Classics or Classical Studies is the study of classical antiquity. It encompasses the study of the Greco-Roman world, particularly of its languages, and literature (Ancient Greek and Classical Latin) but also it encompasses the study of Greco-Roman philosophy, history, and archaeology. Traditionally in the West, the study of the Greek and Roman classics was considered one of the cornerstones of the humanities and a necessary part of a rounded education. The study of Classics has been traditionally a cornerstone of a typical elite education. 

The word "Classics" is derived from the Latin adjective "", meaning "belonging to the highest class of citizens". The word was originally used to describe the members of the highest class in ancient Rome. By the 2nd century AD the word was used in literary criticism to describe writers of the highest quality. For example, Aulus Gellius, in his "Attic Nights", contrasts "classicus" and "" writers. By the 6th century AD, the word had acquired a second meaning, referring to pupils at a school. Thus the two modern meanings of the word, referring both to literature considered to be of the highest quality, and to the standard texts used as part of a curriculum, both derive from Roman use.
what about Greco-Roman world does it include?
particularly of its languages, and literature