Origins of Great Ancient Civilizations

Course Overview

Course No. 3174

Decipher the secrets of lost and mysterious civilizations such as the Minoans, the Carthaginians, and many others in this course on the first empires in Western history.

For many of us, places such as Mesopotamia, peoples like the Assyrians, or rulers such as Darius are so shrouded with dust that we might be tempted to skip over them entirely. These 12 lectures are a superb introduction to these and other often-overlooked ancient civilizations.

Professor Harl begins during the Bronze Age and the emergence of urban-based literate civilizations and carries the story forward until the demise of Persia’s great empire at the hands of the Greeks, who embraced many of the achievements of these Near East civilizations but clearly represented a different kind of civilization, built on different institutions.

Along the way, you’ll examine advances such as:

• The invention and evolution of writing
• The development of vast empires dependent on military might, laws, and administration
• The growth of trade
• The contributions of the Hebrews to Western religious and ethical traditions

This course reanimates these civilizations and enhances our understanding of history’s serendipitous revelations.

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Video Lessons

01: Cradles of Civilization (33 min)

The earliest civilizations of the Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, and Indus River valleys emerge c. 3500–3000 B.C. from Neolithic villages.

02: First Cities of Sumer (31 min)

Explore the economic, social, and religious life of the Sumerians, pioneers of writing and long-distance trade.

03: Mesopotamian Kings and Scribes (30 min)

Examine kings, scribes, and soldiers—key figures in Mesopotamia’s political evolution from kingdoms to empires.

04: Hammurabi’s Babylon (31 min)

Discover Hammurabi’s legacy, which established Babylon as Mesopotamia’s cultural cornerstone.

05: Egypt in the Pyramid Age (31 min)

Study early dynastic Egypt and the Old Kingdom, shaped by the Nile’s unique influence.

06: The Middle Kingdom (31 min)

A pivotal era when Egypt expanded beyond its borders, coinciding with Hammurabi’s Babylon.

07: Imperial Egypt (30 min)

Egypt dominates the Near East until invasions by the “Sea Peoples” disrupt its empire.

08: New Peoples of the Bronze Age (31 min)

Explore the Levant, Anatolia, and the Aegean—regions influenced by early river valley civilizations.

09: The Collapse of the Bronze Age (30 min)

Migrations and iron technology fragment late Bronze Age empires, ending an era.

10: From Hebrews to Jews (30 min)

Trace the evolution of Canaanite speakers into a monotheistic people with a transcendent faith.

11: Imperial Assyria (31 min)

Beyond their ferocity, the Assyrians laid foundations for Persia’s future empire.

12: The Persian Empire (31 min)

Conclude with Persia’s peak—a 40-million-subject empire, unmatched in organization until Rome.