Major Requirement: History of Europe, Period prior to 1500
This course is an introductory survey of the history of the ancient Mediterranean from ca. 3000 B.C. to ca. A.D. 500 that focuses on the great civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the Near East (e.g., Assyria and Persia.) Each civilization had its distinctive character, and yet vigorous cultural exchanges within the area, and beyond, led to the assimilation, adaptation, and sometimes even rejection by one culture of the ideas and practices of another. Thus, the course will track these interactions and examine their consequences for the historical development of Mediterranean civilizations. Also considered will be a rich variety of evidence that includes literary texts, inscribed documents, artifacts, coins, art, and architecture. (Course offered in alternate years.)