Discover Ancient Civilisations - Online Courses

So many works of arts refer, in one way or another, to Ovid's Metamorphoses. In this course, you'll become familiar with some of the most memorable stories in this masterpiece and begin to understand why its stories are - and have been - so universally fascinating and influential.



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

Come and explore Homer's great epic tale in translation.



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

This course explores some of the most elaborate and powerful displays of the Graeco-Roman world. Designed to entertain, inform, and elicit support, often at times of great political or religious significance, they were unforgettable, and have long exercised an influence on our own understanding of the nature of power.

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.

This four-week course delves into the written words and thoughts of the ancient Egyptians. Students will gain a foundation in the iconic writing of hieroglyphs, putting their newfound skills into practice by reading original texts from British Museum artefacts. This is a truly fascinating and intricate language, and it offers its readers the ability to understand the lost voices of one of history’s most remarkable civilisations. The class will be held in Covent Garden, with regular visits to the near-by British Museum.

How do you define magic and divination? Why has the Western world traditionally viewed magic as opposed to religion and science? These and other issues will be discussed in this thought-provoking course.



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

Come and explore the journey of the Argonauts and discover Jason.

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.

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.