BA Art History and History

This course assesses the cities and communities of the ancient Mediterranean and its hinterland; these pre-industrial societies, set in an age before the invention of the nation-state, were organised in ways which seem sometimes quite alien to the modern world. Exploring the multi-dimensional concepts of the city and citizenship, this course introduces you to the sources, settings, cultures and identities that we encounter when studying the history of the ancient world. You will engage with the main scholarly interpretations of key themes important to life in a city (such as ethnic identity, imperialism, religion, citizenship, status, commemoration, and disease). This course will equip you with the analytical tools which you will be able to deploy in the further study of the ancient Mediterranean and its hinterland.

• To introduce students on BA Ancient History and other degree-courses to the concepts of the city and citizenship in the ancient world
• To introduce students to key techniques required for the study of ancient history (particularly the use of ancient evidence, literary and non-literary)
• To introduce students to key aspects of interpretation and debate in the study of the ancient world
• To introduce students to wide range of themes in the political, cultural and social history of ancient Greece and Rome.
• To complement the other L1 (and, to a lesser extent, L2) course-units in Ancient History

Students who satisfactorily complete this course will have developed their ability:

• To show familiarity with a range of types of ancient evidence, and an awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of these different types of material;

• 22 lectures; 11 classes, to include 4 introductory/concluding lectures
• 2 introductory/revision seminars
• Virtual Learning Environment
• Dedicated Office Hour
• Feedback on written coursework

• To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of important themes in the political, cultural and social history of ancient Greece and Rome
• To show some awareness of modern debates on ancient historical subjects.

• To construct an argument in written and oral form; to assimilate and summarise large quantities of evidence; and to present the results in a professional manner with appropriate reference to sources and modern published scholarship.

• To manage time, to work co-operatively in small groups, and to engage in critical discussion and debate.

• To manage time, to work co-operatively in small groups, and to engage in critical discussion and debate.

Commentary – 20%

Scholarly Comparison – 30%

Exam - 50%

• Written feedback on summative assessment (see above) via Canvas; all summative coursework feedback is designed to contribute formatively towards improvement in subsequent assignments. Students are encouraged to seek formative feedback ahead of the first assignment of the unit by discussing work plans and approaches during seminars (where appropriate) and in consultation hours.
• Additional one-to-one feedback (during the consultation hour or by making an appointment). 

Ma, J. Polis: a new history of the ancient Greek city-state from the early Iron Age to the end of antiquity, Princeton, 2024.

Parkin, T. and Pomeroy, T.J., Roman Social History. A Sourcebook, London, 2007.

Rhodes, P.J., The Greek City States. A Source Book, 2nd edition, Cambridge, 2007.

Zuiderhoek, A. The Ancient City Cambridge, 2016

Period/subject specific studies:

Beard, M., Pompeii, 2010.

Cartledge, P.A. Ancient Greece: A History in Eleven Cities, 2009.

Cartledge, P. A., The Greeks, 1993.

Dodge, H. and Connelly, P., The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens and Rome, 1998.

Finley, M., The Ancient Economy, updated with a foreword by I. Morris, Berkeley and London, 1999.

Finley, M., Politics in the Ancient World, Cambridge, 1983.

Gates, C., Ancient Cities. The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient Near East and Egypt, 2003, parts 2 and 3.

Hansen, M.H., Polis. An Introduction to the Ancient Greek City State, Oxford, 2006

Stambaugh, J., The Ancient Roman City, 1988.

Other introductory reading:

Boardman, J., Griffin, J., Murray, O., Oxford History of the Greek and the Hellenistic World, 2001.

Boardman, J., Griffin, J., Murray, O., Oxford History of the Roman World, 2001.

Lane Fox, R. J., The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian, 2003.

Osborne, R., Greek History: the Basics, 2014. 

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2027 will be £10,050 per annum. Tuition fees for international students will be £29,200 per annum.

For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Learn more about student finance options for UK students .

Learn more about f ees and finance for international students .

As an international student you may be eligible for our Global Futures Scholarships . This is open to students starting their studies in September 2026.