The Department of Classics at Washington University in St. Louis supports a range of informal reading groups that bring together students, faculty, and community members to read ancient texts in their original languages—and to build language proficiency, scholarly community, and shared insight along the way. All groups are open to anyone with the relevant language background, and many welcome newcomers at any time.

St. Louis Area Group Reading Ancient Philosophy (SLAGRAP)

SLAGRAP meets fortnightly to translate and discuss Greek philosophical texts in an informal but intellectually rigorous setting. In 2024–2025, the group completed Books I and IV of Xenophon’s Memorabilia. The text for 2025–2026 is TBD.
Contact: Erin Brown eabrown@wustl.edu

Greek Poetry Zoom Reading Group

Since 2022, this group has gathered weekly on Zoom to read aloud and discuss ancient Greek poetry. Past readings include works by Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Homer, and Pindar. Sessions focus on performance, meter, and content, with occasional translation. Drop-ins are welcome, and all are invited—whether affiliated with WashU or not.
Meeting Time: One evening per week (day varies by semester)
Contact for Zoom link: Tim Moore tmoore26@wustl.edu

Ancient Christian Greek Reading Group

This group offers students and interested participants the opportunity to read the New Testament and other early Christian texts in ancient Greek. No formal prerequisites—though most attendees have taken at least one year of Classical Greek. Past readings include the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and John, Pauline letters, Revelation, and apocryphal works like the Acts of Thecla and Acts of Thomas. Sessions explore philological, historical, and theological dimensions of the texts.
Meeting Time: Fridays, 2–4 PM in Umrath Hall 238 (Classics Department Undergraduate Library)
Contact: Lance Jenott jenott@wustl.edu

German Academic Literature Reading Group

Designed for graduate students and researchers, this monthly sight-reading group helps participants develop fluency in reading German-language scholarship. Each month, a participant selects an academic article or book excerpt for group reading. Meetings focus on technical vocabulary and grammatical structures common in scholarly German.
Meeting Time: Typically 1.5 hours on Friday afternoons, with flexibility based on participants’ schedules
Facilitator: Justin Meyer jpmeyer@wustl.edu

Interested in joining a group or learning more?
Reach out to the listed contact person for each group—or drop by the Department of Classics in Umrath Hall to find out how you can get involved. Whether you're brushing up on Greek, diving into early Christian texts, or building your German reading skills, there's a space for you in our community of readers.