Creation Stories of the Ancient World

In 12 dynamic and thought-provoking lectures, this course offers you a penetrating look at the origin stories of the great civilizations of the Mediterranean. With the inspired guidance of Professor Joseph Lam of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, you’ll delve into the creation accounts of civilizations ranging from Mesopotamia (Babylon) across the breadth of the ancient Near East to Greece in the West, and encompassing traditions from Egypt, Syria, Anatolia, and ancient Israel. For each culture, you’ll follow Professor Lam through excerpts from iconic texts, uncovering key themes and conceptions regarding universal origins, set against the historical and political backgrounds that produced these written accounts. You’ll also learn how the texts were understood within their cultures, and the ways in which shared thematic material between traditions indicates a high likelihood of cultural contact across the Mediterranean as these cosmologies developed.