There are many reasons to study the Classics today. In the fifth century B.C., Protagoras taught:

"Human beings are the measure of all things."

This statement still rings true today. We measure our hopes and aspirations; successes and failures; and past, present, and future in terms of human accomplishments and potential. Classics helps put humankind in perspective. Rudolph A. Peterson, a Los Angeles businessman, has succinctly stated this perspective in his dedication of the museum in Nemea, Greece:

"Each generation of mankind has striven to pass this little planet earth on to their children in a better condition than they found it. The efforts and aspirations, the successes and failures, of past generations provide a lamp to guide our steps into the future. In a very real sense, through the long march of mankind, we are one with the people who lived, labored, and created here. This is the true import of history and the significance of this site."

To search for the roots of today's society in order to carve out a path to a better future is the role of Classics today. The person who majors in Classics today brings a broadly-based interdisciplinary perspective of the world to the marketplace. This perspective, when combined with the proper computer, communication, and interpersonal skills, can serve as an ideal preparation for a successful career in today's ever-changing world.

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