The Ancient Near East
A Very Short Introduction
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The Ancient Near East
Buy for $11.17
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Fajer Al-Kaisi
-
By:
-
Amanda H. Podany
About this listen
The ancient Near East is known as the "cradle of civilization" - and for good reason. Mesopotamia, Syria, and Anatolia were home to an extraordinarily rich and successful culture. Indeed, it was a time and place of earth-shaking changes for humankind: the beginnings of writing and law, kingship and bureaucracy, diplomacy and state-sponsored warfare, mathematics and literature.
This Very Short Introduction audiobook offers a fascinating account of this momentous time in human history. The 3,000 years covered here - from around 3500 BCE, with the founding of the first Mesopotamian cities, to the conquest of the Near East by the Persian King Cyrus the Great in 539 BCE - represent a period of incredible innovation. As historian Amanda Podany explores this era, she overturns the popular image of the ancient world as a primitive, violent place. We discover that women had many freedoms: They could own property, run businesses, and represent themselves in court. Diplomats traveled between the capital cities of major powers ensuring peace between the kings. Scribes and scholars studied the stars and could predict eclipses and the movements of the planets.
Every chapter introduces the listener to a particular moment in ancient Near Eastern history, illuminating such aspects as trade, religion, diplomacy, law, warfare, kingship, and agriculture.
©2014 Oxford University Press (P)2021 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
-
24 Hours in Ancient Egypt
- A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There
- By: Donald P. Ryan
- Narrated by: Jonathan Beville
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 20
Ancient Egypt wasn't all pyramids, sphinxes and gold sarcophagi. For your average Egyptian, life was tough, and work was hard, conducted under the burning gaze of the sun god Ra.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Authentic Details Make it a Worthy Listen
- By Daniel Morlan on 12-02-23
By: Donald P. Ryan
-
Weavers, Scribes, and Kings
- A New History of the Ancient Near East
- By: Amanda H. Podany
- Narrated by: Amanda H. Podany
- Length: 18 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 146
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 131
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 131
In this sweeping history of the ancient Near East, Amanda Podany takes listeners on a gripping journey from the creation of the world's first cities to the conquests of Alexander the Great. The book is built around the life stories of many ancient men and women, from kings, priestesses, and merchants to brickmakers, musicians, and weavers. Their habits of daily life, beliefs, triumphs, and crises, and the changes that people faced over time are explored through their own written words and the buildings, cities, and empires in which they lived.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
word of advice
- By Jim Davis on 08-04-23
By: Amanda H. Podany
-
Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Martin Bunton
- Narrated by: Neil Shah
- Length: 4 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 82
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 70
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 70
The conflict between Palestine and Israel is one of the most highly publicized and bitter struggles in history. In this accessible and stimulating Very Short Introduction, Martin Bunton clearly explains the history of the problem, reducing it to its very essence - a modern territorial contest between two nations and one geographical territory.Providing a clear and fair exploration of the main issues, Bunton explores not only the historical basis of the conflict, but also looks at how and why partition has been so difficult and how efforts to restore peace continue today.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Even-handed.
- By Tom Judge on 11-15-23
By: Martin Bunton
-
Ancient Mesopotamia
- Life in the Cradle of Civilization
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Amanda H. Podany PhD
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,565
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,362
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,353
Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Time with a great scholar & fantastic lecturer
- By Anonymous User on 07-14-18
-
Judaism (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Norman Solomon
- Narrated by: Jesse Einstein
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
Normon Solomon's succinct book is an ideal introduction to Judaism as a religion and way of life. Demonstrating the diverse nature and ethnic origin of Jewish people, Solomon explores how the religion has developed in the 2,000 years since the days of the Bible.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
tremendous!
- By D. Griffin on 10-18-23
By: Norman Solomon
-
Socialism (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Michael Newman
- Narrated by: Mike Cooper
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 2
What is socialism? Does it have a future, or has it become an outdated ideology in the 21st century? This audiobook considers the major theories in socialism and explores its historical evolution from the French Revolution to the present day. Michael Newman argues that socialism has always been a diverse doctrine, while nevertheless containing a central core of interconnected values and goals: a critique of capitalism; an optimistic view of human beings; and the belief that it is possible to establish societies based on egalitarianism, social solidarity, and cooperation.
By: Michael Newman
-
24 Hours in Ancient Egypt
- A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There
- By: Donald P. Ryan
- Narrated by: Jonathan Beville
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 20
Ancient Egypt wasn't all pyramids, sphinxes and gold sarcophagi. For your average Egyptian, life was tough, and work was hard, conducted under the burning gaze of the sun god Ra.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Authentic Details Make it a Worthy Listen
- By Daniel Morlan on 12-02-23
By: Donald P. Ryan
-
Weavers, Scribes, and Kings
- A New History of the Ancient Near East
- By: Amanda H. Podany
- Narrated by: Amanda H. Podany
- Length: 18 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 146
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 131
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 131
In this sweeping history of the ancient Near East, Amanda Podany takes listeners on a gripping journey from the creation of the world's first cities to the conquests of Alexander the Great. The book is built around the life stories of many ancient men and women, from kings, priestesses, and merchants to brickmakers, musicians, and weavers. Their habits of daily life, beliefs, triumphs, and crises, and the changes that people faced over time are explored through their own written words and the buildings, cities, and empires in which they lived.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
word of advice
- By Jim Davis on 08-04-23
By: Amanda H. Podany
-
Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Martin Bunton
- Narrated by: Neil Shah
- Length: 4 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 82
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 70
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 70
The conflict between Palestine and Israel is one of the most highly publicized and bitter struggles in history. In this accessible and stimulating Very Short Introduction, Martin Bunton clearly explains the history of the problem, reducing it to its very essence - a modern territorial contest between two nations and one geographical territory.Providing a clear and fair exploration of the main issues, Bunton explores not only the historical basis of the conflict, but also looks at how and why partition has been so difficult and how efforts to restore peace continue today.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Even-handed.
- By Tom Judge on 11-15-23
By: Martin Bunton
-
Ancient Mesopotamia
- Life in the Cradle of Civilization
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Amanda H. Podany PhD
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,565
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,362
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,353
Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Time with a great scholar & fantastic lecturer
- By Anonymous User on 07-14-18
-
Judaism (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Norman Solomon
- Narrated by: Jesse Einstein
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
Normon Solomon's succinct book is an ideal introduction to Judaism as a religion and way of life. Demonstrating the diverse nature and ethnic origin of Jewish people, Solomon explores how the religion has developed in the 2,000 years since the days of the Bible.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
tremendous!
- By D. Griffin on 10-18-23
By: Norman Solomon
-
Socialism (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Michael Newman
- Narrated by: Mike Cooper
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 2
What is socialism? Does it have a future, or has it become an outdated ideology in the 21st century? This audiobook considers the major theories in socialism and explores its historical evolution from the French Revolution to the present day. Michael Newman argues that socialism has always been a diverse doctrine, while nevertheless containing a central core of interconnected values and goals: a critique of capitalism; an optimistic view of human beings; and the belief that it is possible to establish societies based on egalitarianism, social solidarity, and cooperation.
By: Michael Newman
-
Ancient Egypt (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Ian Shaw
- Narrated by: Mike Cooper
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 7
The ancient Egyptians are an enduring source of fascination - mummies and pyramids, curses, and rituals have captured the imagination of generations. We all have a mental picture of ancient Egypt, but is it the right one? How much do we really know about this great civilization? This second edition of Ancient Egypt: A Very Short Introduction explores the history and culture of pharaonic Egypt, including ideas about Egyptian kingship, ancient Egyptian writing systems, and the history of Egyptology.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not worth the time
- By Anonymous User on 10-14-24
By: Ian Shaw
-
Jesus
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Richard Bauckham
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 46
Two billion people today identify as Christians, with the implication that Jesus is the focus of their relationship with God and their way of living in the world. Such followers of Jesus are now more numerous and make up a greater proportion of the world's population than ever before. Richard Bauckham explores the historical figure of Jesus, evaluating the sources and concluding that they provide us with good historical evidence for his life and teaching.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Probably the best summary of Jesus of Nazareth I have encountered.
- By Anonymous User on 10-29-24
By: Richard Bauckham
-
1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated)
- The Year Civilization Collapsed
- By: Eric H. Cline
- Narrated by: Eric H. Cline
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 615
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 534
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 533
This audiobook narrated by acclaimed archaeologist and best-selling author Eric Cline offers a breathtaking account of how the collapse of an ancient civilized world ushered in the first Dark Ages.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Look past the one-star reviews: this is an enlightening and engaging read.
- By Alonzo Nightjar on 03-07-22
By: Eric H. Cline
-
The History of the Ancient World
- From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
- By: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,596
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,894
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,867
This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An Historic Achievement
- By Anonymous User on 04-25-14
By: Susan Wise Bauer
-
The Bible Unearthed
- Archaeology’s New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts
- By: Neil Asher Silberman, Israel Finkelstein
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 94
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 94
In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible - the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon’s vast empire - reflect the world of the later authors.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Quite Eye Opening
- By Anonymous User on 10-11-22
By: Neil Asher Silberman, and others
-
Ur: A Captivating Guide to One of the Most Important Sumerian City-States in Ancient Mesopotamia
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 15
This audiobook is about the city which houses the mighty Ziggurat - the Biblical “Ur of the Chaldees” where Abraham was supposedly born. The site near which the earliest human cultures were found. The site which held the most glorious Sumerian Dynasty in ancient history. This is the story of the city that was destined to die and be reborn every millennium or so, a city full of intrigue, magnificence, tragedy, and glory.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Highly Recommended
- By Anonymous User on 12-09-18
Related to this topic
-
Ur: A Captivating Guide to One of the Most Important Sumerian City-States in Ancient Mesopotamia
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 15
This audiobook is about the city which houses the mighty Ziggurat - the Biblical “Ur of the Chaldees” where Abraham was supposedly born. The site near which the earliest human cultures were found. The site which held the most glorious Sumerian Dynasty in ancient history. This is the story of the city that was destined to die and be reborn every millennium or so, a city full of intrigue, magnificence, tragedy, and glory.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Highly Recommended
- By Anonymous User on 12-09-18
-
The Sumerians: A History from Beginning to End
- By: Hourly History
- Narrated by: Stephen Paul Aulridge Jr.
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 60
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 49
The Sumerians settled in the area known as Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, around 5,000 years ago. They produced many fundamental changes to the way in which human societies developed - these were the first city-builders, the first people to use wheeled vehicles, the first methodical astronomers, and the first people to develop a sophisticated written language. The Sumerians also produced art, music, and literature as well as created some of the first professional soldiers the world had ever seen.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Simple and as best “to the point” as it can be
- By Anonymous User on 08-24-24
By: Hourly History
-
The Birth of Classical Europe
- A History from Troy to Augustine
- By: Simon Price, Peter Thonemann
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 148
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 122
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 121
To an extraordinary extent we continue to live in the shadow of the classical world. At every level, from languages to calendars to political systems, we are the descendants of a “classical Europe,” using frames of reference created by ancient Mediterranean cultures. As this consistently fresh and surprising new audio book makes clear, however, this was no less true for the inhabitants of those classical civilizations themselves, whose myths, history, and buildings were an elaborate engagement with an already old and revered past - one filled with great leaders and writers....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent overview of the Classical World
- By Anonymous User on 01-12-14
By: Simon Price, and others
-
In Search of the Dark Ages
- By: Michael Wood
- Narrated by: Marston York
- Length: 14 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 59
In Search of the Dark Ages is an unrivalled exploration of the origins of English identity, and the best-selling book that established Michael Wood as one of Britain's leading historians. Now, on the book's 40th anniversary, this fully revised and expanded edition illuminates further the fascinating and mysterious centuries between the Romans and the Norman Conquest.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brilliant!
- By Dee Goulet on 08-31-22
By: Michael Wood
-
The History of the Ancient World
- From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
- By: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,596
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,894
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,867
This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An Historic Achievement
- By Anonymous User on 04-25-14
By: Susan Wise Bauer
-
Introducing the Ancient Greeks
- From Bronze Age Seafarers to Navigators of the Western Mind
- By: Edith Hall
- Narrated by: Sian Thomas
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 77
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 65
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 66
Acclaimed classics scholar Edith Hall's Introducing the Ancient Greeks is the first book to offer a synthesis of the entire ancient Greek experience, from the rise of the Mycenaean kingdoms of the sixteenth century BC to the final victory of Christianity over paganism in AD 391. Each of the ten chapters visits a different Greek community at a different moment during the twenty centuries of ancient Greek history.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Surveying the Greeks
- By Jolene on 05-31-18
By: Edith Hall
-
Ur: A Captivating Guide to One of the Most Important Sumerian City-States in Ancient Mesopotamia
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 15
This audiobook is about the city which houses the mighty Ziggurat - the Biblical “Ur of the Chaldees” where Abraham was supposedly born. The site near which the earliest human cultures were found. The site which held the most glorious Sumerian Dynasty in ancient history. This is the story of the city that was destined to die and be reborn every millennium or so, a city full of intrigue, magnificence, tragedy, and glory.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Highly Recommended
- By Anonymous User on 12-09-18
-
The Sumerians: A History from Beginning to End
- By: Hourly History
- Narrated by: Stephen Paul Aulridge Jr.
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 60
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 49
The Sumerians settled in the area known as Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, around 5,000 years ago. They produced many fundamental changes to the way in which human societies developed - these were the first city-builders, the first people to use wheeled vehicles, the first methodical astronomers, and the first people to develop a sophisticated written language. The Sumerians also produced art, music, and literature as well as created some of the first professional soldiers the world had ever seen.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Simple and as best “to the point” as it can be
- By Anonymous User on 08-24-24
By: Hourly History
-
The Birth of Classical Europe
- A History from Troy to Augustine
- By: Simon Price, Peter Thonemann
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 148
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 122
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 121
To an extraordinary extent we continue to live in the shadow of the classical world. At every level, from languages to calendars to political systems, we are the descendants of a “classical Europe,” using frames of reference created by ancient Mediterranean cultures. As this consistently fresh and surprising new audio book makes clear, however, this was no less true for the inhabitants of those classical civilizations themselves, whose myths, history, and buildings were an elaborate engagement with an already old and revered past - one filled with great leaders and writers....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent overview of the Classical World
- By Anonymous User on 01-12-14
By: Simon Price, and others
-
In Search of the Dark Ages
- By: Michael Wood
- Narrated by: Marston York
- Length: 14 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 59
In Search of the Dark Ages is an unrivalled exploration of the origins of English identity, and the best-selling book that established Michael Wood as one of Britain's leading historians. Now, on the book's 40th anniversary, this fully revised and expanded edition illuminates further the fascinating and mysterious centuries between the Romans and the Norman Conquest.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brilliant!
- By Dee Goulet on 08-31-22
By: Michael Wood
-
The History of the Ancient World
- From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
- By: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,596
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,894
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,867
This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An Historic Achievement
- By Anonymous User on 04-25-14
By: Susan Wise Bauer
-
Introducing the Ancient Greeks
- From Bronze Age Seafarers to Navigators of the Western Mind
- By: Edith Hall
- Narrated by: Sian Thomas
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 77
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 65
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 66
Acclaimed classics scholar Edith Hall's Introducing the Ancient Greeks is the first book to offer a synthesis of the entire ancient Greek experience, from the rise of the Mycenaean kingdoms of the sixteenth century BC to the final victory of Christianity over paganism in AD 391. Each of the ten chapters visits a different Greek community at a different moment during the twenty centuries of ancient Greek history.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Surveying the Greeks
- By Jolene on 05-31-18
By: Edith Hall
-
Lost Civilizations
- 10 Societies That Vanished without a Trace
- By: Michael Rank
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 3 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 50
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 48
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 48
Whether it is Plato's lost city of Atlantis, a technological advanced utopia that sank into the ocean "in a single day and night of misfortune"; the colony of Roanoke, whose early American settlers were swallowed up in the wild forest lands of the unexplored continent, or the Ancient American Explorers, who managed to arrive to the New World 2,000 years before Columbus, the disappearance of these societies is as cryptic as it is implausible. This book will look at cultures of the 10 greatest lost civilizations in history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Another Great Book from Michael Rank
- By MICHAEL H on 07-17-14
By: Michael Rank
-
The Parthenon Enigma
- By: Joan Breton Connelly
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 46
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 37
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 36
In this revolutionary book, Joan Breton Connelly challenges our most basic assumptions about the Parthenon and the ancient Athenians. Beginning with the natural environment and its rich mythic associations, she re-creates the development of the Acropolis - the Sacred Rock at the heart of the city-state - from its prehistoric origins to its Periklean glory days as a constellation of temples among which the Parthenon stood supreme.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
dope book, lacked depth but overall worthwhile
- By Anonymous User on 06-29-15
-
Justinian's Flea
- Plague, Empire, and the Birth of Europe
- By: William Rosen
- Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
- Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 438
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 236
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 236
The emperor Justinian reunified Rome's fractured empire by defeating the Goths and Vandals. At his capital in Constantinople, he built the world's most beautiful building, married the most powerful empress, and wrote the empire's most enduring legal code, seemingly restoring Rome's fortunes for the next five hundred years. Then, in the summer of 542, he encountered a flea. The ensuing outbreak of bubonic plague killed 5,000 people a day in Constantinople and nearly killed Justinian himself.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
More history than Disease
- By Anonymous User on 06-25-07
By: William Rosen
-
SPQR
- A History of Ancient Rome
- By: Mary Beard
- Narrated by: Phyllida Nash
- Length: 18 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,879
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,288
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,253
In SPQR, world-renowned classicist Mary Beard narrates the unprecedented rise of a civilization that even 2,000 years later still shapes many of our most fundamental assumptions about power, citizenship, responsibility, political violence, empire, luxury, and beauty.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Shallow and unsatisfying
- By Anonymous User on 02-19-17
By: Mary Beard
-
The Rise and Fall of Alexandria
- Birthplace of the Modern Mind
- By: Justin Pollard, Howard Reid
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,026
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 694
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 692
Founded by Alexander the Great and built by self-styled Greek pharaohs, the city of Alexandria at its height dwarfed both Athens and Rome. It was the marvel of its age, legendary for its vast palaces, safe harbors, and magnificent lighthouse. But it was most famous for the astonishing intellectual efflorescence it fostered and the library it produced. If the European Renaissance was the "rebirth" of Western culture, then Alexandria, Egypt, was its birthplace.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A good listen
- By Anonymous User on 10-02-08
By: Justin Pollard, and others
-
When Montezuma Met Cortes
- The True Story of the Meeting That Changed History
- By: Matthew Restall
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 95
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 84
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 84
In 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortés first met Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, at the entrance to the capital city of Tenochtitlan. This introduction - the prelude to the Spanish seizure of Mexico City and to European colonization of the mainland of the Americas - has long been the symbol of Cortés' bold and brilliant military genius. Montezuma, on the other hand, is remembered as a coward who gave away a vast empire and touched off a wave of colonial invasions across the hemisphere. But is this really what happened?
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Flawed, but worth it for those interested.
- By "J" on 02-16-18
By: Matthew Restall
-
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
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,751
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,852
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,800
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tantalizing time trip
- By Mark on 08-21-13
By: Robert Garland, and others
-
The Jews
- Story of a People
- By: Howard Fast
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 84
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 73
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 71
“There is no human being on the face of this earth exempt from the Jewish influence. For as long as there has been history, the Jew has wandered through it, shaping it at times, riding the current silently at other times, but always leaving his mark. History without the Jew? It is inconceivable.”—Howard Fast. His popular history brings the history of the Jewish people into focus, from Genesis to contemporary times.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Jews: Story of a People
- By Anonymous User on 05-12-12
By: Howard Fast
-
The Bright Ages
- A New History of Medieval Europe
- By: Matthew Gabriele, David M. Perry
- Narrated by: Jim Meskimen
- Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 228
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 189
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 190
The word medieval conjures images of the “Dark Ages”. But the myth of darkness obscures the truth; this was a remarkable period in human history. The Bright Ages recasts the European Middle Ages for what it was, capturing this 1,000-year era in all its complexity and fundamental humanity, bringing to light both its beauty and its horrors. The Bright Ages takes us through 10 centuries and crisscrosses Europe and the Mediterranean, Asia, and Africa, revisiting familiar people and events with new light cast upon them.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Does exactly what it claims to clarify
- By Aaron Rapozo on 12-13-21
By: Matthew Gabriele, and others
-
1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated)
- The Year Civilization Collapsed
- By: Eric H. Cline
- Narrated by: Eric H. Cline
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 615
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 534
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 533
This audiobook narrated by acclaimed archaeologist and best-selling author Eric Cline offers a breathtaking account of how the collapse of an ancient civilized world ushered in the first Dark Ages.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Look past the one-star reviews: this is an enlightening and engaging read.
- By Alonzo Nightjar on 03-07-22
By: Eric H. Cline
-
Hadrian and the Triumph of Rome
- By: Anthony Everitt
- Narrated by: John Curless
- Length: 14 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 254
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 215
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 219
Acclaimed British historian Anthony Everitt delivers a compelling account of the former orphan who became Roman emperor in A.D. 117 after the death of his guardian Trajan. Hadrian strengthened Rome by ending territorial expansion and fortifying existing borders. And - except for the uprising he triggered in Judea - his strength-based diplomacy brought peace to the realm after a century of warfare.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
A Biography "too tall for the height of the cella"
- By Darwin8u on 08-23-12
By: Anthony Everitt
-
Pagans
- The End of Traditional Religion and the Rise of Christianity
- By: James J. O'Donnell
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 102
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 82
Pagans explores the rise of Christianity from a surprising and unique viewpoint: that of the people who witnessed their ways of life destroyed by what seemed then a powerful religious cult. These "pagans" were actually pious Greeks, Romans, Syrians, and Gauls, who observed the traditions of their ancestors. To these devout polytheists, Christians who worshiped only one deity were immoral atheists who believed that a splash of water on the deathbed could erase a lifetime of sin.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
19th Century Scholarship
- By Marianne on 10-16-18
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Judaism (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Norman Solomon
- Narrated by: Jesse Einstein
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
Normon Solomon's succinct book is an ideal introduction to Judaism as a religion and way of life. Demonstrating the diverse nature and ethnic origin of Jewish people, Solomon explores how the religion has developed in the 2,000 years since the days of the Bible.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
tremendous!
- By D. Griffin on 10-18-23
By: Norman Solomon
-
The Maya
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Matthew Restall, Amara Solari
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
The Maya forged one of the greatest societies in the history of the ancient Americas and in all of human history. Long before contact with Europeans, Maya communities built spectacular cities with large, well-fed large populations. They mastered the visual arts, and developed a sophisticated writing system that recorded extraordinary knowledge in calendrics, mathematics, and astronomy. The Maya achieved all this without area-wide centralized control.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Pretty great, but a bit superficial.
- By Anonymous User on 08-15-24
By: Matthew Restall, and others
-
Classics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Mary Beard, John Henderson
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 4 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 16
We are all classicists - we come into touch with the classics on a daily basis: in our culture, politics, medicine, architecture, language, and literature. What are the true roots of these influences, however, and how do our interpretations of these aspects of the classics differ from their original reality?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Beard guides the reader through the Classics
- By Darwin8u on 10-29-24
By: Mary Beard, and others
-
Ancient Egypt (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Ian Shaw
- Narrated by: Mike Cooper
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 7
The ancient Egyptians are an enduring source of fascination - mummies and pyramids, curses, and rituals have captured the imagination of generations. We all have a mental picture of ancient Egypt, but is it the right one? How much do we really know about this great civilization? This second edition of Ancient Egypt: A Very Short Introduction explores the history and culture of pharaonic Egypt, including ideas about Egyptian kingship, ancient Egyptian writing systems, and the history of Egyptology.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not worth the time
- By Anonymous User on 10-14-24
By: Ian Shaw
-
The Abrahamic Religions
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Charles L. Cohen
- Narrated by: Jim Denison
- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 5
In the book of Genesis, God bestows a new name upon Abram - Abraham, a father of many nations. With this name and his covenant, Abraham would become the patriarch of three of the world's major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Connected by their mutual - if differentiated - veneration of the one God proclaimed by Abraham, these traditions share much beyond their origins in the ancient Israel of the Old Testament. This Very Short Introduction audiobook explores the intertwined histories of these monotheistic religions.
By: Charles L. Cohen
-
The Brain
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Michael O’Shea
- Narrated by: Dennis Holland
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 13
How does the brain work? How different is a human brain from other creatures' brains? Is the human brain still evolving? In this fascinating book, Michael O'Shea provides a non-technical introduction to the main issues and findings in current brain research, and gives a sense of how neuroscience addresses questions about the relationship between the brain and the mind.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent clarity, perfect level of technical
- By Harlan Findley on 11-03-23
By: Michael O’Shea
-
Judaism (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Norman Solomon
- Narrated by: Jesse Einstein
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
Normon Solomon's succinct book is an ideal introduction to Judaism as a religion and way of life. Demonstrating the diverse nature and ethnic origin of Jewish people, Solomon explores how the religion has developed in the 2,000 years since the days of the Bible.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
tremendous!
- By D. Griffin on 10-18-23
By: Norman Solomon
-
The Maya
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Matthew Restall, Amara Solari
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
The Maya forged one of the greatest societies in the history of the ancient Americas and in all of human history. Long before contact with Europeans, Maya communities built spectacular cities with large, well-fed large populations. They mastered the visual arts, and developed a sophisticated writing system that recorded extraordinary knowledge in calendrics, mathematics, and astronomy. The Maya achieved all this without area-wide centralized control.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Pretty great, but a bit superficial.
- By Anonymous User on 08-15-24
By: Matthew Restall, and others