Discover Ancient Civilisations - Online Courses

Aesop’s fables have been used through history to clarify important issues within society. Investigate their perseverance through history and why they continue to be relevant today.

An introduction to one of the most influential and prolific Roman writers, Cicero, his life and works.



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

Suitable for complete beginners of ancient languages. Become familiar with the key grammar terminology and concepts that will enhance your learning. Highly recommended if you are starting to learn an ancient or classical language.



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

Explore the history and legacy of Akhenaten.

The Western Mediterranean, known as ‘Greater Greece’, preserves some of the loveliest art anywhere in the Greek world. Come and discover the role of these colonies in politics & warfare in the Mediterranean.

A reading group focusing on the Argonautica by the Greek poet Apollonius of Rhodes (in English translation).



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

This unique and wide-ranging course provides a broad introduction to the three major languages of the Ancient Near East, which together traverse a vast history of four millennia. In them were written some of the great landmarks of world literature, such as the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh, the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Sumerian Descent of Inanna.



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

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.

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.



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.

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.

Have a taste of exploring the ancient Athenian stage, and how they still speak to us about the challenges we face today.



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

Jerusalem is considered the holy city for the three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) and is one of the most iconic cities in the world.