History of the Ancient World: A Global Perspective

By: Gregory S. Aldrete, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete

Length: 24 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

The ancient world has cast a long shadow, influencing our customs and religious beliefs, our laws, and the form of our governments. It has taught us when and how we make war or pursue peace. It has shaped the buildings we live and work in and the art we hang on our walls. It has given us the calendar that organizes our year and has left its mark on the games we play.

Grasping the full scope of your bequest from the ancient world can't help but give you a more nuanced base from which to make decisions and choose pathways in your own life. These 48 lectures take you on a multidisciplinary journey that ranges across not only the traditional domains of politics and war that are normally the province of history courses, but also those of religion, philosophy, architecture and the visual arts, literature, and science, and more.

You'll examine the ancient world's greatest civilizations from the Mediterranean, Asia, and the Americas - including those of Rome, Greece, China, Persia, India, and the Maya - not in isolation but in the full context of where they came from, the cultures that flourished around them at the same time, and the civilizations that were to come from them. Taking a comparative approach, Professor Aldrete's course includes in-depth analyses of not only key individuals and historical moments, but also history's most important themes, from the nature of rulership and the evolution of religion and philosophy to the practice of warfare and the expression of power through art and architecture.

With its mix of nuanced interpretation, vivid description, and constant attention to exploring history as a coherent whole, this is sure to be one of the most informative and thought-provoking history courses you have ever taken.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2011 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2011 The Great Courses

Great coverage of a lot of info

I listen to a lot of Great Courses lectures and I thought this one wouldn't be as good as it was given the vast timeline to cover and figured it would just touch on the "headlines" of history, but I was wrong. I thought the way Dr. Aldrete structured the course was great too. By linking history with cities in the ancient world "history wasn't written down in rural areas as much" put the listener--from the very start--in a new frame of mind. When he linked the Pierren thesis to it all at the end describing that European history only came about because of the Muslim fracture of the Mediterranean world brought it all home. This was a great listen.

Excellent work, clear, concise, and entertaining

I strongly recommend this title. it is both informative and entertaining. Well worth the effort.

Truly excellent. Very enlightening.

This course contained so much interesting information that I listened to it twice, just to absorb more of it

Outstanding

This is one of the best of the Great Courses audiobooks I've ever listened to. The lecturer has a real gift for distilling large amounts of information into just a few sentences. Every one of the 48 lectures could easily be fleshed out into a 10 or 12 hour course. The information is very easy to listen to and comprehend, yet is never simplistic or condescending. I found myself bingeing on the material while doing yardwork, walking the dog, and household chores, and finished the 24 hour course in less than 4 days.

The author doesn't just supply a summary of names and dates, but also explains how factors such as geography influenced the culture, religion and world view of a particular region.

Although this is a college-level course, it would be very accessible to most high school students, and even to advanced 7th or 8th graders. Each 30-minute lecture could probably be stretched out into another 24-hour course. So I would also recommend this for students who are trying to cram for an Ancient History exam, or to help someone pick out the next Ancient topic they want to study next.

oh my God

I have listened to countless great course books and this by far has to be the greatest one I've ever listened to. The professor delivers everything in such an easily understandable way and truly shows his excitement for the subject which in turn keeps me more engaged. I will absolutely be listening to this over and over again.

Great, Don't Miss

It's no wonder Professor Aldrete had won so many awards. He makes history come alive.

"stuff" is already plural OMG

great information. other than having a Wisconsin accent that sounded way too much like a former uncle in law, and saying the word "stuffs" like 100 times, it was good. i don't care if "stuffs" is an actual word, this is the only place I've heard it and it's distracting and annoying.

Excellent Overview

I thoroughly enjoyed the lectures and learned a fair bit from them. Professor Aldrete has a most entertaining style and is NEVER boring. I will definitely be listening to them again later as it was a lot to take in the first time around.

Wonderful!

Professor Aldrete is a fantastic lecturer. There’s no part of this course I did not find illuminating, inspiring, and accessible.

my first history audio book

fantastic narration. better than most audiobooks. Excellent content. I would recommend this book to anyone.