Courses about Ancient Civilisations

Explore a fascinating but complex period of Egyptian history from the XXI to the XII Dynasty.

Join the second of a series of thematic examinations of Greek culture through an exploration of their ideas.

The purpose of this course is to give an overview of Byzantine history, from the refoundation of the City by Constantine the Great to its final capture by the Turks.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

Did Troy ever exist? Did a great siege ever happen? History or Myth? Come and find out on this fascinating course.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

India's three indigenous religions - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism - have given rise to one of the oldest artistic civilisations in the world. Learn more about the art and architecture of Ancient India in this introductory course.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

Shrouded in mystery and legend, Amazonian and Central American cultures reveal surprising links to societies of the Andes that defy and challenge common perceptions about the rise of civilisation in the Americas.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

This module will look at the reception of the stories of biblical women in the visual arts, using a variety of tools from



narratology, feminist interpretation, sociology, politics and visual exegesis. We will look a number of biblical texts



where women appear as central or marginal and will examine the ways in which their story is depicted. We will look



at the ways in which paintings will sometimes fill a gap in the story, or indeed diverge from its biblical model. The



range of paintings will range from the medieval period, passing through the Renaissance to contemporary art.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

Mystery religions were very popular in the ancient world and were organised as voluntary associations. Their popularity is attested in writings and in material culture of the Greco-Roman world. They offered intense religious experiences outside the official, civic religions. The participants were initiated into the mysteries: whilst there is considerable variety in form and content, a belief in a form of salvation was a common denominator of many of these mystery religions. The question of the relationship between the mystery cults and Christianity will also be broached.

Myth permeated all aspects of ancient society and much the same can be said today. Investigate the relevance and perseverance of the Greek myth and why these tales continue to fascinate.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

In 120 BC, Rome was a city-state with functioning republican institutions that made room for a substantial element of democracy. It was also the dominant power in the Mediterranean World. By 20 AD, Rome was the capital of an autocratic empire that covered virtually the whole of the Mediterranean World and most of its surrounding territories. Between these dates, Rome saw the collapse of its ancient governing institutions in an orgy of political assassination, civil wars, purges, and military dictatorships.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

The origins of civilization in the Aegean. Lovely marble statuettes from the Cyclades. Magnificent palaces in Crete inspired by royal buildings in the Levant. Knossos with its splendid frescoes excavated by Evans. Sinister myths about the labyrinth and the Minotaur.

The Crusades are the defining event of the Middle Ages. They brought the very different civilisations of Western Europe, Byzantium and Islam into an extended period of both conflict and peaceful co-existence. The biggest loser was the Byzantine Empire, which emerged shattered and doomed from the encounter. The biggest winner was Western Europe, which was brought in close contact with the older and more sophisticated civilisations of the East, and which found its own progress greatly hastened. As for Islam, the Crusades ensured that the Near East would be gradually brought under the long hegemony of the Ottomans.







This was an age of striking individuals – Alexius, Bohemond, Enrico Dandolo, Saladin, Richard the Lion Heart, and many others. It is an age filled with unforgettable – and possibly true – stories of heroism and atrocity.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

Greek voyages of exploration find echoes in Homer’s epic narrating the adventures of Odysseus. Other myths also find confirmation in archaeology showing the foundation of colonies throughout the Western Mediterranean. Known as ‘Greater Greece’, these lands preserve some of the loveliest art anywhere in the Greek world. The Greek cities were key players in politics & warfare in the Mediterranean.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

Discover the mysterious people who lived in Central Italy and ended up being enveloped by the Romans.