Across the Mare Nostrum: Maritime Archaeology and Seafaring in the Roman Empire

Available from June 2026
Course Number: MAWL 005
Tutor: Michael J Curtis
Price: £90

This is 4‑week introductory course for adult learners exploring how ships, harbours, cargoes, and underwater sites reveal the seafaring world of the Roman Empire. Each week focuses on a key theme—Roman ships and shipbuilding, waterfront infrastructure, and the movement of goods and ideas across the Mediterranean. Through case studies learners have the opportunity to gain practical insight into how maritime archaeology helps us understand the economic, technological, and cultural exchanges that shaped the empire.

Course Content
Week 1: Setting Sail. The Roman Maritime World.
In this opening session introduces course participants to maritime archaeology and the Roman Empire's seafaring networks.

Week 2: Ships and Shipbuilding.
This session looks at the design and building of Roman ships, looking at the types of vessels on the seas and what we have learnt from shipwrecks.

Week 3: Harbours, Waterfronts and Infrastructures.
In Week 3 we explore the Roman Ports, harbours, and waterfront structures that connected the Empire.

Week 4: Cargoes, Commerce and Cultural Exchange.
In this final session we look at the type of cargoes that moved across the seas and how commerce and cultural exchange shaped the Empire.

Learning Outcomes:
The following learning outcomes can be expected after completing this course :

✅ An understanding of the key methods of maritime archaeology.
✅ Knowledge about the main types of Roman ships and harbour structures.
✅ An appreciation of the sort archaeological evidence that can be recovered from submerged sites and how it is used.
✅ An understanding of the economic and cultural significance of maritime trade in the Roman Empire.