Opening the Conversation: Rethinking How We Teach Antiquity in the Age of AI

Abstract

This editorial introduces the inaugural issue of AI & Antiquity: Journal of Teaching and Technology in Ancient Studies, situating the project within the broader debates on artificial intelligence and higher education. Far from conceiving AI as a threat, the journal embraces it as an opportunity to rethink the purposes and methods of teaching Ancient History. Traditional lecture-based models have proved increasingly inadequate for diverse and digitally immersed student populations, while absenteeism and disengagement reveal a widening gap between outdated pedagogies and contemporary learning needs. Against this backdrop, the journal advocates for inclusive, participatory, and critical approaches, integrating emerging technologies with active and experiential learning. By addressing neurodiversity, digital literacy, and the ethical use of generative AI, AI & Antiquity seeks to open new spaces for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation. The issue highlights both pioneering pedagogical experiments and broader reflections that aim to transform the teaching of the ancient world in the 21st century.