The field of Classical Archaeology is centred on the analysis of material evidence from Greco-Roman antiquity; importantly, archaeological data and historical sources are often used in concert. While the geographical farmwork largely centres on the Mediterranean the filed is in principle open, since both the Greeks and Romans were in close contact with various cultures, both neighbouring and afar, across different eras.
The temporal boundaries are usually understood as beginning with the advance of the civilisations in the Bronze Age (2nd Millennium BC, Cycladic, Minoan and Mycenaean cultures of the Aegean) and the Etruscan-Italic cultures on the Italian Peninsula on the one hand, with the end of Imperium Romanum and Late Antiquity (4th /5th AD) on the other. The material legacy of ancient civilisations is at the centre of the discipline. This includes visual culture such as a architecture, sculpture, painting, and ceramics. As historical artefacts, this material is used with the intention of reconstructing their context and function. This may pertain to aspects of public and private life, politics, economy, ritual, religion, and burial. The subject aims to explore both natural phenomena and to consider the impact of human interaction in the ancient world. The aim of the subject is to research natural and designed habitats and ancient living contexts.

Classical Archaeology examines design and creation, the use of landscapes and living spaces (from rural spaces to the city). It considers how people understood themselves and the world around them. It reflects upon how the use of images, symbols, and design was used to convey meaning through things like architecture, sculpture, pottery, and other visual media. The roots of this visual tradition still impacts our built environment today, this dynamic forms a key part of the discipline. In this respect, Classical Archaeology has two distinct methodological approaches: first, as a field of visual studies it is primarily concerned with the interpretation of material evidence; on the other hand, Classical Archaeology is closely tied to the study of ancient literature. Classical Archaeology places artefacts in context and therefore considers wider political, social, cultural, and historical frameworks. On this basis, the aim is to develop new inter-linked lines of enquiry that are especially relevant to an increasingly visual society.

Classical Archaeology is dependent on the surviving  Greco-Roman literary tradition in order to interpret the material evidence in their respective historical context and against their social, cultural-historical and religious background. It is therefore closely related to ancient history, classical philology and theology. Classical Archaeology has methodological, temporal, and spatial parallels with provincial Roman Archaeology and Christian Archaeology. Additional disciplines like Prehistory and Early History, Egyptology, and Near Eastern Archaeology deal with some of the key-foundation of Greco-Roman antiquity, with which they also share spatial and temporal overlaps. There are further intersections, with other disciplines like cultural studies which seek to shed light on underlying structures and functions of cultures and societies.

T. Hölscher, Klassische Archäologie. Grundwissen (2002)
A. H. Borbein – T. Hölscher – P. Zanker, Klassische Archäologie. Eine Einführung (2000)
R. Bianchi Bandinelli, Klassische Archäologie. Eine kritische Einführung (1978)
J. Bergemann, Orientierung Archäologie. Was sie kann, was sie will (2000)
U. Sinn, Einführung in die Klassische Archäologie (2000)
Der Neue Pauly 14 (2000) 901-953 s.v. Klassische Archäologie (H. G. Niemeyer – B. Schweizer)
F. Lang, Klassische Archäologie (2002) .
H. G. Nesselrath (Hrsg.), Einleitung in die griechische Philologie (1997), Archaische Zeit S. 585-608 (W. Martini), Klassik S. 609-634 (A. H. Borbein), Hellenismus S. 635-658 (R. Fleischer), Kaiserzeit S. 659-677 (D. Willers), Spätantike S. 678-693 (D. Willers), Griechische Numismatik S. 694-707 (H. A. Cahn).
F. Graf (Hrsg.), Einleitung in die lateinische Philologie (1997), Kunst und Archäologie Roms S. 601-654 (H. v. Hesberg), Die Archäologie der römischen Provinzen S. 655-669 (R. Fellmann), Römische Numismatik S. 670-696 (H.-M. v. Kaenel).