131-014 Great Civilisations A

This subject surveys the history and institutions of the Ancient Near East and early Greece (down to the Persian Wars), including Egypt from the beginnings to the 18th dynasty, Sumer in the third millennium, the first empires; the Assyrians and Persians, and Greece down to the Persian wars. Students who complete this subject should be able to place the great civilisations of the Ancient Near East and early Greece (c 3000BC-480BC) in context and perspective; have gained basic training in source criticism and essay writing; have some familiarity with fundamental questions in the philosophy of history.