Use literary and archaeological evidence to see how ancient Greeks and Romans approached health, well-being and societal issues.
30,916 enrolled on this course

Duration
6 weeksWeekly study
3 hours100% online
How it works
Health and Wellbeing in the Ancient World
Understand Greek and Roman approaches to health and well-being
What did being healthy in ancient Rome or Greece look like? How can we tell what well-being meant in ancient times?
This online course will help you investigate these questions, using both literary and archaeological evidence, to uncover details of real life in ancient societies.
We will divide the body up into organs and systems, using each to explore ancient theories on the structure and function of the human body.
We will discover what ancient societies thought about topics that we still wrestle with today – from the relationship between mind and body, to sexuality, ageing and gender.
What topics will you cover?
- What is health? Ancient and modern perspectives on health and disease
- Medicine, religion and magic
- Using online resources
- Vision: theories of sight, approaches to eye disease, including drugs and surgery
- Body modifications
- Diet and digestion
- Human waste: using evidence from toilets and sewers
- Conception and birth: theories and practices
- Ideal bodies and disabled bodies
- The health of the army: recruiting and treating soldiers
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Develop confidence in exploring the variety of fields that constitute classical studies.
- Explore and become familiar with open-access resources for classical studies.
- Develop the ability to critically analyse primary sources.
- Apply and gain skills in analysing complex problems based on fragmentary evidence.
- Engage with contemporary interpretations and scholarly debates.
Who is the course for?
There are no special requirements for this course, but an interest in the ancient world or classics might be useful.
Who will you learn with?
I'm Professor Emerita in Classical Studies at The Open University. My main research interests are in the history of medicine and I'm passionate about extending access to learning for everyone.
I have an interest in sensory studies, and how this helps us to understand human experience in the ancient Roman world. See more at: http://www.open.ac.uk/people/eb2278
Who developed the course?
Established
1969Location
Milton Keynes, UKWorld ranking
Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
---|---|---|---|
Choose the best way to learn for you! | $134/one-off payment | $244.99 for one year Automatically renews | Free |
Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 15 Nov 2023 |
Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
Tests to check your learning | tick | tick | cross |
Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$244.99 for one year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$134/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 15 Nov 2023
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 31 October 2023 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. |
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 31 October 2023 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
Learning on FutureLearn
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- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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