History Courses at WEA Sydney
Explore the past with WEA Sydney's history courses. From ancient civilisations and medieval empires to modern revolutions, our classes bring history to life. Learn from expert tutors as you uncover stories of saints and dictators, wars and peace, myths and facts. Join us in the Sydney CBD or online and discover the fascinating history of people, places, and ideas across the world.
Available Classes
The Women Who Would Be Kings
<p>There was no word for a female regnant in ancient Egypt. A woman could be the King’s Wife, King’s Mother, King’s Sister, or King’s Daughter. In title, then, her power was not her own, but reflected
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The Women Who Would Be Kings
<p>There was no word for a female regnant in ancient Egypt. A woman could be the King’s Wife, King’s Mother, King’s Sister, or King’s Daughter. In title, then, her power was not her own, but reflected
...
Available Classes
Fateful Decisions, Disastrous Mistakes
<p>The Gallipoli defeat of 1915 and the Nazi invasion of the USSR in 1941 are widely regarded as disastrous mistakes with savage consequences. Twelve publishers rejected J.K. Rowling's original Harry
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Available Classes
A Celebration of 400 Years of Women Artists
<p>In every century there have been outstanding women artists who have achieved a reputation that has tested time and sat well-earned, alongside their male colleagues. Often their life stories are
...Approximately 5 hours
Available Classes
From French Royalty to Empire - Art and decorative elegance from Louis XIV's Versailles to Napoleon
<p>French monarchs managed their images as carefully as any self-branded celebrity today. How did Louis XIV use the artisans and artists of the day through his patronage to enhance and dazzle his
...Approximately 4 hours
Available Classes
Portraits of Russia: Rublëv, Pushkin, Turgenev, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky
<p>This course, focussed on the life and work of some of Russia’s most outstanding personalities, will begin with the work of Andrey Rublëv, Russia’s most famous icon painter, and his circle, and the
...Approximately 6 hours
Available Classes
Portraits of Scandinavia: Norway and Denmark
<p>The cold lands of the far north have in fact produced inspiring examples of music, drama, art and philosophy to match the best of the more famous cultures of France and Italy. Explore the genius of
...Approximately 6 hours
Available Classes
Insanity in Colonial NSW
<p>Sanity collapsed in the colony ‘under the weight of the vast indifference of nature, of loneliness and mockery’ said historian Manning Clark, but what happened next? Colonial NSW was rife with
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Available Classes
Music in the Ancient World
<p>The oldest evidence for music goes back over 40,000 years and marks a time when humanity was becoming more self-aware. Throughout antiquity music evolved in evermore complex ways. This course
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Available Classes
Cities of the Ancient World
<p>This is the first of a series of courses to explore the history and significance of great cities from ancient history. Athens, Jerusalem, Nineveh and Carthage are four cities that have changed the
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Cities of the Ancient World
<p>This is the first of a series of courses to explore the history and significance of great cities from ancient history. Athens, Jerusalem, Nineveh and Carthage are four cities that have changed the
...Available Classes
Empires of China and Rome - Legends and Legacy
<p>Two of the largest and longest empires in world history - the Chinese Empire (221 BC–1912 AD) and the Roman Empire (27 BC–1453 AD) - developed independently at the East and West sides of Eurasia,
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Empires of China and Rome - Legends and Legacy
<p>Two of the largest and longest empires in world history - the Chinese Empire (221 BC–1912 AD) and the Roman Empire (27 BC–1453 AD) - developed independently at the East and West sides of Eurasia,
...