The Roman legions were the greatest killing machine of their era, conquering and garrisoning an area of some 1,700,000 sq miles. They offered paradoxically an increased life expectancy for their recruits who hailed from the peasantry in the Italian hinterland and the destitute in the Roman slums. Now they lived in clean quarters and had 3 proper meals per day. This course also examines how in learning from the peoples they conquered they transformed Rome from being just a small town built on 7 hills to one where reputedly all roads led. It also compares with today the psychiatric issues they faced in retirement and how veterans were provided for by the government.

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.

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.

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!

"Authoritarianism has increased globally, autocracies now outnumber democracies for the first time in 20 years" (Economist Intelligence Unit 2024). In this course we will discuss why that is, how it has happened, who are these leaders, what makes them tick? There is an amazing linking up between many countries from all over the world including Russia, Africa, South America, Libya, China. In Russia corruption is an example of the way autocratic leaders benefit from their rule and so locks in their 'siloviki' (literally "people of force"). This course is for those who love to debate why this is, what is meant by "the victims of sanctions must co-operate" (Mnangagwa, the leader of Zimbabwe in 2023 as he sat in a helicopter given to him by Putin).

For many centuries Egyptian hieroglyphs intrigued both Egyptologists and the general public alike. What did the enigmatic symbols mean? Were they writing or were they purely decorative? With the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799, the puzzle was more-or-less solved within 25 years. The hieroglyphic script was in fact only one of three Egyptian scripts; the other two being hieratic and demotic. Although ancient Egyptian scribes typically learnt hieratic first, with hieroglyphs considered a speciality, we will focus on the hieroglyphic script. Over four weeks, we will cover some of the basic principles of the Egyptian hieroglyphic writing system. You will learn to write your name and to pick out the names of Egyptian pharaohs in texts carved on monuments. We will also look into the role of writing in ancient Egyptian society, and revisit the fascinating story of the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs. [TAGS: World History, Archaeology]

This course provides an introduction to the basic features of the Sahidic dialect of Coptic, the last stage of the ancient Egyptian language, which was the language of Coptic Egypt. Students will be given an introduction that places Coptic within context of the development of the Egyptian language and its place within the lands developing Christian culture. They will also learn the Coptic alphabet and some features and peculiarities of the script, as well as learning some grammatical forms and vocabulary that will enable students to write simple sentences and phrases. [TAGS: World History, Archaeology]

This course covers World History from the 4th century to advent of the Telegraph in the 19th century; fifteen centuries that have shaped our present society.