TIDAC - Texts, Images, and Documents from Classical Antiquity

Multidisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Antiquity
The thematic program encompasses four tracks across four different master’s programs, all dedicated to the study of societies in Classical Antiquity. These studies are based on sources that share specific characteristics which distinguish them from historical documents from other periods, yet which also bring them closer together and justify a joint study that transcends the division into four distinct specializations.

The thematic program “Texts, Images, and Documents of Classical Antiquity” focuses on sources from Classical Antiquity. It seeks to foster interdisciplinary approaches to develop a coherent, complex, and reflective understanding of the common subjects of study for students working on Classical Antiquity: sources and documents (iconographic, written, and material). Literary sources will, of course, be taken into consideration—as their transmission and the establishment of tradition are major issues—but other types of sources, such as inscriptions, coins, and graffiti, may also be subject to the same line of reasoning. The relationship to the image will be examined, as images serve as a space for the creation, reception, and reworking of mythological and ideological discourses. The program incorporates a strong historical-anthropological dimension. This approach aims to provide a more epistemologically sound foundation for understanding the ancient past: a deeper study of the entire production chain of written and iconographic documents, as well as the material and intellectual conditions of their creation, will provide the epistemological and anthropological depth necessary for a proper understanding of fields of knowledge that, while appearing close to current academic disciplines (history, philosophy, etc.), actually stem from distant cultural worlds whose otherness must be understood and described.

The thematic program offers one orientation day, three technical seminars, and one thematic workshop each year. Enrolled students will also work on a supervised project over the course of the four semesters. 

How to Apply for the TIDAC Program

Classes will be taught primarily in French.

To apply for this program, you must first be admitted to the first year of a master’s program in one of the following fields:
 
Note Journey Component Language
Master's in Arts, Literature, and Civilizations Classical Studies LLASIC Faculty of Arts and Humanities French
Master's in History Classical Studies ARSH Department French
Master's in Art History Classical Studies ARSH Department French
Master's Degree in Philosophy Ancient Philosophy and the Sciences of Antiquity ARSH Department French

The course units in the TIDAC program

Semester 7

  • UE 1: A back-to-school seminar (one day), introducing the annual theme; 1 ECTS.
  • UE 2: 3 specialized seminars (10 hours each): “Numismatics,” “Papyrology,” and “Issues in Dating”; 3 ECTS.

Semester 8

  • UE 3: Summer Seminar (2 days): “Anthropology, Texts, and Images”; 2 ECTS.

Semester 9

  • UE 4: A back-to-school seminar (one day), introduction to the annual theme, and a visit and meeting with a researcher; 1 ECTS.
  • UE 5: 3 Specialized Seminars (10 hours each): “Paleography,” “Ecdotics,” and “Digital Publishing”; 3 ECTS.

Semester 10

  • UE 6: Summer Seminar (2 days): presentation of the supervised project conducted over the course of 4 semesters; 2 ECTS.

Doctoral schools participating in TIDAC

  • Doctoral Schools in the Humanities, Political Science, and Regional Studies
  • Doctoral Programs in Languages, Literature, and the Humanities
  • Philosophy Doctoral Programs: History, Establishment, Representation
Apply to this thematic program
Updated on 7, September 2026