Ancient History

Ancient history is the study of the civilisations of the ancient world, principally Greece and Rome but extending to the ancient Near East, Egypt, and beyond. It examines political and military history alongside social, cultural, and economic dimensions of life in antiquity, drawing on a rich range of evidence that includes literary texts, inscriptions, coins, archaeological remains, and visual art. Ancient history is not a narrow antiquarian pursuit; the questions it addresses, about democracy and tyranny, colonialism and empire, the nature of law and justice, and the relationship between religion and politics, are questions that have never gone away, and studying them in their ancient forms illuminates the present in ways that contemporary-focused study cannot always reach.

At the University of Southampton, this three-year full-time degree develops your knowledge of the ancient world across a range of periods, regions, and themes. You will engage with primary sources in translation alongside the secondary scholarship, developing the skills of historical analysis, source criticism, and structured argument that studying the past requires. Specialist study in your chosen areas of interest develops as the programme progresses, and you will benefit from a research-active department with particular strengths across the full breadth of ancient history.

The department also facilitates opportunities to spend time at a university abroad, broadening your academic and personal perspective.

You will develop the critical and analytical skills that historical scholarship demands, the capacity to read texts and artefacts carefully, and the ability to construct and defend arguments about complex and contested material.

Graduates pursue careers in education, heritage and museums, journalism, publishing, the civil service, the law, archaeology, and many other fields where analytical intelligence and cultural depth are valued. Postgraduate study in ancient history, classical studies, or archaeology is a natural continuation for those drawn to research or specialist professional roles.