The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World

By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Robert Garland

Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.

The past truly comes alive as you take a series of imaginative leaps into the world of history's anonymous citizens, people such as a Greek soldier marching into battle in the front row of a phalanx; an Egyptian woman putting on makeup before attending an evening party with her husband; a Greek citizen relaxing at a drinking party with the likes of Socrates; a Roman slave captured in war and sent to work in the mines; and a Celtic monk scurrying away with the Book of Kells during a Viking invasion.

Put yourself in the sandals of ordinary people and discover what it was like to be among history's 99%. What did these everyday people do for a living? What was their home like? What did they eat? What did they wear? What did they do to relax? What were their beliefs about marriage? Religion? The afterlife?

This extraordinary journey takes you across space and time in an effort to be another person - someone with whom you might not think you have anything at all in common - and come away with an incredible sense of interconnectedness. You'll see the range of possibilities of what it means to be human, making this a journey very much worth taking.

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

©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses

Context in our story<br />:

I now know so many more answers to questions about the origins of human culture and in the context of those whose toils and hopes throughout history laid it, brick by brick, so long ago. This course brings you there in time and place as though it was yesterday, or even today. Thank you Professor Garland for inviting us on this journey.

Great course

It’s a monumental task to attempt at such a feat of walking the journey on the other side of history from an ordinary person’s perspective. To be able to piece many different things together and draw conclusions is no easy task. Much caution should have been said about the many gaps that lies in the discoveries. The human heart is very deep and to make judgements about their inner true feelings can be erroneous at best, therefore disclaimer is necessary.

Enjoyed the course thoroughly to say the least having spent more than 24 hours of listening.

Great job professor.

excellent lesson, if a tiny bit dry

lecturor was fantastic, the content was well ordered and presented. all to often we're presented with only a cursory glance at how the people who are not the elite or ruling class live. this was a refreshing reminder of just how different and exactly what differences existed between normal people and the elite. it spans the breadth of much of history; though not the width in some places.
overall I highly recommend this!

Excellent & insightful

A peak into our past with flare an a bitter sweet flavor. Enjoyed every minute

Great subject; Good Execution

Any additional comments?

This book had a great subject and for the most part delivered on its promise with a pleasing, personal style suitable for a lecture. Where it came up somewhat short is in getting into the minds of the people it was describing. Describing how they lived their lives provides a very important clue as to what they were thinking. And the author states clearly upfront that average people prior to the modern era left very few written records so doing this type of research is very difficult. Instead, he draws primarily on the type of source material that museums typically provide. I understand that getting into people's minds would therefore have required some type of imaginative leap that this author generally felt uncomfortable providing. But it still marks a significant weakness in the presentation. The brief discussion of religion and the last lecture summary covers some of the otherwise missing ground. If you're looking for an intellectual history of common people, this lecture series doesn't excel. But I don't know of any other work of similar ambition that excels on that front. This lecture series is probably as good as it gets.

Engineer Turned Historian

I have never enjoyed history until this course. Robert Garland should be considered the 8th world wonder with his ability to captivate audiances with his rendition of previous civilizations. He didn't romanticize them as some historians do. Instead, Robert places you in the shoes of an average ancient Joe and walks you through the good, the bad, and the ugly. And when it's all said and done, you're able to reflect about our very existence and what it means to be human.

Deeply satisfying course

Not just educational and remarkably entertaining, but a true work of Art by Professor Garland!

Shows the difficulty of entering other cultures

However much the professor tries to withhold value judgments, his modern mindset colors some of the topics a bit too much.

The more things change.....

What made the experience of listening to The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World the most enjoyable?

I think what fascinated me the most was how little humans had changed over the thousands of years covered in this course.

Truly excellent

I loved every single chapter of this lecture series. An enthralling journey through time that takes you to parts of history seldom taught but most relevant to our lives. I learned a very great deal. Thank you!!!