Ancient Studies
Welcome to Stellenbosch University

Resources

​​​​​​​​​Departmental Resources​

Encyclopedias and Reference Works (via the Library)

The reference works listed below are accessible digitally via the library usign your SUN login. Consult these before you resort to Wikipedia!

  • Brill’s New Pauly: Encyclopedia of the Ancient World

https://ez.sun.ac.za/login?url=http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/browse/brill-s-new-pauly
An encyclopedia for the study of Greco-Roman culture and its influence on modern world history. It is a practical reference work for everyday use by both experts as well as by those new to the discipline. 

  • The Ancient Near East: An Encylopedia for Students

​​ https://go-gale-com.ez.sun.ac.za/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&u=27uos&id=GALE|1XHC&v=​2.1&it=etoc 

Useful introductory level encyclopedia with short articles on key figures, places, and concepts related to the study of ancient Western Asia.​​

  • The Encyclopedia of Ancient History

https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ez.sun.ac.za/doi/book/10.1002/9781444338386
Over 5300 entries on people, places, events, and a wide variety of topics concerning the ancient Mediterranean world.​

  • ​The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt

http://ez.sun.ac.za/login?url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195102345.001.0001/acref-9780195102345
600+ articles on ancient Egyptian civilisation, from prehistory to the seventh century CE.

  • Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/sun/detail.action?docID=199347

  • ​The Virgil Encyclopedia
https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ez.sun.ac.za/doi/book/10.1002/9781118351352

More than 2,200 carefully researched entries, providing an in-depth treatment of all aspects of Virgil’s poetry and his influence that continues to the present day.


  • ​​The Encyclopedia of the Roman Army
https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ez.sun.ac.za/doi/book/10.1002/9781118318140

Over 1,600 entries exami​ning every detail concerning the Roman army during the Republic, Principate, and Late Antique periods, with topics ranging from the lives of individual soldiers to military issues such as hierarchical command structure, tactics, strategy, and battles.


  • ​Stellenbosch Library's page on Ancient History and Classical Studies resources: 
http://library.sun.ac.za/en-za/search/Pages/classical-studies-antiquities.aspx

Recommended Online Databases and Websites Related to the Study of the Ancient World

There is a lot out there, some good, some not so good. The following sites are recommended by departmental staff.​

  • ​Beazley Archive and the Classical Art Research Centre:  
https://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/carc

A searchable database of Greek vase-paintings, gems and other valuable resources related to classical art​

  • Diotima 
https://diotima-doctafemina.org/

A resource for information and resources on women, gender, sex, sexualities, race, ethnicity, class, status, masculinity, enslavement, disability, and the intersections among them in the ancient Mediterranean world.

  • Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History 

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/
Timeline of the history of global art, featuring objects from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

  • Iconography of Deities and Demons in the Ancient Near East
http://www.religionswissenschaft.uzh.ch/idd/prepublication.php

  • Theban Mapping Project
https://thebanmappingproject.com/tombs/kv-18-rameses-x

Everything about the Valley of the Kings, Egypt: Maps, plans, photos, articles, bibliography


  • Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (TLG)
http://stephanus.tlg.uci.edu.ez.sun.ac.za/

Registration required; the free account will get you access to a searchable database of canonical Greek texts.


  • Thesaurus linguae Latinae (TLL)

https://thesaurus.badw.de/tll-digital/tll-open-access.html

A massive Latin dictionary. The online database is open only to subscribers. However, ​letters A-M, O-P, and parts of N and R can be downloaded as pdfs.​

  • ​UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology
https://escholarship.org/uc/nelc_uee​

Detailed, peer-reviewed articles on a variety of topics in the study of ancient Egypt. Each article has a comprehensive bibliographies. 


Professional Organisations in South Africa​

South African Assocations