Classics & Ancient History

In this course, we explore the art and architecture of the Greek world, looking in particular at free-standing sculpture (both Archaic and Classical), architectural sculpture, vase painting, and temple architecture. Within each of these...

In this course, Dr Rosie Wyles (University of Kent) provides a close reading and analysis of Aristophanes' Acharnians, focusing in particular on the prescribed material for the OCR A-Level in Classical Greek. All passages are presented in the...

In this course, Professor Neville Morley (University of Bristol) explores Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, focusing on the key episodes in the text and thinking in particular about some of the historiographical issues that modern...

In this course, Prof. Edith Hall (King's College, London) provides an introduction to the plays of Aristophanes, thinking in particular about the world that Aristophanes lived in and his comic output and focusing in particular on: the link between...

This course examines the life of Socrates, before looking at his famous philosophical method and asking, why was Socrates so interested in defining what things mean? After this, we look more closely at two early dialogues of Plato which feature...

In this course, we explore the prescribed section of Ovid’s Metamorphoses (Book 3.511-733). In particular, we think about the depiction of Pentheus and the humour contained in that episode, before exploring the many ways in which this section of...

In this course, Professor Richard Seaford (University of Exeter) explores the ancient Greek institution of the hero cult. In the first module, we describe what a hero cult actually is, thinking in particular about the different meanings of the...

In this course, Dr Rosie Wyles (University of Kent) provides a critical study of three plays of Aristophanes – The Acharnians (425 BC), The Knights (424 BC) and Peace (421 BC) – in their theatrical, religious, social, and political context. In...

In this module, we explore Euripides' Medea, a tragedy in which a Medea kills her own children to get back at Jason, who has left her for another woman. The course begins by looking at the myth of Medea and...

In this course, Professor Richard Seaford (University of Exeter) explores the Greek institution of mystery cults, focusing in particular on the Eleusinian and Dionysian Mysteries. In the first module, we think about what a mystery cult actually...

In this course, Professor Paul Cartledge (University of Cambridge) explores the Greco-Persian Wars of 490-79 BC. We begin by exploring the concept of Greekness before turning in the second module to think about the extent to which the Greeks...

In this course, Dr Andrew Sillett (University of Oxford) explores Cicero's defence of Titus Annius Milo, the Pro Milone. We start by considering the crime itself—the death of Publius Clodius Pulcher on the Appian War on 18 January 52 BC....