Ancient History and Archaeology

Ancient history and archaeology together provide a powerful means of understanding the civilisations of the ancient world. Ancient history works primarily with written sources, including inscriptions, papyri, literary texts, and administrative records, to reconstruct the political, social, and cultural life of Greece, Rome, and the Near East. Archaeology works with the material record, examining sites, objects, buildings, and landscapes to recover evidence that written sources often do not capture and sometimes actively conceal.

Combining the two means you never have to treat the textual and material evidence as alternatives: each can interrogate and illuminate the other.

At Manchester, this programme enables you to combine the techniques of archaeology with the culture and history of ancient civilisations, developing skills in both textual analysis and material interpretation. You will study the political and social history of the Greek and Roman worlds, engage with the archaeology of major sites and cultures, and develop the research and analytical methods used by professional historians and archaeologists. The programme runs over three years full-time, with a typical entry tariff of 152 points.

Graduates of ancient history and archaeology programmes pursue careers in the heritage sector, including museums, archives, historic buildings conservation, and field archaeology. Academic research and teaching are natural directions for those who want to pursue the disciplines further, and postgraduate study in classical studies, ancient history, or archaeology is a well-trodden path. Many graduates also move into education, journalism, the civil service, and the arts sector, where the analytical rigour and breadth of knowledge developed by these disciplines are valued across a wide range of professional contexts.