Date: 2009-12-31

Offers a comprehensive overview of the literature, history, archaeology, art, philosophy, science, and religion of the Greek and Roman world from the Bronze Age to the fifth century CE. It also covers the legacy of the classical world and its interpretation and influence in subsequent centuries.

Companion Titles

The Cambridge Companion to Cicero by Catherine Steel (Editor)
Publication Date: 2013-05-02

Cicero was one of classical antiquity's most prolific, varied and self-revealing authors. The essays in this overview address important aspects of his writing and his life.
A Companion to Latin Literature by Stephen Harrison;
Publication Date: 2005-01-28

Consider, e.g., Chapter 18, "Epistolography."
The Oxford Handbook of Roman Studies by Alessandro Barchiesi;
Publication Date: 2010-07-29

A collection of 55 articles on various topics which together explore the ways in which ancient Rome has been and might be studied. Emphasizes the different ways in which evidence can be used, the breadth and potential of Roman Studies, potential dialogue between subdisciplines, and more. Includes guidance on primary sources and bibliographies for further reading.
The Cambridge Companion to Greek and Roman Philosophy by David Sedley (Editor)
ISBN: 0521772850

Publication Date: 2003-07-31

Wide-ranging introduction to the study of philosophy in the ancient world. A team of leading specialists surveys the developments of the period and evaluates a comprehensive series of major thinkers, ranging from Pythagoras to Epicurus. There are also separate chapters on how ancient philosophy interacted with religion, literature, and science.
The Oxford Handbook of Social Relations in the Roman World by Michael Peachin (Editor)
ISBN: 9780195188004

Publication Date: 2011-01-04

Over thirty articles written by leading scholars providing overviews of important aspects of Roman social life. Areas of focus include marginalized people (such as slaves, people with disabilities, women, and children), the role of women, education, children within and beyond the family, and friendship.
A Companion to Greek and Roman Political Thought by Ryan K. Balot (Editor)
ISBN: 1405151439

Publication Date: 2009-04-20

Thirty-four essays from leading scholars in history, classics, philosophy, and political science provide stimulating discussions of classical political thought, ranging from the Archaic Greek epics to the final days of the Roman Empire and beyond.

Research Guides

Oxford Bibliographies in Classics
Provides bibilographies of and encyclopedic articles about over 50 topics in the classics. Includes introductions to each topic area, guides to introductory works, textbooks, guidebooks, journals, reference works etc., and links to useful websites. Bibliographies are browseable by subject area and keyword searchable.

Bibliographies of interest may include:

Cicero

Cicero's Philosophical Works (see especially the "Philosophy in Letters and Speeches" section)

Roman Literary Letters

Amicitia

Handbook for Classical Research
Provides overview chapters for each of the fields embraced by classical studies, including philology, art and religion. Many sections represent the sort of guidance one might expect from a thesis advisor, with helpful summaries such as "How Laws Were Made in Ancient Rome."
Princeton: Library Resources in Classics
A thoroughly developed guide for research in Classics. Some of the material is particular to the Princeton campus but much will prove useful nonetheless.

Web Sites

Perseus Digital Library
Database of Greek and Latin texts and translations, images (coins, vases, sculpture) and resources for textual studies. Searchable in English, Latin, and Greek.

The Cicero Homepage
This site compiles sources on biography, bibliography, images, texts and myths. maintained by the University of Texas, Austin.