Discover the history of women and their stories in the Ancient Near East. We will meet key women from history, myth, and legend, and discover what role they played in the cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia through art, literature, and a trip to the British Museum.
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.
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.
In this one-day course we will discuss the history of women and their role in society within Ancient Mesopotamia, including ancient Sumer, Babylon, and Persia. We will discuss how art and literature tells us stories of the lives of women and goddesses, and contextualise this through a trip to the British Museum to view ancient artefacts which provide an insight into the lives of women in the Ancient Near East.
What will we cover?
Over the course of the day, we will discover the stories of key women such as the Sumerian priestess Enheduanna, celebrated as the first author in history, alongside royal women like Naq’ia, the mother of King Esarhaddon. We will discuss the politics of the harem, and how figures from myth and legend can give us insight into the various roles women held within the cultures of ancient Mesopotamia. Through our visit to the British Museum, we will contextualise this with a discussion of several key artefacts, which can provide us with a deeper understanding into the representation of women and goddesses in the world of the Ancient Near East.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Be familiar with the central empires of the Ancient Near East;
Discuss the role of women in Ancient Mesopotamian society;
Identify key figures from Ancient Sumer, Babylon, and Persia, and discuss their history;
Be familiar with key pieces of art and literature in the study of Ancient Mesopotamian women.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
No previous knowledge or exposure is required/expected. This course will be useful for complete beginners as well as students of the ancient world.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
There will be no work outside class, although further reading will be suggested for those who wish to investigate further. The day will involve a morning of teaching in a lecture style, before a site visit to the British Museum and discussion of key artefacts.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There are no additional costs. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and the visit to the British Museum will involve walking around and standing for some time.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Any other ancient languages or civilisation class. See website for details.
We’re sorry. We don’t have a bio ready for the tutor of this class at the moment, but we’re working on it! Watch this space.
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/women-in-the-ancient-near-east2912115Women in the ancient Near-Easthttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/ancient-civiliations-city-lit.jpg7979GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Ancient civilisations22851177119111921228511771191<p>Discover the history of women and their stories in the Ancient Near East. We will meet key women from history, myth, and legend, and discover what role they played in the cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia through art, literature, and a trip to the British Museum.</p>003030811Women in the ancient Near-East7979https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/ancient-civiliations-city-lit.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-11-21T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersNov 2026Culture, history & humanitiesRC3637979Women in the ancient Near-East635179Yentl Lovewomen-in-the-ancient-near-east/rc363-2627<p>Discover the history of women and their stories in the Ancient Near East. We will meet key women from history, myth, and legend, and discover what role they played in the cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia through art, literature, and a trip to the British Museum.</p>0000-Available|2026-11-21 00:00:00<p>In this one-day course we will discuss the history of women and their role in society within Ancient Mesopotamia, including ancient Sumer, Babylon, and Persia. We will discuss how art and literature tells us stories of the lives of women and goddesses, and contextualise this through a trip to the British Museum to view ancient artefacts which provide an insight into the lives of women in the Ancient Near East.</p><p>Discover the history of women and their stories in the Ancient Near East. We will meet key women from history, myth, and legend, and discover what role they played in the cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia through art, literature, and a trip to the British Museum.</p><p>Over the course of the day, we will discover the stories of key women such as the Sumerian priestess Enheduanna, celebrated as the first author in history, alongside royal women like Naq’ia, the mother of King Esarhaddon. We will discuss the politics of the harem, and how figures from myth and legend can give us insight into the various roles women held within the cultures of ancient Mesopotamia. Through our visit to the British Museum, we will contextualise this with a discussion of several key artefacts, which can provide us with a deeper understanding into the representation of women and goddesses in the world of the Ancient Near East.</p><ul><li>Be familiar with the central empires of the Ancient Near East;</li><li>Discuss the role of women in Ancient Mesopotamian society;</li><li>Identify key figures from Ancient Sumer, Babylon, and Persia, and discuss their history;</li><li>Be familiar with key pieces of art and literature in the study of Ancient Mesopotamian women.</li></ul><p>No previous knowledge or exposure is required/expected. This course will be useful for complete beginners as well as students of the ancient world.</p><p>There will be no work outside class, although further reading will be suggested for those who wish to investigate further. The day will involve a morning of teaching in a lecture style, before a site visit to the British Museum and discussion of key artefacts.</p><p>There are no additional costs. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and the visit to the British Museum will involve walking around and standing for some time.</p><p>Any other ancient languages or civilisation class. See website for details.</p>Ancient civilisationsAncient civilisationsvirtual637951RC363NONESat21/11/2610:30 - 16:3010:3016:301 session1One-off onlyWeekendKSKeeley StreetYentl LoveBeginnersAvailable courses2026-11-21T00:00:00+00:00DaytimeNov 2026Culture, history & humanities7979Women in the ancient Near-Eastwomen-in-the-ancient-near-east/rc363-2627<p>Discover the history of women and their stories in the Ancient Near East. We will meet key women from history, myth, and legend, and discover what role they played in the cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia through art, literature, and a trip to the British Museum.</p>0000-Available|2026-11-21 00:00:00<p>In this one-day course we will discuss the history of women and their role in society within Ancient Mesopotamia, including ancient Sumer, Babylon, and Persia. We will discuss how art and literature tells us stories of the lives of women and goddesses, and contextualise this through a trip to the British Museum to view ancient artefacts which provide an insight into the lives of women in the Ancient Near East.</p><p>Discover the history of women and their stories in the Ancient Near East. We will meet key women from history, myth, and legend, and discover what role they played in the cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia through art, literature, and a trip to the British Museum.</p><p>Over the course of the day, we will discover the stories of key women such as the Sumerian priestess Enheduanna, celebrated as the first author in history, alongside royal women like Naq’ia, the mother of King Esarhaddon. We will discuss the politics of the harem, and how figures from myth and legend can give us insight into the various roles women held within the cultures of ancient Mesopotamia. Through our visit to the British Museum, we will contextualise this with a discussion of several key artefacts, which can provide us with a deeper understanding into the representation of women and goddesses in the world of the Ancient Near East.</p><ul><li>Be familiar with the central empires of the Ancient Near East;</li><li>Discuss the role of women in Ancient Mesopotamian society;</li><li>Identify key figures from Ancient Sumer, Babylon, and Persia, and discuss their history;</li><li>Be familiar with key pieces of art and literature in the study of Ancient Mesopotamian women.</li></ul><p>No previous knowledge or exposure is required/expected. This course will be useful for complete beginners as well as students of the ancient world.</p><p>There will be no work outside class, although further reading will be suggested for those who wish to investigate further. The day will involve a morning of teaching in a lecture style, before a site visit to the British Museum and discussion of key artefacts.</p><p>There are no additional costs. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and the visit to the British Museum will involve walking around and standing for some time.</p><p>Any other ancient languages or civilisation class. See website for details.</p>Ancient civilisationsAncient civilisationsconfigurable
11921191Ancient civilisationshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/ancient-civilisations/ancient-civilisations-11/2/285/1177/1191/11921/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Ancient civilisations
Modern Greek 2 lower: module 3Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £155.00
