The Big History of Civilizations
Overview
Course No. 8060
Trace humanity’s epic journey from early hunter-gatherers to modern global societies using cutting-edge “big history” methods.
This 36-lecture course, taught by Professor Craig G. Benjamin, takes a revolutionary multidisciplinary approach to human history. Unlike traditional surveys focused on dates and battles, we examine civilizations through the lenses of:
- Climate and geography
- Social complexity
- Technological innovation
- Cultural exchange
From Mesopotamia to Mesoamerica, from the Agricultural Revolution to the Digital Age, discover how interconnected patterns shaped our world.
Video Lessons
Foundations (Lectures 1-6)
- A Tale of Two Ancient Cities (30 min) – Jericho and Anau as case studies
- The Rise of Humanity (29 min) – From proto-humans to Homo sapiens
- Foraging in the Old Stone Age (31 min) – Paleolithic life and migration
- Origins of Agriculture (31 min) – The Neolithic Revolution
- Power, Cities, and States (30 min) – Early urban development
- The Era of Agrarian Civilizations (30 min) – 5,000 years of patterns
Ancient Civilizations (Lectures 7-22)
- Innovations of Mesopotamia (31 min) – Sumerian breakthroughs
- The Downfall of Sumer (31 min) – Babylonians to Assyrians
9-10. Egypt: Divine Rule (30/31 min) – Pharaohs and pyramids
- Early Mediterranean Civilizations (30 min) – Phoenicians to Mycenaeans
12-13. Mysteries of South Asia (30/30 min) – Indus Valley to Mauryans
14-15. China’s Isolated Rise (29/29 min) – Shang to Han dynasties
16-17. Nomads and Empires (30/30 min) – Steppe cultures to Persia
18-20. Greek Golden Age (30/29/29 min) – Democracy to Hellenism
21-22. Rome’s Republic to Empire (29/29 min) – Caesar to Christianity
Global Connections (Lectures 23-36)
- Silk Road Exchange (30 min) – Han Dynasty trade networks
- Eurasian Chaos (30 min) – Post-Roman/Han transitions
- Islamic Expansion (30 min) – Mohammed to Golden Age
- Legacy of the Mongols (29 min) – Pax Mongolia
27-29. Americas (29/29/29 min) – Iroquois to Incas
30-31. Africa and Pacific (30/31 min) – Mali to Polynesia
32-36. Modernity and Beyond (30/30/30/29/31 min) – Industrial Revolution to future scenarios

