Welcome to Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies (CAMS) at Penn State!
CAMS is the study of cultures that arose and flourished around the Mediterranean basin (including Egypt, Greece, Rome, Anatolia, Israel, Mesopotamia, and North Africa) from ancient Mesopotamia (ca. 4000 BCE) to the end of Greco-Roman antiquity (ca. 600 CE). CAMS investigates the whole scope of the ancient Mediterranean world and trains students to interpret the linguistic, historical, and archaeological evidence of its cultures.
Committed to Diversity
The Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies (CAMS) at Penn State is devoted to fostering an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion for all who study the ancient world. As an open and welcoming academic community, we embrace a view of the ancient Mediterranean and its legacies as the common heritage of all people, regardless of gender, color, race, nationality, religion, age, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
In keeping with our conviction that scholarship on antiquity benefits from a multiplicity of voices and perspectives, CAMS supports diversity in research areas, classroom activities, and above all in its membership, especially among groups historically underrepresented in the field.
We affirm Penn State’s commitment as a public institution of higher education to effectively serve the members of our communities at all levels—on campus, across the state, and beyond—and we welcome the input of our students, colleagues, and friends as we pursue this goal.
CAMS celebrates faculty promotions for 2026/27
Congratulations to CAMS Professors Tawny Holm, Erin Hanses, and Jake Nabel, all of whom have been promoted for the 2026/27 academic year.
👉 Tawny Holm, CAMS department head, has been promoted to Professor of Hebrew and Aramaic Studies
👉 Erin Hanses has been promoted to Associate Teaching Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
👉 Jake Nabel has been promoted to Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Congratulations faculty!
Greek Literature Professors React to The Odyssey Trailer
Is Odysseus a reliable narrator? Would the ancient Greeks care whether The Odyssey movie is accurate? Was the Cyclops really a threat? And who is that puppy and why does it matter? Join Penn State professors and Greek literature experts Laura Marshall and Anna Peterson as they react to the trailer of Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey and unpack the epic story behind one of the most influential works in literature from Greek mythology.
CAMS faculty win awards from the College of the Liberal Arts
Congratulations to our wonderful colleagues on their well-deserved recognition from the College of the Liberal Arts!
Pictured are CAMS Profs. Mark Munn, Mathias Hanses, Ann Killebrew, and Rebecca Wang with our fantastic Dean Clarence Lang.
Mark Munn was awarded the Class of 1933 Distinction in the Humanities Award; Ann Killebrew was awarded the Service to the College Award; Mathias Hanses was awarded the Outstanding Teaching Award for Tenure-Line Faculty; and Rebecca Wang was awarded the Outstanding Teaching Award for Teaching Faculty. We’re so proud of them all!
Nick Groene named CAMS Marshal '26
The CAMS Department is excited to announce that Nick Groene is our Marshal for Spring 2026!
