Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia (ANCW10001)

This subject will introduce students to the archaeology, history, and literature of the earliest civilisations - one situated in the Nile Valley (Pharaonic Egypt), and the other in the plains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (Mesopotamia – modern Iraq and Syria). Neighbouring cultures in Greece, Persia, and Turkey will also be introduced. These vastly different, but interconnected societies, have stirred our imaginations for millennia, inspiring those who have shaped history, including Alexander the Great and Napoleon. They will be compared in terms of their monuments, art, mythology, epic narratives, languages, history, and social institutions. Their highly visible legacy, uncovered by generations of archaeologists and historians, will also be examined to define further the processes that developed these complex societies.