Greece: Athens & Lesbos

In cooperation with College Year in Athens (CYA), Lewis & Clark offers this program in Greece. Study and travel will focus on the history and culture of Greece from the Classical Period to the Byzantine Era. Based in Athens, the program will include extensive excursions to archaeological sites important for understanding the ancient Mediterranean world.

As an augment to the Lewis & Clark Classical Studies major and minor, this program provides students with the opportunity to experience the ancient Mediterranean world in ways on-campus faculty and programming cannot offer. The course on archaeology and hands-on archaeological experience ensure student exposure to one of the key dimensions of Classical Studies. The course on the Byzantine world brings students into contact with a part of the ancient world left uncovered in the on-campus curriculum, yet is an integral part of a broad Classical Studies program. The general culture course places the historically-focused content of the program in its contemporary context.

The Athens portion of the program (September, November until the end of semester) will use the facilities of College Year in Athens (CYA) as a home base for courses, library resources, computer labs, and orientation and support. The Lesbos portion of the program (October) will be based in the village of Thermi. The Lesbos sojourn will include hands-on archaeological experience and learning opportunities on the European migrant crisis - as Lesbos is a landing point for many migrants seeking entry to Europe. There will also be short program excursions from Athens to the Peloponnese, Crete and Delphi.

About the 2027 Program Leader: Gordon Kelly is a Professor with term and Program Chair of Classics. He received a PhD in Classical Studies from Bryn Mawr College in 1999, with a concentration in Ancient History. He has taught courses on Latin and Greek language and literature, Roman and Greek History, Classical Mythology, Roman Law, and the family in the Roman World. Professor Kelly’s research has focused on the connection of politics, law, and social history in the Roman Republic, and he is the author of the book, A History of Exile in the Roman Republic (Cambridge University Press, 2006). He is also interested in how ancient military practices reflect the social ideals of the Greco-Roman world and has served as a rower on the reconstructed ancient Greek warship Olympias during three sea-trials in the 1990s. More recently, Professor Kelly has served on the staff of the Rutgers University Archaeological Field School during summer excavations at an ancient Roman villa in Vacone, Italy. In 2017, The Society for Classical Studies, the main North American professional organization for the study of Greco-Roman antiquity, awarded him its Excellence in Teaching Award at the Collegiate Level.

Requirements Fulfilled:

General Education - This program fulfills the Global Perspectives general education requirement for students who successfully complete 8 or more semester credits. Students who complete GRK 201 during the program fulfill the World Language proficiency general education requirement. CLAS 314 fulfills the Creative Arts or Historical Perspectives general education requirements. CLAS 251 fulfills the Historical Perspectives general education requirement. CLAS 253 fulfills Creative Arts or Historical Perspectives general education requirements. IS 258 fulfills the Historical Perspectives general education requirement.

Major / Minor Requirements - CLAS courses may be applied to the CLAS major or minor, and can also be used in some cases with permission for the History and Religious Studies majors.

Credits: 16 credits (4 courses)

Curriculum:

All students take 4 courses (see below for course descriptions) distributed as follows:

1) IS 259: Modern Greece: Language and Culture

2) CLAS 314: Topography and Monuments of Athens

3) Two courses chosen from the following:

• • Greek 201 (offered every program iteration) (only for students needing the third semester of Greek while on the program)
  • CLAS 251: The History of the Byzantine Empire (offered every program iteration)
  • CLAS 253: Attic Tragedy (only offered in certain years)
  • CLAS 255: Sports, Games and Spectacles in the Greco-Roman World (only offered in certain years)
  • CLAS 266: Health and Healing in the Ancient World (only offered in certain years)
  • IS 258: Movements of Peoples in Greek History from the Iron Age to 1800 (only offered in certain years)

2025 Curriculum:

For the Fall 2025 program iteration, students will take the following courses:

• IS 259: Modern Greece: Language and Culture
• CLAS 314: Topography and Monuments of Athens
• GRK 201: Readings in Hellenistic and Classical Greek OR CLAS 251: The History of the Byzantine Empire
• IS 258: Movements of Peoples in Greek History from the Iron Age to 1800

Course Descriptions:

IS 259: Modern Greece: Language and Culture (4 credits)

Students abroad in Greece are faced with a double challenge: making sense of a new culture, in a language that is new to them. This course gives students the tools necessary to interpret and understand what’s going on around them, and to push past their first impressions of difference in order to evaluate the cultural logics and history behind what they observe. Students will receive an introduction to the Modern Greek language, making it possible for them to interact with people on a basic everyday level in their neighborhood, in their explorations of the city, and in their travels throughout Greece. The course also covers the important social changes that have transformed Greek society over the past 50 years, as well as the social concerns most pressing in Greek society today. 

CLAS 314: Topography and Monuments of Athens (4 credits)

This site-based course gives a comprehensive overview of the topography, archaeology and history of Athens, focusing particularly on the great monuments of the Classical and Roman city. Every major site - and many minor ones - will be explored, paying attention to their physical setting, architectural and archaeological characteristics, and position in the political, religious and social lives of the Athenians. One of the main aims of the course is to investigate how an understanding of the physical fabric of Athens can inform important historical questions about Athenian Democracy, Empire, religion, political and social life. Students will trace the rediscovery of Athens’ antiquities from the 15th century to the development of scientific archaeology in the 19th, and will look the role of archaeology in Athens from the foundation of the Modern Greek state up to the present day. 

CLAS 252: Art and Archaeology of the Aegean (4 credits)

This course gives an overview of the art and archaeology of the ancient civilizations of the Aegean and Greece: Minoan, Mycenaean, and Classical Greek, as well as providing an introduction to primary sources. In addition to classroom lectures and readings that provide historical context, the course includes visits to archeological sites, monuments, and museums in order to supplement student learning.

CLAS 251: The History of the Byzantine Empire (4 credits)

This course focuses on the transformation of the eastern Roman Empire into a Greek Orthodox medieval empire and the creation of a separate identity for the Byzantine state and society. Topics include the organization of the Byzantine state; the development and defining features of Byzantine civilization; relations between Byzantium and the Latin West, the Slavic world, and Islam; the pivotal and unique role of Byzantium; and the factors that led to the decline of the empire and the eventual fall of Constantinople. In addition to a narrative of the main events that shaped the history of Byzantium during this long period of time, special emphasis will also be placed on various aspects of Byzantine history and culture, such as: the empire’s foreign and internal affairs; frontier strategy and Byzantium’s relationship with its neighbours; trade and the economy; art and architecture; the role of the emperor and the imperial administration in the government of the empire; the central role of religion in Byzantine society and culture and the emergence of the church as a dominant factor in state politics. 

CLAS 253 Attic Tragedy (4 credits)

Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides are all a fascinating entry into the wider religious and political culture of fifth-century Athens and a rich part of the living tradition of theater today. This course combines both perspectives and seeks to answer the questions “What was Attic tragedy?” (How and why did it emerge when it did?), “What is Attic tragedy?” (What is its relevance and value in the theater today?), and “Are the first two questions different questions after all?” The course combines traditional academic practices (lectures, seminars, the writing of papers) with an experimental, hands-on approach. For the latter, students participate, in either onstage or offstage roles, in a workshop production of certain scenes from an ancient tragedy, intended to explore its theatrical nature and modern relevance. Taught on Greece overseas program.

CLAS 255: Sports, Games and Spectacles in the Greco-Roman World (4 credits)

An exploration of the athletic competitions and sports-based games and spectacles from the Bronze age through to the period of late antiquity, focusing on ancient Greek and Roman athletics, public spectacles, and gladiatorial games. An interdisciplinary study, the course examines the purpose and function of these games and spectacles within the wider context of the daily lives of the ancients. Students conduct their own re-creations of ancient games and sports, visit relevant archaeological sites, and survey representations of the ancient sports and games in contemporary pop culture. 

CLAS 266: Health and Healing in the Ancient World (4 credits)

This course examines ancient Greek, Roman, and early Christian and Jewish understandings of medicine, health, and healing. The ancients regarded these topics through social, philosophical, psychological, and religious lenses as much as through the perspective provided by scientific investigation of the human body and its workings—the same may be said for contemporary thought on the same topics. And, just as contemporary understandings of health, sickness, and healing are determined in large part by their proponents’ understanding of the human person, so too the ancients were guided by their anthropologies in how they addressed medicine and the cure of the soul. In this course we survey these twinned developments in antiquity, from ancient Mesopotamia to Late Antiquity. We focus on the Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman eras and the thought and practice of the followers of Hippocrates, the Hellenistic philosophers, and Galen and his successors. Attention is also given to early Jewish and Christian understandings of health, sickness, and healing.

IS 258: Movements of Peoples in Greek History from the Iron Age to 1800 (4 credits)

This course offers a comprehensive overview of the movements of peoples in Greek History from the Iron Age to 1800. Topics include: genetics; asylum; economics; the slade trade; athletics; and monasticism.

GREEK 201: Readings in Hellenistic and Classical Greek (4 credits)

This course continues the introduction of the grammatical principles of ancient Attic Greek that was given in Greek 101. Once the basics of Greek grammar have been reviewed, the course will focus on readings in the religious and secular literature of the Hellenistic and classical periods. Students will examine the historical context of the texts they read, and explore the purpose, historical events, political views, and societal values that each text reflects. The course aims to help students improve their reading skills while also expanding their knowledge of the grammar and syntax of the language. 

Prerequisite: Greek 102

Excursions: Past program excursions have included trips to Northern Greece, the Peloponnese, Crete, Delphi, Meteora, and Metsovo.

Housing: In Athens, students will live in the CYA student apartments. A typical apartment houses four or five students (double and single rooms) and includes a common area, a kitchen (stocked with tableware and basic cooking equipment), bathroom and balcony. Apartments are simply but fully furnished, with clima units (heating/cooling) in each bedroom and WiFi Internet access. Each student has the use of a desk with locking drawer. Although each student receives space to store clothing and personal belongings, storage space is limited and students are advised not to over-pack. CYA provides a pillow, two blankets and a bedspread for each student. Students live within easy walking distance of grocery stores, cafes and restaurants, bakeries, dry-cleaning shops, banks, and other amenities, including a lively, weekly outdoor “people’s market” offering fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, and flowers. There are generally no more than a few CYA apartments within a given building. The advantage of these accommodations over typical student dormitories is that students have a greater opportunity to interact with their Greek neighbors and generally live like Athenians do.

“Even in Greece, it will get cold come winter; pack accordingly to your comfort (also bring a rainjacket) Do an internship! It’s a great way to meet other Greek people and a settle into the city.”

“This program involves a lot of walking, and while Athens has excellent public transit within the city center it is less effective (mostly because there’s ancient artifacts under the ground) so walking is often the most effective method. I think it is also an excellent way to see the city, so I would encourage people to be aware they will walk a lot and then get out and wander around as much as they want to.”

“Do something new everyday! I set this goal for myself before arriving in Greece, and it was the best thing I could’ve done. It gave me the opportunity to take accountability for my new experiences. It is also a great opportunity to create goals for yourself to help you explore your time abroad!”

2026-2027 Fee Breakdown*

Total Fee (includes Tuition, Program Fee, and Health & Wellness Fee): $44,791

Tuition: $35,329

Program Fee: $9,425

Health & Wellness Fee: $37**

Included in the program fee are room/housing, board/meals, and administrative fees. Not included are airfare, passport and visa expenses, primary insurance coverage, photographs, books, immunizations, and incidentals. 

*Fees are updated every February for the following academic year.

**The Health & Wellness Fee supports the operations of Wellness Services staff in delivering pre-program orientation services, as well as in providing health-related consultation regarding participant health needs. All students in the College of Arts and Sciences pay a mandatory fee of $37 per semester.

Stipend: Students will receive a stipend to cover the cost of meals and transportation costs not covered by the program fee.

Estimated Airfare (Round Trip PDX to ATH): $1,000 - $1,500

Estimated Travel Document Fees: $150-200*

Estimated Health Insurance Fee: $1,906

*This cost is for visa application fee and processing only. Students will need to travel to a consulate for a visa appointment, and will have additional travel costs.

All students participating in overseas programs are automatically enrolled in iNext, a supplemental travel insurance program. The fee for iNext is covered in the program cost. However, students are also required to have comprehensive health insurance during their time abroad. All students participating in overseas programs, both abroad and domestic, are automatically enrolled in the College’s student health insurance program. Similar to a regular semester on-campus, students participating in overseas programs may waive enrollment in the student health insurance program if they have other comprehensive health insurance (e.g., through a parent, guardian or employer) that 1) provides coverage for them in the geographic region in which they will be studying and 2) includes mental health benefits. Find more information regarding health insurance & overseas programs.

Physical Requirements:

Before applying to this program, you should assess and determine if you are physically and/or emotionally able to participate in the following physical demands required by some of this program’s activities:

• Walking or hiking up to 5 miles in a day, sometimes for two or more days in a row, sometimes on hilly, uneven, or cobbled terrain in hot conditions
• Climbing and descending stairs
• Using public transportation, including sometimes crowded buses or trains
• Standing for long periods during tours and site visits
• Entering into older buildings with narrow and sometimes steep staircases, at times with limited or no access to elevators
• The possibility of warm/hot temperatures while residing in locations without air conditioning, and/or cold temperatures while residing in locations with a comfort for lower indoor temperatures
• The possibility of long, busy days with little downtime and infrequent days off from program activities

If you have questions or are concerned about these or any other program activities, please contact the Lewis & Clark College Overseas & Off-Campus Programs office (overseas@lclark.edu).

Application Process: Applications are due one year before the start of the program. The semester before the program, students who have been accepted will meet regularly for orientation. This orientation is meant to prepare the students for life in Greece by exploring literature and culture, and provides an opportunity for students to learn more about the logistical details of the program.

Learn more about our application process.

Travel: Students usually fly into Athens International Airport (ATH), where they are met by CYA staff, who will help them navigate taxis or public transportation and will give them their apartment keys.

Visa: Students will be required to apply for a visa in order to participate in this program. Students are required to visit a consulate in their jurisdiction to make a personal appearance to apply for this visa. The nearest consulate that serves the Portland, Oregon area is San Francisco. More information will be provided upon admission to the program.

Country-Specific Health Information: View specific health information for people traveling to Greece.

State Department Country Information: Visit the State Department’s Greece page.