Research Strategies for Classics Majors : A Tutorial

Another approach is to consult an index which incorporates journal articles and essays in addition to monographs. In Classics, the main index is L'Année Philologique (Class Ref. Z7016.M35 A). Note: There is a publication lag of three years for the print volumes.

You can also search the online edition of L'Année Philologique for more recent issues:

The print volumes of L'Année Philologique contain a list of the journals indexed along with their abbreviations. This index should be consulted for the authoritative manner in which to abbreviate ancient studies journals in references and footnotes. The citations only list abbreviations, so you need to consult the key in the beginning of each volume for the full title of the item. After the list of journals follow citations listed by ancient authors (new editions by and works about) in alphabetical order followed by a list of subjects such as Literature, Linguistics, Archaeology, History, etc.

In the back of each volume are indexes such as ancient names, geographic and modern author names indexing. The numbers following each of these entries refer to the item numbers following each citation, not to page numbers.

Note: The ancient authors are listed under the Latin form of their names, e.g., Aristoteles (Stagirites) instead of Aristotle, Liuius instead of Livy, Iustinianus instead of Justinian. This is important to keep in mind when searching "Ancient Authors and Texts" in the online version.

To view and listen to a video-recorded step-by-step Search in l'Année Philologique click on the right-pointing arrow in the image below.

Strengths: Indices provide references to books, journal articles, book chapters, reviews, and dissertations published throughout the world.

Limitations: The time lag of the print editions means that you might miss a number of more recent publications. You will still need to consult the Library Catalog to determine the existence and location of the item. The Année provides only a citation. The online Année provides abstracts of articles, and the full text if the publication is one to which UC subscribes or one to which there is free, open access.

L'Année Philologique began in 1924. Before the Année there were other bibliographies/indices that listed works produced in Classics: Marouzeau's Dix Années (1914-1924); Lambrino (1896-1914); Klussmann (1878-1896); Engelmann(-Preuss) (1700-1878); Schweiger (-1820); Fabricius (- through the 1700s) (for their full bibliographic information, see the Subject Guide [forthcoming] under “Bibliographies”.  All of these bibliographies, except for Fabricius’ Bibliotheca Graeca (in the Rare Book and Manuscript Room) and Bibliotheca Latina (on microfilm) are located in Reference.

Examples of citations found in L'Année on Aristotle and his Politics:

The 2014 print issue of L'Année Philologique lists recent editions of Aristotle's Politics:

• Book III. Edited by Paolo Accattino, and Michele Curnis. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider, 2013.
• Book IV. Edited by Lucio Bertelli, and Mauro Moggi. Also from Bretschneider.

The 1999 print issue lists other editions:

• Translation with introduction, analysis and notes by Peter L. Phillips Simpson. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1997.
• Books 5-6 translated with a commentary by David Keyt. Oxford: Clarendon Press; Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
• Books 7-8 translated by Richard Kraut. 1997. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press.

The 2016 online volume of L'Année Philologique lists a 2016 edition of Politics with commentary to books 1, 3, 7, 8 by Christian Mueller-Goldingen:

• Aristoteles. Politik: Einleitung und Kommentar. 1. Heidelberg: Winter, 2016.
• Another 2015 publication is a Cambridge Critical Guide: Aristotle’s Politics: A Critical Guide, edited by Thornton Lockwood, and Thanassis Samaras. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.
• As well as a Cambridge Companion to Aristotle’s Politics, edited by Marguerite Deslauriers, and Pierre Destrée. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013. 

Note: Unlike in the Sciences, in the Humanities “the most recent” does not necessarily imply the most important, the best edition or a superior work.