Ancient History

Ancient history is the study of the civilisations and societies of the ancient Mediterranean world and the Near East, from the earliest written records through to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It draws on an extraordinary range of evidence, including inscriptions, papyri, literary texts, coins, and material remains, to reconstruct and interpret cultures and events from a world profoundly different from our own but also, in many ways, surprisingly familiar. Ancient history asks big questions about power, democracy, empire, religion, gender, and economy in the contexts that gave rise to many of the foundational concepts of Western civilisation.

At Newcastle University, this three-year, full-time programme develops your historical knowledge of the ancient world alongside the methodological skills of the historian. You will study Greek and Roman history, and engage with the wider ancient world including the Near East and Egypt, working with primary sources in translation and developing the ability to evaluate ancient evidence critically and with awareness of its limitations. You will engage with major debates in the historiography of the ancient world and develop your own capacity for well-supported historical argument.

Newcastle has a strong tradition in ancient history and classical studies, and the programme benefits from that depth of expertise.

This programme includes a sandwich year with a work placement, a year abroad, and a work placement, giving you an exceptional combination of professional and international experience alongside your academic studies. The year abroad can take you to institutions with strong ancient history departments in different countries, enriching your perspective and your academic network. Graduates in ancient history go on to careers in education, museums and heritage, archival and library work, journalism, law, the civil service, and publishing, as well as to postgraduate study in ancient history, classical studies, archaeology, or related disciplines.