Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business

Lyceum Scholars study classical Greek literature at The American College of Greece

Share:

Lyceum Scholars standing in front of the ruins of Aristotle's Lyceum School, founded in 355 BCE.
Download image

In May, 10 Lyceum Scholars traveled to Athens, Greece along with two Lyceum faculty to study the literature and culture of the birthplace of democracy at The American College of Greece (ACG).

Founded in Smyrna, Asia Minor in 1875 by missionaries from Boston, Massachusetts and relocated to Athens in 1923, The American College of Greece is the oldest and largest American-sponsored college in Europe, offering 27 majors, 40 minors and an expansive curriculum of over 1,000 courses each year. Its campus sits on the verdant slopes of Mt. Hymettus, at the edge of the city of Athens and with easy access to all points of the city. ACG is accredited through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and adheres to the traditional American semester and credit-hour system. All courses are taught in English. Each summer, ACG hosts more than 3,500 students from more than 62 countries in their extensive study abroad program.

While in residence at ACG, Lyceum scholars and faculty participated in a seminar on the theme of self-knowledge in 5th century Athenian literature, which included readings of Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, Euripides’ Bacchae, Aristophanes’ The Acharnians, and Plato’s Symposium.  They also heard lectures from ACG’s Hellenic Studies faculty in Greek history (both ancient and modern), literature, drama and aesthetics. The seminar and lectures provided context for a series of excursions arranged by ACG to the Acropolis, Delphi, Sounion, Olympia, Mycenae and Epidaurus.

In their free time, students and faculty were able to visit many museums and archaeological sites in Athens, along with the island of Hydra, while enjoying the culture and hospitality of the city. They were even able to see a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto in the ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus at the foot of the Acropolis. Reflecting on the trip, Adam Thomas, Ph.D., (Lyceum Faculty) had this to say: “The trip was a great success and a great addition to what we are already doing in the Lyceum Program. Thanks to our hosts at ACG, we were able to read some important literature of 5th-century Athenian democracy and learn about classical Greek culture more broadly while visiting some of the most important archaeological sites in the world and experiencing the incredible beauty and hospitality of the country.”

About the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism

Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism (CISC) is America’s premier university-based teaching and research center dedicated to exploring the moral, political and economic foundations of capitalism. Founded in 2005 and housed within Clemson University’s Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, the Institute is educating a new generation of students about the moral requirements of a free society through the Lyceum Program, a great books approach to studying the moral, political and economic foundations of a free society.

Want to Discuss?

Get in touch and we will connect you with the author or another expert.

Or email us at news@clemson.edu

    This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.