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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.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/the-trojan-war137548The Trojan Warhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/t/h/the-trojan-war-rc619-square.jpg7979GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Classical literature22851177119114741228511771191The myths surrounding the war between the Greeks and Trojans in c. 1200 BCE. Or is it true? <div data-content-type="html" data-appearance="default" data-element="main">The myths surrounding the 10 year war between the Greek City States and Troy in c. 1200 BC including the events leading up to the war, some of the conflicts of the war and some of the events in its aftermath. Please note that this course is over 3 sessions, there will be no lesson on 14 October. <br />
<br />
This is a live online course. You will need:<br />
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.<br />
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.<br />
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.<br />
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.</div>153030847The Trojan War7979https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/t/h/the-trojan-war-rc619-square_8.jpgInStockDaytimeFriKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-12-04T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allDec 2026Culture, history & humanitiesRC6197979The Trojan War635179William Sterlingthe-trojan-war/rc619-2627The myths surrounding the war between the Greeks and Trojans in c. 1200 BCE. Or is it true?0000-Available|2026-12-04 00:00:00The 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.The myths surrounding the war between the Greeks and Trojans in c. 1200 BCE. Or is it true?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.<ul><li>Understand the main course of events of the war</li><li>Recall the part played in the war of the famous figures from mythology</li><li>See the influence of the war on the art of the Ancient Greeks and Romans as well as later cultures in Europe and elsewhere.</li></ul>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.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.Please bring pen and paper if you wish to take notes.Any other ancient civilisations courses. See the website for details.Ancient civilisationsClassical literaturevirtual637951RC619NONEFri04/12/2611:00 - 17:0011:0017:001 session1One-off onlyWeekdayKSKeeley StreetWilliam SterlingBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-12-04T00:00:00+00:00DaytimeDec 2026Culture, history & humanities7979The Trojan Warthe-trojan-war/rc619-2627The myths surrounding the war between the Greeks and Trojans in c. 1200 BCE. Or is it true?0000-Available|2026-12-04 00:00:00The 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.The myths surrounding the war between the Greeks and Trojans in c. 1200 BCE. Or is it true?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.<ul><li>Understand the main course of events of the war</li><li>Recall the part played in the war of the famous figures from mythology</li><li>See the influence of the war on the art of the Ancient Greeks and Romans as well as later cultures in Europe and elsewhere.</li></ul>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.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.Please bring pen and paper if you wish to take notes.Any other ancient civilisations courses. See the website for details.Ancient civilisationsClassical literatureconfigurable
14741191Classical literaturehttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/ancient-civilisations/classical-literature1/2/285/1177/1191/14741/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Classical literature
