Saving Ancient Studies

EPOCH
5 hours ago
5 min read

Jack Sheehan and Leon Corneille-Cowell │ Save Ancient Studies Alliance

In the last few decades, humanities subjects have seen a sharp decline in student numbers at universities in the United States and Europe. This decline is caused by a number of factors, such as a rise in ‘careerist’ attitudes, a preference for STEM funding, and derision by politicians of ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees. From this we have seen many humanities department closures and subject discontinuations. Notable examples include:

Classics at Howard University (2021)
Archaeology at University of Sheffield (2024)
Archaeology at University of Worcester (2021)
Ancient History, Music, and Language at Cardiff University (2025)
Social Sciences and Humanities at Montclair State University (2026)

These examples are just a small number of the total losses within a dynamic education landscape wherein poor mismanagement is causing departmental closures. However, hope is not lost, there are groups trying to fight this. One such group is the Save Ancient Studies Alliance (SASA), which was founded in 2019 by Dr. David Danzig of New York University.

Stylized row of ancient architectural symbols: Egyptian statue, Ionic column, fluted pillar, ornate Corinthian capital, and helmeted bust. — Save Ancient Studies Alliance (SASA) Logo. (Credit: SASA).

Save Ancient Studies Alliance is a non-profit organization focused on increasing interest in, expanding access to, and advocating for ancient studies. Their mission is to bring together individuals of all ages and backgrounds to generate more excitement for these subjects. To achieve these goals, SASA offers several different events and programs that give people a chance to further engage with the ancient world.

One example of this is SASA’s Annual Virtual Conference, which began in 2021. Typically held in summer, each year has a different theme related to ancient studies. Previous themes have included ancient approaches to medicine, traditions, leadership, and culture. This year’s theme was ancient fashion and dove into not only what kind of clothing ancient civilizations wore, but also why they wore certain pieces. Even though the themes change, the purpose of the virtual conference stays the same: to provide an accessible format where people can share scholarship and freely hold discussions. To aid in this, each conference is free to attend and has multiple components, including keynote speakers, workshops, discussions, and Q&As. The conferences are streamed by several of SASA’s partners and have reached a combined viewership of 67,800 views over the last five years.

Ancient Pantheon in Rome with towering Corinthian columns, domed rotunda, carved Latin inscription, and tourists gathered in bright sunlight. — A frontal view of the Pantheon, Rome. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons).

In addition to the virtual conference, SASA has many other live events. Their Master Classes, for instance, are an informational and interesting way to get involved with the ancient world. Held over Zoom, the classes are easy to attend and are often led by doctoral students. With around twenty to thirty people typically in attendance from a wide array of backgrounds, these groups offer many different perspectives and ideas. Past topics include a comparison between present and ancient politics, creation stories from around the world, Ancient Near Eastern music, and even the Ancient Olympics.

Another program that SASA offers to increase accessibility to studies of the ancient world is their collection of Archaeogaming Educational Modules (AEM). The modules are free learning tools meant to aid in students' education about the ancient past by combining archaeological components such as excavation, culture, pottery, architecture, and history with video games that students enjoy, like Assassin’s Creed. With the video game component being present in the form of a ten-minute multimedia lecture, the modules also include some background material, worksheets, activities, and PowerPoints to create an engaging and effective way for students to learn about the past. Currently, there are six modules available: ‘Pottery in Ancient Greece’, ‘An Introduction to Medieval Ireland’, ‘The Construction of the Roman Empire’, ‘The Building of the First Cities’, ‘Vikings’, and ‘Medieval Medicine’. Although they currently are geared towards the middle school educational level, they are currently being adapted for other educational levels such as high school and undergraduate.

Ancient Greek theater ruins in a barren coastal landscape, with curved stone seating and stage overlooking a vivid blue sea. — The remains of an Ancient Greek theatre in Delos. (Credit: Bernard Gagnon, via Wikimedia Commons).

SASA is also home to several other important tools, such as an Online Resources Database for Ancient Studies, Intro Guides, and the Archaeological Terms and Translations Project. The database is composed of over 600 different webpages and digital projects related to the ancient world. Located on SASA’s website, it provides easy access to all types of information, ranging from lesson plans to ancient texts, and can be used for further research on a topic. The Intro Guides, as the name suggests, can be used as an introduction to a topic. These manuals include background information, common terms and definitions, important scholarship, and other related sources. Additionally, the Archaeological Terms and Translations Project provides lists of common archaeological or scholarly terms and phrases translated into and from various languages, including French, German, Modern Greek, and many more.

Museum display of ancient navigation artifacts: a compass-like dial, inscribed fragments, circular disk, and curved instrument pieces on a white base. — Fragments of ancient Greek pottery with surviving inscriptions. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons).

Also found on their website is SASA’s very own Port Ancient. Port Ancient is a gallery which holds projects from their partners. They have a wide range of project types, from YouTube channels to podcasts, magazines, and even some games. This variety in form truly aids accessibility, as there is something for everyone to enjoy. Some notable projects on Port Ancient include the TikTok profile of ‘Annelise the Archaeologist’, the ‘Movies We Dig Podcast’, and the ‘Egypt in Minecraft Project’. Right now, there are over 80 projects listed.

One of the most current undertakings by SASA is a scholarship project. The SASA Conference Scholarship provides grants to undergraduate students, which cover the cost of attending conferences. They will start accepting applications for the scholarship in Fall 2026. All students have to do is give their name, university, information regarding the conference they hope to attend, the estimated cost, and answer a couple of short questions.

Ultimately, studying the humanities, and especially ancient studies, is extremely necessary, as they teach important lessons about the human experience, critical thinking, and cultural awareness. With the recent downward trend in enrolment in ancient studies and other similar disciplines, the Save Ancient Studies Alliances provides interesting and exciting opportunities to make the field more accessible, encouraging enrolment. If you would like to get involved and help SASA fulfil their mission, they offer several volunteer and intern roles. The various positions include tasks such as outreach with potential partners, helping to build archaeogaming modules, running annual fundraising events, creating content, and so much more. As of 2024 they have had 673 total volunteers and interns, and the program itself is extremely important in keeping SASA running smoothly. If you’re interested in a position, find out more here.