The Trojan War
Choose a starting date
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 05 Dec 2025End Date: 05 Dec 2025Fri (Daytime): 11:00 - 17:00In PersonFull fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
The myths surrounding the 10 year war between the Greek City States and Troy in c. 1200 BCE including the events leading up to the war, some of the conflicts of the war and some of the events in its aftermath.
What will we cover?
The marriage of Peleus and Thetis, the Judgement of Paris, Achilles’s battles with Penthesilea, Hector and others, the fall of Troy, the adventures of Odysseus, the fall of the house of Agamemnon and the stories of other heroes and villains.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Understand the main course of events of the war
- Recall the part played in the war of the famous figures from mythology
- See the influence of the war on the art of the Ancient Greeks and Romans as well as later cultures in Europe and elsewhere.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an introductory course and does not assume any previous study or reading although you will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. As with most of our history courses, an open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course consists of a mixture of illustrated lectures, discussions, questions, reading and analysis of original texts (in translation). The course will include a visit to the British Museum.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Please bring pen and paper if you wish to take notes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Any other ancient civilisations courses. See the website for details.
After a BA in History & Geography at Keele with Music, Education and Greek Studies as subsidiaries, William Sterling taught History full-time before becoming a Civil Servant working for the Departments of Transport and Education. This allowed him to study part-time for his MA from Birkbeck and PhD from King’s College, London. From 1992, he lectured in Adult Education at a number of colleges before joining the City Lit in 2008. Since 1994 he has been an official Gallery Guide at the British Museum, covering the whole museum but specialising in the Ancient Greeks, Romans and Etruscans, the Medieval & Modern European and Enlightenment Galleries. As a lecturer, he specialises in those same areas as well as Royal History (especially British Monarchs from 1603 to 1910), Composers’ Lives and other Cultural, especially interdisciplinary, topics. He also lectures on Cruise Ships on subjects ranging from Vikings to Shakespeare. He runs a website offering free resources on the subjects he teaches.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
-
The Odyssey reading group (in translation)Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £84.00 - The writings of Cicero: an introductionFull fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
