What’s Coming in the OJCL: the World Beyond Greece and Rome
By: South Gubernator Jimmy Fraley
THE OJCL TORCH: FALL EDITION 22
When we hear the term classics, we often think about the civilizations of Greece and Rome. Indeed, for a long period of time, classics and classicists overwhelmingly focused on these two important groups. These two peoples are the most taught in classrooms and are the most mainstream in popular culture. However, it is important to remember that these two groups are not the only ones present throughout classical antiquity, and other civilizations of the Mediterranean are also extremely important. Groups such as the Persians and Carthaginians, despite their importance to history, do not receive as much recognition as Greece and Rome. Recognizing this, modern classicists have begun to make a more conscientious effort to shine a light on other civilizations around the Mediterranean, expanding the traditional definition of the classics. To reflect this, the OJCL is making an effort to expand our focus, in order to paint a more inclusive and accurate picture of classical antiquity.