Changes

Some classicists use the information gathered through philology, archaeology, and art history to seek an understanding of the history, culture, and civilization. They critically use the literary and physical artifacts to create and refine a narrative of the ancient world. Unfortunately, imbalances in the evidence available often leave a huge vacuum of information about certain classes of people. Thus, classicists are now working to fill in these gaps as much as possible to get an understanding of the lives of ancient women, slaves, and the lower classes. Other problems include the under-representation in the evidence of entire cultures. For example, [[Sparta]] was one of the leading [[city-state]]s of Greece, but little evidence of it has survived for classicists to study. That which has survived has generally come from their key rival, [[Athens]]. Likewise, the domination and the expansion of the [[Roman Empire]] reduced much of the evidence of earlier civilizations like the [[Etruscans]].

Some classicists use the information gathered through philology, archaeology, and art history to seek an understanding of the history, culture, and civilization. They critically use the literary and physical artifacts to create and refine a narrative of the ancient world. Unfortunately, imbalances in the evidence available often leave a huge vacuum of information about certain classes of people. Thus, classicists are now working to fill in these gaps as much as possible to get an understanding of the lives of ancient women, slaves, and the lower classes. Other problems include the under-representation in the evidence of entire cultures. For example, [[Sparta]] was one of the leading [[city-state]]s of Greece, but little evidence of it has survived for classicists to study. That which has survived has generally come from their key rival, [[Athens]]. Likewise, the domination and the expansion of the [[Roman Empire]] reduced much of the evidence of earlier civilizations like the [[Etruscans]].

===Philosophy===

===[[Philosophy]]===

The roots of [[Western philosophy]] lie in the study of the classics. The very word [[philosophy]] is Greek in origin—a term coined by Pythagoras to describe the "love of wisdom." It is not surprising, then, that many classicists study the wealth of philosophical works surviving from Roman and [[Greek authors|Greek philosophy]]. Among the most formidable and lasting of these thinkers are [[Socrates]], [[Plato]], [[Aristotle]], and the [[Stoics]].

The roots of [[Western philosophy]] lie in the study of the classics. The very word [[philosophy]] is Greek in origin—a term coined by Pythagoras to describe the "love of wisdom." It is not surprising, then, that many classicists study the wealth of philosophical works surviving from Roman and [[Greek authors|Greek philosophy]]. Among the most formidable and lasting of these thinkers are [[Socrates]], [[Plato]], [[Aristotle]], and the [[Stoics]].