REL/HIS 320: The Ancient World

Course Description

The Ancient World is an upper-level seminar course in which students and professor will conduct critical historical inquiries into the histories, religions, societies and cultures of the major civilizations of the Ancient Mesopotamian, Near Eastern and Mediterranean worlds, beginning with ancient Sumer and, time permitting, continuing as far as the birth of Islamic civilization in Late Antiquity.

Emphasis will be placed on breadth, historical method, and case studies — in a word, on theoria — rather than on comprehensive coverage of all known data or events.

Prerequisite: prior completion of ENG 112, and Sophomore or higher class standing. Normally offered Every other Fall.

Assyrian relief from Nineveh (ca. 8th century B.C.E.) showing deities flanking a cosmic "tree of life" type object (British Museum; photo by Matthew Baldwin)

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