Classics and Medieval Latin

The University of Chicago has a long tradition in Medieval Studies. Medieval Latin Studies date from the Department’s beginnings in the person of Charles H. Beeson, a student of Ludwig Traube (Munich). The Regenstein Library has particularly rich and deep holdings for medieval literary and manuscript studies, with a special area of the Classics Reading Room devoted to them and noteworthy holdings in Special Collections. Students, including undergraduates, have regularly prepared for and conducted manuscript research in places like Paris, Munich, and the Vatican.

People

On the department faculty, Michael I. Allen is the medieval Latin expert, having done pioneering work in the field. Additionally, C. Stephen Jaeger, Professor Emeritus at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and associated faculty member of our Department, is an expert in this field.

Students interested in Medieval and Later Latin topics regularly interact with faculty from across the University, including Willemien Otten (Divinity), Rachel Fulton-Brown (History), and Richard H. Helmholz (Law). These students also have the opportunity to study in archives and work with academics from noted research institutions throughout the world.