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HIST 20: World History to 600 CE

Money in the Ancient World

Fall 2025

Money is key to understanding the social order of any community, past and present. This introductory course surveys the early history of the world to circa 600CE through the lens of money, exploring the variety of its forms, uses, and behavior. From the earliest of human societies to its modern manifestations, money has been more than a medium of exchange. As a tangible object, a virtual entry in ledgers, or a symbol of value, money enables debts to be repaid, makes taxes possible, accumulates wealth, and produces inequality. The historical journey begins with ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Greece, China, the Roman Empire, and Mesoamerica and concludes by examining how early modern (~1500-1800CE) and modern intellectuals used examples from the ancient past to build monetary theories.

This is an introductory course that requires no previous knowledge.

Key Themes Covered:

· Uses and forms of money in world history until 600 CE

· Different theories of money and money’s origins

· The myth of barter

· The role of the state in monetary systems

· Comparative histories on monetary regimes

There is NO Final Exam for this course.

Assessment

· Attendance and Participation (40%): It is mandatory to attend all lectures and all discussion sections. Students should inform the instructor and TAs in advance if they are unable to attend lectures.

1) Attendance and Participation in Discussion Sections (30%): Your TA(s) will assess your participation in discussion sections. To get a good grade, you should come to section punctually, you should have read the assigned text, you should participate in the group discussions, and engage with your classmates respectfully.

2) Attendance in Lectures (10%): Attendance will be taken at randomly selected lectures during the quarter. Students should inform the instructor and TAs in advance if they are unable to attend lectures.

· Weekly Reflection (10%) (due every Monday of the week on Canvas, 12PM Pacific Time)

Students will post one paragraph reflecting on each week’s readings. All reflections are good reflections! I want to know your honest thoughts on the weekly topic. As long as you submit your weekly reflection on time, you get the full grade.

Reflections may be shared anonymously with the class during lecture to help stimulate group discussion.

· In-class Mid-term on November 6 Thursday (30%): Students will examine selected material and textual primary sources covered in the lectures and:

a) explain what these primary sources reveal about the society in which they were found

b) explain the limitations of these primary sources, material and textual, and demonstrate what they cannot tell us

c) offer your own ideas on how we can use these material and textual sources to interpret the past

· Final Quiz on final day of Lecture (20%): The final quiz will comprise of short-answer questions.

GE Credit Acknowledgement: Upon successful completion of this course, students will satisfy one General Education requirement in the Society and Culture foundation - namely the Historical Analysis area. Students will gain proficiency in Historical Analysis through the close examination of lectures and readings that provide both interpretations and evidence so students can engage in historical arguments while trying to understand the past.

Required Course Readings

Required Film:

The Young Karl Marx (2017) by Raoul Peck (use UCLA VPN): https://www.kanopy.com/en/ucla/watch/video/3681165

***There will be a question on this film in the Final Quiz****

Required Course Book:

There is no required course book.

Online Course Readings

All course readings are uploaded on Canvas.