Institute of Classical Studies (ICS)
ActiveDescription
The Institute of Classical Studies (ICS) was established in 1953 as a collaboration between the University of London's Senate and the Hellenic and Roman Societies. In 1958, the Institute and the two Societies moved from their previous headquarters at 50 Bedford Square to purpose-built premises at 31-34 Gordon Square. For nearly 40 years, this address held the esteemed status of being recognised as the national headquarters of the classical studies profession.
Since its inception, the Institute of Classical Studies has been devoted to promoting research on the ancient cultures of the Mediterranean and neighbouring regions. This encompasses various disciplines, including languages and literature, art and archaeology, history, and philosophy, spanning from prehistory to Late Antiquity.
Throughout the academic year, the Institute organises an extensive Events programme, featuring seminars, guest lectures, and conferences with distinguished speakers from the UK and around the world. It also publishes the journal BICS, which has three issues a year,, available in both print and online formats, as well as an important series of monographs known as BICS Supplements.
The Institute actively supports multiple Research Projects and is committed to providing valuable research training for postgraduate students. It offers teaching for several modules within the Intercollegiate MA programme and provides supervision for PhD students. Additionally, the Institute houses one of the world's leading research libraries, developed in close collaboration with the Societies for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies and Roman Studies. Its location in Senate House, situated in the heart of Bloomsbury, facilitates close cooperation with other parts of the University of London, as well as the British Library and the British Museum.
As one of the eight member Institutes of the University of London's School of Advanced Study, the ICS actively contributes to the promotion, facilitation, and practice of research and scholarship in various aspects of the Humanities.
The Institute of Classical Studies is home to several significant archives, including the Ventris Papers, Mycenaean Seminar Archive, and Theatre Archive.
The Institute facilitates a series of research projects, including the Ancient Theatre Project, the Aegean Seals Project, the Naukratis Project, Connective Frontiers and the Prosopography of the Later Roman and Byzantine Worlds (PLRBW). The Ancient Theatre Project aims to identify and catalogue the extensive archaeological and iconographic evidence related to Greek and Roman drama. The project's findings have been published in a series of BICS Supplements, and efforts to digitise the Theatre Archive are well underway.
Aegean seals and sealings, with over 10,000 extant examples spanning more than 1500 years, offer valuable insights into the Greek Bronze Age. The Aegean Seals Project seeks to facilitate study in this rich field and has provided support for work on the seals' database, accessible through ARACHNE. The Institute also collaborates in the Naukratis Project.
Connective Frontiers is a UKRI funded interdisciplinary research project on the archaeology and heritage of Rome's northernmost and southernmost frontiers. The Prosopography of the Later Roman and Byzantine Worlds (PLRBW) project unites the Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire and the Prosopography of the Byzantine World, which has been directed since 2017 from the ICS/SAS in partnership with the Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies; it is part of the PROSOPON international research network based at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
Digital methods play a crucial role in fulfilling the ICS and SAS's national and global objectives. Electronic media are integral to their publication operations, ensuring widespread accessibility to events and promoting engagement with the public. Digital infrastructure supports the provision of resources to the national community, training in and promotion of best practices in digital methods, and the development of the Combined Library. The ICS also takes on the responsibility of coordinating Digital Humanities research in Classics, fostering national and international collaborations, and curating their outputs. Notable initiatives include the 3D Lab, EpiDoc, Linked Open Data, Digital Classics Advisory Committee, Digital Classicist seminar, The Stoa: a Blog for Digital Classics, and Digital Humanities
The Institute is home to the Digital Classicist, an international community of scholars and students applying digital methods and technologies to research on the ancient and historical worlds. Its Digital Classicist London seminar series has run at the Institute since 2006 and continues today, alongside a community wiki, a discussion list and collaborative projects spanning digital epigraphy, papyrology, linked open data and digital editions of ancient texts.
Currently active
Yes
Offers funding
Yes, this infrastructure provides funding in the following categories:
Founding year
1953
Contact details
Senate House
Malet Street
London
WC1E 7HU
United Kingdom
On the map
Categorisation
Type
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Parent infrastructure(s)
School of Advanced Study (SAS)
The School of Advanced Study (SAS) plays a unique role in fostering collaborative, innovative, and distinctive research in the humanities. It also aims to equip researchers with the skills necessary t… read more about School of Advanced Study (SAS)
University Of London
Senate House
London
WC1E 7HU
United Kingdom
University affiliation(s)
University of London
London
Partner Infrastructures
British School at Athens (BSA)
Founded in 1886, the BSA is a UK-registered charity and is one of seven British International Research Institutes that receive annual funding from the British Academy. The School exists to promote res… read more about British School at Athens (BSA)
London
Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies
The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies, generally known as the Hellenic Society, was founded in 1879 to advance the study of Greek language, literature, history, art and archaeology in the … read more about Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies
London
London Centre for Ancient Philosophy (L-CAP)
The London Centre for Ancient Philosophy is home for the study of ancient philosophy for staff and students at institutions that are members of the federal University of London, run by staff from Birk… read more about London Centre for Ancient Philosophy (L-CAP)
London
The Institute of Archaeology forms part of the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences. Administratively it is organised into three Sections - Archaeological Sciences, Heritage Studies, and World Ar… read more about UCL Institute of Archaeology
London
Digital Humanities Research Hub (DHRH), London
The Digital Humanities Research Hub (DHRH) at SAS is a leading centre for digital research in the School of Advanced Study. Its interdisciplinary team comprises academics from various disciplines, inc… read more about Digital Humanities Research Hub (DHRH), London
London
Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies (SPRS)
The Roman Society was founded in 1910 to advance the understanding of ancient Rome and the Roman Empire. Today the Roman Society has almost 2,000 members worldwide and is the leading organisation for … read more about Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies (SPRS)
London
The British Museum actively promotes academic research of the highest quality by its own staff, and supports the research of others. This research is intended to advance the care, display and public u… read more about British Museum
London
The MakerSpace is a shared space for digitisation and experimentation. Located in Senate House, it provides facilities for knowledge exchange, capacity building and training within and beyond the Scho… read more about Senate House MakerSpace
Council of University Classics Departments (CUCD)
The Council of University Classical Departments is the professional forum for all teachers of classical Greek and Roman subjects in British Universities. It has four meetings annually: three meetings … read more about Council of University Classics Departments (CUCD)
London
Society for Neo-Latin Studies (SNLS)
The Society for Neo-Latin Studies (SNLS) was founded in 2004 and is the national organization in the UK for all scholars interested in literature of the early-modern period written in Latin. SNLS orga… read more about Society for Neo-Latin Studies (SNLS)
London
The Roman Finds Group (RFG) provides a forum for all those with an interest in Roman artefacts. Founded in 1987, its membership is both professional and amateur, and new members are always welcome. Th… read more about Roman Finds Group (RFG)
The Classical Association is an educational charity, founded in 1903, dedicated to making classical subjects widely accessible. It supports everyone who has an interest in the ancient world and its me… read more about Classical Association
Accordia is a research institute in the University of London. It operates in association with the Institute of Archaeology, UCL and with the Institute of Classical Studies, School of Advanced Study, U… read more about Accordia Research Institute
London
The British Epigraphy Society exists to promote the study of inscriptions, texts and historical documents in Greek, Latin and other languages, and was established at a meeting in London on 16 November… read more about British Epigraphy Society
Beckenham
Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies (SPBS)
The SPBS was established with the object of furthering study and knowledge of the history and culture, landguage, lierature and art of the Byzantine Empire and its neighbours. Its scope is wide, cover… read more about Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies (SPBS)
British Institute at Ankara (BIAA)
The British Institute at Ankara (BIAA) supports, enables, and encourages research in Türkiye and the Black Sea region in a wide range of fields including archaeology, ancient and modern history, … read more about British Institute at Ankara (BIAA)
London
For 100 years, world-class researchers and contemporary artists have been nurtured at the British School at Rome. We are the bridge between the intellectual and cultural heart of Rome and Italy, and c… read more about The British School at Rome
Classical Reception Studies Network (CRSN)
The Classical Reception Studies Network (CRSN) aims to facilitate the exchange of information and to encourage collaboration in the field of classical reception studies, on a global scale. Classical r… read more about Classical Reception Studies Network (CRSN)
Milton Keynes
English Heritage (The English Heritage Trust) is a registered charity and AHRC-recognised Independent Research Organisation that cares for over 400 historic sites, monuments, and collections across En… read more about English Heritage
Swindon
The Virgil Society was founded in 1943. Its purpose was and remains to unite all those who cherish the central educational tradition of Western Europe, of which Virgil is the symbol, and membership is… read more about The Virgil Society
South Croydon
Additional Partnerships
CIPEM (Comité International Permanent des Études Mycéniennes); Classical Collections Network; Cognitive Classics; Current Epigraphy; Digital Classicist; Inclusive Classics Initiative; London Classicists of Colour (LCOC); Women's Classical Committee; Department of History, Classics and Archaeology, Birkbeck, University of London; Department of Classics, King's College London; Department of Classics and Philosophy, Royal Holloway, University of London; Department of Greek and Latin, University College London; Department of History, University College London; Vindolanda Trust; Frontiers of the Roman Empire UNESCO World Heritage Site; Society for Classical Studies, USA; Department of Antiquities of Libya, Libya; Harvard University, USA; University of Toronto, Canada; Institut für Klassische Archäologie, Heidelberg, Germany
Last modified:
2026-10-05 09:11:25