Courses about Ancient Civilisations

Discover the origins of carpets, their threads, materials, patterns and trends as well as patrons and places of manufacture. Find out also their representations on the canvases of famous Renaissance artists.

The decisive battle fought at Raphia in 217 B.C. between the two Hellenistic kings Ptolemy IV of Egypt and Antiochus III of Syria saw the clash of armies drawn from across the ancient world, with elephants and cavalry, transforming the world order.

Roman love poets are proponents of peace as the condition where love can flourish. However, war permeates their poetry and is even turned into one of its characteristic motifs, the "campaign of love". This lecture will offer an overview of the themes of war and peace, with specific reference to the poems of Tibullus, Propertius, and Ovid.



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

All of the canonical Gospels frequently mention the Roman military; it is key to the story. Yet, in Mark’s Gospel, specific references to the Roman legion come to the fore, and perhaps to one legion in particular: Legio X Fretensis. Its symbols are coded into the story of the demon ‘Legion,’ which is placed immediately before the feeding of a ‘legion’ of 5000 men. Legionaries are involved in the torture and crucifixion of Christ, and then a statement by the centurion at the foot of the cross is at the very apex of the narrative, fulfilling the purpose set out at the start: declaring Jesus to be the son of a god – like Caesar himself. Questions over the potentially threatening nature of Jesus’ messiahship are also pervasive throughout, tying his relationship to the military to one of the core themes of the book. Probably written immediately following Vespasian’s war in Judea, which was led by none other than Legio X Fretensis, we must wonder: what is the function of the Roman legion in relation to the narrative and purpose of the Gospel of St. Mark?



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

City Lit and the British Museum present the annual Classics Day, offering a day of lectures celebrating war and peace in the ancient world. This year’s inspiration is the major exhibition "Legion: Life in the Roman army". Anyone with a love of the classics is welcome. No previous knowledge required.

Discover the art and architecture of Spain during the Arab domination (711-1493).

Discover stunning objects from ancient Greece and the evidence they provide for the lives of ancient people. Spend the afternoon having a close look at the British Museum's collection.

In this course we shall examine women in myth, women in religion and the everyday life of women. It will conclude with a visit to the British Museum.

The Seven Wonders fascinate us, but what were they and why were they wonders? Using art, literature and



archaeology we'll explore possible answers.

Discover the ancient language spoken by the Goths, an ancient Germanic population from Scandinavia who settled in North-Eastern and Eastern Europe.



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

200 years after one of history’s most famous puzzles was deciphered, tour around the British Museum’s new Decipherment exhibition and learn how the mystery of Hieroglyphs was unravelled with the Rosetta Stone, with other archaeological clues, and with a bit of genius.

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

The oldest profession as practised among the Romans - not for the squeamish.



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

This weekend course will offer an insight view of the multifaceted history and multilayered culture of Sicily, the ancient island off the shore of Italy mainland.

Famed Victorian novelist and travel writer, skilled artist, intrepid and renowned Egyptologist. No wonder that London born Amelia Blanford Edwards (1831-1892) was dubbed the ‘Queen of Egyptology’ by her American fans. Our concentration is on her legacy to London, and we end our day by visiting one of her enduring foundations in the capital: UCL’s Petrie Museum.