Classics and Race

From Renaissance humanism to the transatlantic slave trade, this collection portrays how classical texts have been entangled with the politics of race, shaping exclusion and resistance. Spanning centuries and continents, Classics and Race follows the entangled histories of classical studies and racial thought to show how ancient texts have been used to shape and justify ideas about race. This essential collection presents historical primary sources from the late medieval period to the mid-twentieth century, each paired with insightful essays by leading scholars who unpack their significance in shaping both racist and anti-racist ideologies.

Moving chronologically, the volume explores classical humanism in the Renaissance, the discipline's ties to the transatlantic slave trade, and the global intersections of race and antiquity across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and North America. Rather than treating Classics as a neutral intellectual pursuit, this work demonstrates how the field has long been entangled in broader struggles over identity and power. More relevant than ever, Classics and Race offers a vital historical foundation for ongoing debates about the role of antiquity in shaping modern racial discourse.