The curriculum covers major powers across the Near East and Mediterranean, including the Mesopotamian, Hittite, and Egyptian empires. It explores the Aegean civilizations, the Levant, Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian states, the Persian Achaemenid Empire, and the rise of Carthage.

The course follows a chronological approach, focusing on the Near East and Mediterranean regions.

The 36-lecture series, as detailed in this Free Library of Philadelphia catalog listing , provides a chronological exploration of ancient civilizations from early Mesopotamia to the pre-Alexandrian Persian era, focusing on the rise, governance, and decline of major powers. The Great Courses: Ancient Empires before Alexander

, an Associate Professor of History at the University of Northern Iowa with a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, specializes in ancient Near Eastern, Greek, and Roman history, with a focus on military and administrative developments. Lecture Outline

: Professor Dise analyzes each empire through three primary questions: How did it emerge? How was it governed and defended? Why did it ultimately fall?. Empires and Subjects Covered