3.0

credits

Average Course Rating

Humans have recorded economic transactions since the invention of writing, but only recently have historians, text specialists, and social theorists joined forces to ask: can modern economic models explain ancient interactions? What roles did political and legal institutions play in shaping economic life? How did early records reflect trade, contracts, and the emergence of credit markets? What norms ensured trust, and how were scribes trained to document disputes and inheritance? This course explores these questions through case studies from Mesopotamia, Anatolia, the Biblical world, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. We’ll examine ancient documents alongside social theory, digital tools, and hands-on activities. Topics include trade, taxation, entrepreneurship, and the broader debate over applying modern theories to ancient economies.