The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn or UPenn) is a private Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of nine colonial colleges chartered prior to the U.S. Declaration of Independence when Benjamin Franklin, the university's founder and first president, advocated for an educational institution that trained leaders in academia, commerce, and public service. Penn identifies as the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, though this representation is challenged by other universities. Benjamin Franklin and other Philadelphians established the university in 1749, which would make it the fifth-oldest institution of higher education in the U.S.
The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Classical Studies in Philadelphia, United States, is a distinguished center for exploring the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. It offers comprehensive study of their languages, literature, history, and cultures through undergraduate and graduate programs, including majors, minors, MA, and PhD degrees. As one of the oldest departments of its kind, it maintains a tradition of academic excellence. The department features renowned faculty and fosters a vibrant, interdisciplinary intellectual community, drawing on historical, linguistic, literary, and archaeological methods. It is committed to an equitable and inclusive approach to studying antiquity, connecting the past with the present.
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