Ancient Egypt and the Origins of Western Civilization offers a broad survey of the social and political history of ancient Egypt from the Neolithic Era up to the conquest of Alexander the Great, i.e. a time period spanning 7000-332 BC, with a particular focus on Egypt's legacy to later civilizations. Topics include: political and historical development, geography, anthropological origins and ethnologies, social history and institutions, role of women, religion, literacy, language, and writing. In addition, the course also includes two units on the history of ancient Nubia, the country directly south of Egypt and which shared a close political relationship with the Kingdom of Egypt over the millennia. Of particular emphasis is the issue of early Egyptian contact with Greek civilizations and the legacy of Egyptian culture to the West.