Creation stories—which recount the origins of the universe, the earth, and humanity—show us how ancient cultures made sense of the human condition. In this course, you’ll explore great creation texts such as the Babylonian Creation Epic, the Egyptian Memphite Theology, the Hittite Kumarbi Cycle, the Greek Theogony of Hesiod, the two contrasting accounts of creation in the biblical Genesis, and more.
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Travel back to the ancient world in this two-course set. Meet some of history’s least known influential figures in Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World. Then, broaden your appreciation of the distant past with the globe-spanning journey of History of the Ancient World: A Global Perspective.
We live in a world of cities—for the first time ever, the majority of the population lives in an urban environment—and reflecting on ancient models of the “city” as a human phenomenon offers important lessons for our culture today. Cities of the Ancient World is your opportunity to survey the breadth of the ancient world through the context of its urban development. These 24 eye-opening lectures not only provide an invaluable look at the design and architecture of ancient cities, they also offer a flesh-and-blood glimpse into the daily lives of ordinary people and the worlds they created.
Travel back to the dawn of human civilization with this illuminating two-course set. In Creation Stories of the Ancient World, encounter the grandeur of ancient creation stories of the Mediterranean and explore the values, beliefs, and theologies of early civilizations. And in Ancient Mesopotamia: Life in the Cradle of Civilization, discover invaluable insights into the history of a landmark region that has long been known as the cradle of civilization.
How did ancient people cope with the overwhelming mysteries of the universe? This course uses ancient texts and archaeological evidence to explore the religious cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world, from the earliest indications of human religious practices during prehistoric times to the conversion of the Roman Empire. You will learn about ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syria-Palestine, and more.
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