The UMBC Ancient Studies Department will conduct its annual study tour in Greece, March 15-24, 2024. The cost of $3,750 includes all air and land travel (including coach service to and from Dulles Airport and UMBC), twin-share accommodation for eight nights at four-star hotels, eight buffet breakfasts, two dinners, two lunches, and entrance to all archaeological sites and museums on the itinerary. Single rooms are available at an additional cost of $377. ANCS majors and minors, UMBC students, faculty, staff, alumni, and their friends and family are invited to join us. 

If you are interested in joining us, please contact Lydia DeRidder (lderidde@umbc.edu). An initial deposit of $150.00 (check made out to “UMBC”) is due Monday, Oct 9, 2023. Places are limited, so reserve yours today! 

Subventions to help pay for the costs of the trip are available to Ancient Studies majors. Applications can be downloaded on the Ancient Studies Department Website (https://ancientstudies.umbc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/99/2023/09/Subvention-Application.-GREECE-2024.docx). Please email your completed application to Dr. David Rosenbloom (dsrose@umbc.edu) no later than Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. 

 The tour will begin with a three-night stay in Athens, followed by one night in Itea, two nights in Nafplio (Nauplion), and one night in Iraklio (Heraklion), Crete; and our last night will be spent in Athens. The initial stay in Athens will include visits to the Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum, the Agora and Agora Museum, the National Archaeological Museum, and Cape Sounion, where we will explore the temple of Poseidon and watch the sunset over the Saronic Gulf. We will then travel to Delphi, visiting the Archaeological Museum of Thebes, Gla, and the mountain village of Arachova on the way. After spending the following day at the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, we will travel to Nafplio for visits to the Nafplio Archaeological Museum and the bronze-age fortresses at Tiryns and Mycenae. Returning to Athens, we then fly to the island of Crete, where we visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and Minoan sites at Knossos, Phaistos, and possibly (time permitting) Aghia Triada and Komos before returning to Athens that evening and flying back home the next morning.

 χαίρετε and Salvete!!

We at the Ancient Studies council want to extend a very warm welcome to the new students who have begun their UMBC experience, and to those who are continuing their Retriever experience! Now, many may well ask, “What exactly is this club, and what do you do?”

Well, φιλοι, the answer to that is actually pretty simple! We are a club that wants to spread the joy of looking at the Ancient Mediterranean as an Ancient Studies major to the student body, and the most enjoyable parts of the study of the Ancient Mediterranean!

From mock Athenian Jury trials, to scribal schools, to Saturnalia and Dionysia, we are here to show how fun the study of the ancient world can be!