Online Courses about Ancient Civilisations
Discover the fascinating histories of the ancient world with City Lit’s online ancient civilisations courses. From the wonders of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia to the achievements of Greece, Rome, Persia and beyond, these expert-led courses bring the distant past to life — all from the comfort of your own home.
Explore the culture, art, politics, religion and daily life of some of the world’s earliest and most influential societies. Learn how these civilisations shaped history and how their legacies continue to influence the modern world. With flexible online learning, live interactive sessions and supportive tutor guidance, you’ll engage deeply with the achievements and complexities of the ancient world.
open to adults of all ages, whether you're new to the subject or looking to expand your knowledge, our courses offer a welcoming space for curiosity, discussion and learning.
Explore our online ancient civilisations courses today and connect with the stories, people and ideas that helped shape human history.
23 courses available
Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs: an introduction onlineThis 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 the British Museum collection. 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. This is an online version of the course held in our campus.
Online
Tue 13 Oct 2026Hugo CookFull fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00- Virgil's Aeneid reading group (in translation)Discover one of the greatest works of Latin literature.
Online
Wed 14 Oct 2026Justin MurrayFull fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £159.00 - The Odyssey reading group (in translation)Homer’s epic tale of Odysseus’ journey home after the Trojan War may now be over 2,500 years old but it still has much to tell us about the Ancient Greek world that is still relevant today. Explore this great work in translation.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £103.00
- Mystery religionsMystery 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.
Online
Wed 28 Oct 2026Ann JeffersFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £51.00 - The pre-socratic philosophers: philosophy in the beginningThe beginnings of philosophy and science are found in the thinking of early Greek, ‘Presocratic’, philosophers. Who were they? Why is their thinking still relevant?
Online
Thu 29 Oct 2026John GoffFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - Prostitution in Ancient RomeThe oldest profession as practised among the Romans - not for the squeamish.
Online
Tue 3 Nov 2026Sean GabbFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - From mythical heroines to the emperor's subjects: epistolography in the Roman EmpireFind out more about epistolography (letter writing) as a literary genre in the Roman world.
Online
Tue 1 Dec 2026Nikoletta ManiotiFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Interactions between the Mediterranean world and Anglo-Saxon EnglandThis talk will explore some of the connections which maintained the Anglo-Saxons' feeling that Rome was part of their heritage.
Online
Fri 4 Dec 2026Stephen PollingtonFull fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Grammar for ancient languages: an introductionSuitable 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.
Online
Wed 6 Jan 2027Justin MurrayFull fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £38.00 - Ancient Greek dramaHave a taste of exploring the ancient Athenian stage, and how they still speak to us about the challenges we face today.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
- The Epic of Gilgamesh: part 1
Discover the legend that began it all. Journey back to third millennium BCE to discover what is commonly referred to as the world’s oldest surviving work of literature, the story of the king Gilgamesh and his epic quest to conquer gods, monsters, and even death itself.
Online
Tue 19 Jan 2027Yentl LoveFull fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00 - Archetypes and Greek Gods
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 is an online version of the class held in person.
Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £110.00 - Who were the ancient Greeks?The Greeks are perhaps the exceptional people of the Ancient World. They were not saints: they were at least as willing as anyone else to engage in aggressive wars, enslavement, and sometimes human sacrifice. At the same time, working without any strong outside inspiration, they provided at least the foundations for the science, mathematics, philosophy, art and secular literature of later peoples.
Online
Thu 21 Jan 2027Sean GabbFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £155.00 - Greek philosophy: PlatoPlato’s philosophy is the foundation of Western thought. It remains essential to a philosophical understanding the human condition.
Online
Thu 21 Jan 2027John GoffFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - Jewish novels in the Hellenistic period
Discover the emergence of the novel as a literary genre during the Hellenistic period, a genre which has given birth to the modern novel.
Online
Tue 26 Jan 2027Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
Can't see a course you want?
Add this category to your waiting list to set up alerts and we will update you when new courses are released online.