We love the Olympic Games, the classical architecture of the magnificent Parthenon, live theatre and the concept of trial by jury, all of which we have inherited over the millennia from Ancient Greece. We use Arabic numbers, the Hindu concept of zero and the modern version of the Roman calendar. The Latin language is the basis of the modern romance languages including French and Italian but the modern English language has many Latin derivations and meanings. We have adopted some of the Roman engineering in our heating, water supply and sanitation systems. We also inherited slavery from the ancient world but western nations abolished it in the 19th century.
- Bauer, Susan Wise, The History of the Ancient World, 2013 Norton, ISBN 039305974X
- Words and phrases and common sayings which are thousands of years old
- Social and political customs from the ancient world in various aspects of government, the law, military organisation and recreation
- Celebrations e.g. Easter and Christmas and their pre Christian origins; Myths and religious beliefs
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Appreciate and be able to discuss what we have inherited from the ancient world including the customs, political and social organisation of ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Babylon and Arabic empires
