79-122 Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations

9 units, Carnegie Mellon University

The Egyptians called it the "Great Green," the Assyrians the "Upper Sea," the Phoenicians the "Great Sea," the Greeks and Romans both—and separately—"Our Sea." No matter the name, the Mediterranean Sea (literally, the sea in the middle of the land) has always been very much in the middle, even as far back as the early development of our own species. Indeed, historian Fernand Braudel pioneered the concept of the "longue duree" (long term) through his monumental study of the Mediterranean. He warns us to "never say that prehistory is not history," and accordingly this course begins with the prehistory of human activity around the Mediterranean, over 50,000 years ago. We will proceed through the late Stone Age and Bronze Age, ending with the emergence of the Classical world. The course aims to cover some lesser-known aspects of the developing Mediterranean theater beyond the more familiar Near Eastern and Aegean histories. Students will learn about the complex, fragmentary, yet interconnected world that has always been the Middle Sea.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Fall 2026, Fall 2025

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