Lyceum students explore ancient political life at the American College of Greece

By Ryan Rogers

In May, nine Lyceum students traveled to Athens, Greece, alongside two Lyceum faculty members, for a three-week study abroad program examining the classical understanding of ancient Greek political life. As part of the Lyceum Abroad Program, students participated in a seminar-style course hosted by The American College of Greece (ACG), exploring timeless political questions through the lens of ancient Greek literature and philosophy.

This year marked a new chapter for the Lyceum Abroad Program: for the first time, it partnered with Clemson University’s Pam Hendrix Center for Education Abroad to provide Political Science credit for participating students.

The course, taught by Lyceum Professor Spencer Krauss, centered on the classical understanding of political life. Students engaged with texts by Homer, Thucydides, Aristophanes, Sophocles and Plato, asking questions of enduring importance:

• What is the ground of legitimate authority?
• How does human virtue manifest itself on the political stage?
• Is there a science of rule, and if so, what are its principles?
• Why do humans seek to rule over one another?

In addition to seminar discussions, students heard guest lectures from esteemed ACG faculty. Jay Samons provided insights into the Persian Wars, Haris Vlavianos offered his perspective on modern Greek identity and politics and Tobias Myers led a class on Homer’s Iliad.

Daily seminars were paired with archaeological site visits designed to supplement the readings. These included the Acropolis and Parthenon, the ruins of the Agora and Pnyx, the oracle at Delphi, the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, and numerous cities across the Peloponnese including Mycenae, Olympia, Nafplion, Corinth and the ancient theater at Epidaurus. Students also explored several major museums in Athens, including the National Archaeological Museum, the Benaki Museum, the Acropolis Museum, and the Museum of Cycladic Art.

Reflecting on her experience abroad, Lyceum Fellow Madi Axson said, “My trip with Lyceum Abroad opened my eyes to the world around me, and exposed me to new cultures, new friends, and helped me learn more about myself. This trip enabled me to have the privilege to walk the same paths as the philosophers we study in the Lyceum Program, as well as help me determine what paths I might be interested in pursuing in the future. I learned so much, ate amazing food and was immersed in current and ancient political affairs. I made memories that will last me a lifetime, and learned so much from the students I was with.”

About the Snow Institute for the Study of Capitalism

The Snow Institute for the Study of Capitalism is dedicated to exploring the moral foundations of capitalism. In pursuit of this mission, the Institute collaborates with students, the academic community and the general public to raise awareness of capitalism’s core principles and institutions. The Lyceum Program, founded in 2014, serves as the flagship initiative of the SISC and remains the only University program focused on the study of liberty, capitalism, the American founding and moral character.