The body in antiquity

This free course, The body in antiquity, will introduce you to the concept of the body in Greek and Roman civilisation. In recent years, the body has become a steadily growing field in historical scholarship, and Classical Studies is no exception. It is an aspect of the ancient world that can be explored through a whole host of different types of evidence: art, literature and archaeological artefacts to name but a few. The way that people fulfil their basic bodily needs and engage in their daily activities is embedded in the social world around them. The body is a subject that can reveal fascinating aspects of both Greek and Roman culture it will help you to better understand the diversity of ancient civilisation.

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• 1 Why the body?
• 1 Why the body?
• 2 ‘Habitus’
• 2 ‘Habitus’
• 3 ‘Cultural scripts’
• 3 ‘Cultural scripts’
• 4 Where does the body begin and end?
• 4 Where does the body begin and end?
• 5 Keeping body and soul together
• 5 Keeping body and soul together
• Conclusion
• References
• Further reading
• Acknowledgements