The Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies is concerned with the study of the books of the Bible and the cultures and histories of the world in which they were written. Through textual studies, archaeological excavations and historiographic interpretations, the Ancient world is illuminated. 

The Department consists of three Units: Classics, New Testament Studies, Old Testament, Biblical Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies (OT/BA/ANES). The latter unit was formed from previously separate units in order to complement each other. Ancient Near Eastern Studies encompasses a broad range of Near Eastern cultures spanning the period from 4500 to 330 BC. Together with Biblical Archaeology, these sub-units study the ancient pre-Hellenistic world of the Middle East. Old Testament studies, as the name suggests, focus on the interpretation and study of Old Testament texts, with a primary emphasis on historical context over theological considerations.  Classics studies the Greek and Roman worlds (c. 600 BC-400 AD). New Testament Studies cover the world and literature of the New Testament texts. 

The multi-disciplinary nature of the department lends itself well to presenting a complete and accurate picture of the ancient world. This world, in many ways, formed Western civilisation and, through colonisation, modern African states. Studying the ancient world is therefore crucial to our understanding of the world today, as well as the origins of many of the issues still present in the Middle East in the 21st Century. 

The department was formed in 2012 through the merger of two departments: Old Testament & Near Eastern Studies and New Testament & Early Christian Studies.

This was followed by a second merger in 2014, when the Classics unit (previously part of the Department of Classics and World Languages) merged with the larger Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies.

We are privileged to offer courses and modules in a range of academic disciplines, including Old and New Testament, Classical Hebrew, Modern Hebrew, Judaica, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Early Christian Studies, Ancient Greek, Latin, Ancient History, Classical Culture, and Classical Studies.

The department hosts four academic journals, and its academic staff members are actively engaged in high-quality academic societies, with numerous publications and presentations at conferences every year.