Courses focusing on this time period will cover from the 5th century B.C. to the death of Alexander in 323 B.C. The topics include the rise of the Greek city states, typically with a focus on Athens and the philosophers and writers living there, the Peloponnesian war between Athens and Sparta, the rise of the Macedon and Alexander the Great. With the death of Alexander, the Hellenistic period begins.
Classes focusing on the Hellenistic Greek period cover Mediterranean civilization under the Macedonian empire established by Alexander after his death. The period includes wars throughout the empire between different successors vying for power. Classes on the Hellenistic period end with the rise of Rome.
Classes focusing on the Roman Republic cover the 500-year period between the overthrow of the line of monarchs and the dictatorship of Julius Caesar. They examine Rome's growth from a relatively insignificant village in Italy to the political and cultural center of Europe. They also examine the reasons the Republic ended.
Classes on the Roman Empire typically cover from around 44 B.C. to 410 A.D. They focus on the dictatorship and assassination of Julius Caesar, the rule of Octavian and the emperors that followed. The classes usually end with Constantine moving the Roman capital to Constantinople, the traditional end of the Roman Empire.