Ancient Civilisations: The Rise of Complex Societies

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

As early as the 4th millennium BC people in some parts of the world began living in a new form of society characterised by social and economic inequalities. Archaeologists refer to these complex, state-level societies as civilizations. How and why did these ancient civilizations first emerge and can we detect common processes involved in the emergence and development of different early civilizations? This course begins with a review of various theories of state formation with different emphases ranging from economic and environmental factors to social factors. The course then moves on to a more detailed consideration of four areas where some of the earliest states developed: Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and Mesoamerica.