Latin Studies in Basel centres on the literature of Roman antiquity and Late Antiquity, complemented by post-antique Latin literature, especially that of the Renaissance and Humanism. Guided by theories of literary and cultural studies, students interpret selected texts from these periods and engage with current scholarly debates. Latin Studies understands itself primarily as a discipline of textual and literary scholarship, enriched by linguistic approaches. Language training remains essential, serving the close reading of original texts with particular attention to style, rhetoric, and poetics.

Teaching and research in Basel’s Latin Studies cover nearly two millennia – from the earliest Latin literature of the third century BCE to the writings of sixteenth-century humanists. Particular strengths include prose and poetry of the late Republic and early Principate, Late Antique literature, and Upper Rhine humanism. The study integrates historical methodologies from Classical Studies with contemporary literary and cultural theory and embraces interdisciplinary perspectives to cultivate a holistic understanding of Latin language and literature. This interdisciplinary character is also reflected in collaborative teaching with related fields.

Within Basel’s cross-disciplinary Classical Studies, the MA in Latin contributes a culturally oriented literary scholarship. Integration into Basel’s broader literary studies is ensured through interphilological courses on major authors of the European canon, including Cicero, Virgil, Ovid, and Seneca.