Have you ever wondered how the Italian language evolved from the various Italian dialects (which were themselves derived from Latin and Greek)? This course will discuss the various languages that existed prior to the creation of standard Italian. The various dialects that are still in existence to this day will be discussed including the particular dialect that was chosen as the official Italian language. We will also discuss the various cultures that prevailed at the time and the separate (but related) unification of the Italian state from the various dukedoms and kingdoms that existed in the 1800s.

Genealogy is 10% finding ancestors and 90% correcting other people's mistakes. Most of us start our family tree looking for Kings, but we usually find farmers - and if we are lucky, a few scandals. The trick is knowing how to separate the fact from the fiction before you book your flight to the ancestral homeland. Join Gerard Mignot for a masterclass in historical detective work. Using his own complex search for the Rochechouart lineage in Limoges as a live case study, Gerard will move beyond the boring 'begat lists' and show you how to audit your own history.

This course examines the history of the Australian-American relationship since World War Two. It debunks some common misperceptions on the origins and nature of the relationship and the alliance. It looks at how World War Two, the early Cold War years, the Korean War, the ANZUS Treaty, the Vietnam War, the end of the Cold War, the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, China’s assertiveness and the US pivot to Asia, have impacted on the evolution of the relationship. The history of the Australian-American relationship provides some context to the current questions about the purpose, relevance and future of the alliance. The course will also discuss how Australia will seek to maximise its national interests for the foreseeable future by continuing to 'manage' the tensions between its strategic relationship with the US and its economic relationship with China.

Costing 27 million Soviet lives, the war between Stalin’s Russia and Hitler’s Germany was the most brutal and destructive conflict in human history. This course examines the origins of the war and the key campaigns and battles: the failure of Operation Barbarossa to defeat the USSR, the siege of Leningrad, the battles of Moscow, Stalingrad, and Kursk, the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe, the battle for Berlin, and the Soviet occupation of eastern Germany. It analyses Soviet and German political and military leadership and the performance of the Red Army and the Wehrmacht. The Soviet victory ensured the destruction of Nazi Germany but the ensuing Cold War, the division of Germany and the Soviet domination of Eastern Europe from 1945-1990, the collapse of communism and the USSR, and the current tensions between Putin’s Russia and the West, show that the repercussions of this war reverberate to this day. [EMBED:T2714}

The aim of this course is to introduce Roman History to people who have always been interested in it, but feel lost and don't know where to start. We look at the 3 periods: Rome Under the 7 Kings, Rome Under the Republic and Rome Under the Empire. It examines the role played by key personalities such as Hannibal, Spartacus, Julius Caesar and the emperors as well as the social causes behind the main events. Finally, it analyses the overwhelming influence Roman society has had on our own. At the end of the course people will then be in a position to further their knowledge by tackling the Roman writers and the works of modern specialists.

This course of three lectures explains the reasons why the Romans undertook the annexation in '43. It begins with an account of the conquest of Britain and Wales and answers the often asked question of why they went no further North than Hadrian's Wall. It then looks both at how the province was administered and how its economy functioned. How did the one reflect the other? How did the Celtic Iron Age tribes adapt to Roman rule? Finally it examines why Roman rule came to an end in 410. The course has an emphasis on comparing the past to the present. What lessons can we learn today regarding Britain's relations with Europe, and reconciliation with an indigenous population, questions which are bound up with the origins of our heritage? The key role played by personalities such as Caractacus, Boadicea and Agricola are also examined.

This course examines the Roman day and living conditions for the different classes in Roman society. In addition to the ruling class, it also includes soldiers, slaves, freedmen, prostitutes, the poor and gladiators. These are the "forgotten Romans", that bottom 95% of the population who aren't discussed in the Historical Records. How do we know about them and how did they begin their day? What were their dreams, hopes and aspirations? What did they eat,and wear? Did they have raincoats? The course also looks at family life and attitudes towards birth and children, death and retirement. No knowledge of Ancient Rome is assumed.

An entertaining and engaging presentation on the origin and history of well-known Nursery Rhymes. Example Baa Baa Black Sheep is about a 200 year old taxation system. This eye-opening journey dives deep into the origins, meanings and historical contexts of classic rhymes like Ring Around the Rosie, Baa Baa Black Sheep and Humpty Dumpty. We will uncover how these seemingly innocent verses reflect the political intrigue, social commentary, and cultural traditions of their time. Perfect for educators, parents, literature lovers, and the simply curious. This course combines rich storytelling with academic insight to reveal the fascinating world behind the rhymes we thought we knew. See nursery rhymes in a whole new light!

Russia has always seen itself as under siege from the west. In 1853 Tsar Nicholas I noted that 'We can expect nothing from the West but blind hatred and malice'. He was reacting to what he saw as the double standards of the west, that anything Russia did in terms of militarily defending itself was seen as 'disturbing the balance of power'. One hundred years later, in 1952, Vladimir Putin was born and now as the President of Russia expresses this same opinion by his actions, by his own written history of Russia and by his speeches. This course examines Putin'’s history, his childhood, his behaviour as a young adult and then his time leading up to becoming the President in 1999. It then covers his behaviour in the time leading up to the Ukraine war and his refusal to cease his invasion of territory which was no longer a part of Russia. In this way this course is a profile of how Putin thinks about his role as the President of Russia, his impact on his people, the deterioration in his relationship with the west and his authoritarian control of Russia. His war has resulted in the death of an estimated million soldiers. How will his country recover even if he were to win the war? Will he ever come to a cessation of this war and if so what would influence him to do this?

If you ponder over big philosophical questions such as - Is there any meaning in our existence? Is our life pre-determined? What is the essence of human mind? What kind of life is a valuable life? How can we determine what is right and what is wrong? What ideas should govern good society? etc. - this course is for you. In this course we will explore possible answers to such questions, using ideas of great thinkers of the West and the East.