Ancient Mediterranean

This course contains 8 segments:

Ancient Near East

Brought to you by Smarthistory. Ancient Near Eastern cultures established the first cities, the earliest code of laws, and the oldest known writing which was used, not for poetry, but for bookkeeping.

Ancient Egypt

Brought to you by Smarthistory. The art of the ancient Egyptians was (for the most part) never meant to be seen by the living—it was meant to benefit the dead in the afterlife.

Aegean

Brought to you by Smarthistory. 19th century archaeologists sought evidence for Homer's epic poems. Instead they uncovered bronze-age art of the Cyclades, the Minoans, and the Mycenaeans.

Ancient Greece

Brought to you by Smarthistory. Ancient Greek art was collected in ancient Rome, studied during the Renaissance and formalized in the 19th century. It is the most influential art ever made.

Nabataean

Etruscan

Ancient Rome

Brought to you by Smarthistory. The brilliance of ancient Roman art can be seen in the wall paintings of Pompeii, the massive ambition of the Colosseum, and the daring engineering of the Pantheon.

Palmyra