Ancient History BA Honours

Our wide-ranging and inclusive Ancient History degree focuses upon a period extending from the eighth-century BCE ‘beginnings’ of Greek history to the fall of Alexandria in 641 CE.

During your degree, you’ll explore:

• a broad range of historical questions relating to Greek and Roman history
• the interactions of Greeks and Romans with neighbouring or conquered peoples
• a time of widespread mobility, intercultural contact, and exchange

The areas covered will include:

• the Mediterranean world
• Central and Northern Europe, including Britain
• beyond (e.g., Graeco-Roman Egypt, Babylon, or the steppe regions north of the Euxine/Black Sea)

You’ll focus on ideas of power, identity, religion, and culture along with the histories and experiences of historically marginalized groups.

You’ll learn how to work with a wide range of evidence, including:

• historical texts
• inscriptions
• papyri
• coins
• art
• architecture

You can also choose to study ancient Greek and Latin, from Beginners to Advanced level. You’ll be learning and working alongside internationally recognised experts. That will provide you with the opportunity to specialise in the topics relating to our various areas of expertise.

Our areas of expertise include:

• the history of Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age Greece
• interactions between Greeks and non-Greek ‘barbarians’
• Alexander the Great
• Hellenistic kingship
• the Roman Republic and the High Empire
• Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt
• Late Antiquity
• relations between pagans and Christians
• ancient literacy
• the experiences of immigrants, women, children, and slaves
• Greek and Roman religion
• Roman Law

Our dedicated research modules will enable you to develop and further hone a broad set of aptitudes and abilities including:

• a sense of empathy
• curiosity
• the ability to think creatively and reflexively
• working independently