Expanding the Ancient World Workshop:

This workshop will take place online; a Zoom link will be provided via email to registered participants.

Registration is required at THIS LINK.

Expanding the Ancient World is a series of professional development workshops and online resources for teachers. Keyed to the NYC Department of Education Social Studies Scope and Sequence, this program is designed to offer K-12 educators opportunities to develop their knowledge of the ancient world and to provide classroom-ready strategies for teaching the past with reliable sources. Featuring inquiry-based workshops, flexible lesson plans, and up-to-date research, Expanding the Ancient World aims to equip teachers with information and skills that they can share with their students. CTLE credits will be offered to New York State teachers.

Mysterious rituals, legends of mighty gods, massive temples, tombs filled with offerings for the afterlife, visions of mythical creatures, magic amulets, and echoes in literature that remain sacred today.

Religion is one of the most captivating aspects of antiquity—and for many, the very first gateway into the study of the past. Yet, if you were to gather a group of archaeologists in a room to define “religion,” you’d likely walk out with twice as many definitions as there were people inside. Our common definitions of religion, along with the ways we classify and organize religions in society today, are largely the products of the last few centuries. Colonial administrations, racializing ideologies, and even modern taxation systems have all shaped the category of “religion” as a tool to sort people into neatly defined groups. But if you were to time-travel and ask someone in antiquity, “What is your religion?” they would probably have no idea what you meant.

In the ancient world, “religion” was rarely a separate sphere of life. It was instead an open-ended experience, inseparable from politics, family, economy, and identity. Whether or not the ancients had a distinct concept of “religion,” the term remains useful for us as a way to bring together practices, beliefs, and institutions that we tend to associate with it. After all, humans everywhere share in beliefs, rituals, and a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves. In this workshop, we will explore major theories of ancient religion and discuss what they can reveal—not only about ancient societies, but also about our own experiences today.

Workshop led by Leopoldo Fox-Zampiccoli (ISAW PhD Candidate).

Participants will receive 1.5 CTLE hours.

If you have any questions regarding the Expanding the Ancient World program please email ETAW@nyu.edu.

Please check isaw.nyu.edu for event updates.

ISAW is committed to providing a positive and educational experience for all guests and participants who attend our public programming. We ask that all attendees follow the guidelines listed in our community standards policy.