This free course will introduce you to the concept of the body in Greek and Roman civilisation.

In recent years, the body has become a steadily growing field in historical scholarship, and classical studies is no exception.

It is an aspect of the ancient world that can be explored through a whole host of different types of evidence: art, literature and archaeological artefacts to name but a few. The way that people fulfil their basic bodily needs and engage in their daily activities is embedded in the social world around them. The body is a subject that can reveal fascinating aspects of both Greek and Roman culture – it will help you to better understand the diversity of ancient civilisation. 

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• understand what makes the study of the ancient body important for our understanding of ancient society
• understand the meaning and significance of key theoretical approaches to bodies (‘habitus’, ‘cultural scripts’)
• understand the central role of specific cultural circumstances in the way human societies view and treat the body
• display knowledge of some diverging ancient and modern approaches to the body

COURSE DURATION
5 hours