Ancient History
Ancient history is the study of the Greek and Roman worlds, the civilisations of the Near East and Egypt, and the interactions between them, through the careful analysis of the written, material, and visual evidence that survives. It is a discipline that demands both breadth and precision: you need to know a great deal about a very long span of human history, and you need to be able to evaluate sources that are always incomplete, often biased, and sometimes contradictory. Ancient history develops a particularly demanding form of critical thinking, because the evidence is so fragmentary that reaching well-grounded conclusions requires especially careful attention to what the sources can and cannot tell us.
At the University of Liverpool, you will study ancient history over three years of full-time study, with a year abroad included in the programme. The curriculum covers the major periods and societies of the ancient world, including archaic and classical Greece, the Hellenistic period, the Roman Republic and Empire, the ancient Near East, and Egypt, as well as thematic topics in ancient social, economic, political, and cultural history. You will engage with a wide range of sources, including literary texts, inscriptions, papyri, coins, and archaeological evidence, developing the skills to analyse and interpret them critically.
The year abroad gives you the opportunity to study ancient history in a different academic tradition, which broadens your methodological perspective and may give you access to archaeological sites and museum collections relevant to your studies.
Ancient history graduates develop skills in research, critical reading, and clear writing that are valued across many careers. The civil service, law, journalism, publishing, education, and the heritage sector are all destinations for graduates from humanities disciplines with strong analytical and communication training. Teaching ancient history and related subjects at secondary level is a route for those who want to engage young people with the ancient world.
Museum and heritage work, including curatorial and education roles in institutions with ancient collections, draw on the subject knowledge and research skills the degree provides. Academic research at postgraduate level, in ancient history, classical studies, or related fields, is the path for those who want to pursue the discipline professionally.