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Living History: Experiencing Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
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Greece and Rome: An Integrated History of the Ancient Mediterranean
- Written by: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 18 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
Integrated approaches to teaching Greek and Roman history are a rarity in academia. Most scholars are historians of either Greek or Roman history and perform research solely in that specific field, an approach that author and award-winning Professor Robert Garland considers questionable.In these 36 passionate lectures, he provides and impressive and rare opportunity to understand the two dominant cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world in relation to one another-a relationship that has virtually no parallel in world history.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Very disjointed
- By Amazon Customer on 2020-10-12
Written by: Robert Garland, and others
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Ancient Greek Civilization
- Written by: Jeremy McInerney, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jeremy McInerney PhD University of California at Berkeley
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 56
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 49
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Story5 out of 5 stars 48
Clearly, the Greeks are a source of much that we esteem in our own culture: democracy, philosophy, tragedy, epic and lyric poetry, history-writing, our aesthetic sensibilities, ideals of athletic competition, and more. But what is it about Hellenic culture that has made generations of influential scholars and writers view it as the essential starting point for understanding the art and reflection that define the West?
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5 out of 5 stars
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love it
- By Samantha McLeod on 2021-03-23
Written by: Jeremy McInerney, and others
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The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- Written by: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 387
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 339
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 334
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.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it!
- By Trent T on 2018-10-29
Written by: Robert Garland, and others
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The Vikings
- Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth W. Harl
- Length: 17 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 160
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 134
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 134
As raiders and explorers, the Vikings played a decisive role in the formation of Latin Christendom, and particularly of western Europe. Now, in a series of 36 vivid lectures by an honored teacher and classical scholar, you have the opportunity to understand this remarkable race as never before, studying the Vikings not only as warriors, but in all of the other roles in which they were equally extraordinary - merchants, artists, kings, raiders, seafarers, shipbuilders, and creators of a remarkable literature of myths and sagas.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A lot of Fun
- By Trevor Holmlund on 2020-11-19
Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, and others
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The Early Middle Ages
- Written by: Philip Daileader, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Philip Daileader
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 126
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 114
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 113
The Early Middle Ages-the years from A.D. 650 to 1000-were crucial to Europe's future social and political development. These 24 lectures trace a journey from Scandinavia across northern and central Europe to the farthest reaches of the Byzantine and Islamic empires, providing an exciting new look an era often simply called the "Dark Ages."
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Background
- By PaladinPhil on 2019-02-02
Written by: Philip Daileader, and others
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The History of the Medieval World
- From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade
- Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 22 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 86
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 79
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
From the schism between Rome and Constantinople to the rise of the T'ang Dynasty, from the birth of Muhammad to the crowning of Charlemagne, this erudite book tells the fascinating, often violent story of kings, generals, and the peoples they ruled.
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1 out of 5 stars
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so disappointing
- By ELIZABETH L ROSS on 2019-06-05
Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
-
Greece and Rome: An Integrated History of the Ancient Mediterranean
- Written by: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 18 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
Integrated approaches to teaching Greek and Roman history are a rarity in academia. Most scholars are historians of either Greek or Roman history and perform research solely in that specific field, an approach that author and award-winning Professor Robert Garland considers questionable.In these 36 passionate lectures, he provides and impressive and rare opportunity to understand the two dominant cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world in relation to one another-a relationship that has virtually no parallel in world history.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Very disjointed
- By Amazon Customer on 2020-10-12
Written by: Robert Garland, and others
-
Ancient Greek Civilization
- Written by: Jeremy McInerney, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jeremy McInerney PhD University of California at Berkeley
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 56
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 49
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 48
Clearly, the Greeks are a source of much that we esteem in our own culture: democracy, philosophy, tragedy, epic and lyric poetry, history-writing, our aesthetic sensibilities, ideals of athletic competition, and more. But what is it about Hellenic culture that has made generations of influential scholars and writers view it as the essential starting point for understanding the art and reflection that define the West?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
love it
- By Samantha McLeod on 2021-03-23
Written by: Jeremy McInerney, and others
-
The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- Written by: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 387
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 339
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 334
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
-
Loved it!
- By Trent T on 2018-10-29
Written by: Robert Garland, and others
-
The Vikings
- Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth W. Harl
- Length: 17 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 160
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 134
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 134
As raiders and explorers, the Vikings played a decisive role in the formation of Latin Christendom, and particularly of western Europe. Now, in a series of 36 vivid lectures by an honored teacher and classical scholar, you have the opportunity to understand this remarkable race as never before, studying the Vikings not only as warriors, but in all of the other roles in which they were equally extraordinary - merchants, artists, kings, raiders, seafarers, shipbuilders, and creators of a remarkable literature of myths and sagas.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A lot of Fun
- By Trevor Holmlund on 2020-11-19
Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, and others
-
The Early Middle Ages
- Written by: Philip Daileader, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Philip Daileader
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 114
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 113
The Early Middle Ages-the years from A.D. 650 to 1000-were crucial to Europe's future social and political development. These 24 lectures trace a journey from Scandinavia across northern and central Europe to the farthest reaches of the Byzantine and Islamic empires, providing an exciting new look an era often simply called the "Dark Ages."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Background
- By PaladinPhil on 2019-02-02
Written by: Philip Daileader, and others
-
The History of the Medieval World
- From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade
- Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 22 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 79
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
From the schism between Rome and Constantinople to the rise of the T'ang Dynasty, from the birth of Muhammad to the crowning of Charlemagne, this erudite book tells the fascinating, often violent story of kings, generals, and the peoples they ruled.
-
1 out of 5 stars
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so disappointing
- By ELIZABETH L ROSS on 2019-06-05
Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
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The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague
- Written by: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 137
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 122
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 122
Many of us know the Black Death as a catastrophic event of the medieval world. But the Black Death was arguably the most significant event in Western history, profoundly affecting every aspect of human life, from the economic and social to the political, religious, and cultural. In its wake the plague left a world that was utterly changed, forever altering the traditional structure of European societies and forcing a rethinking of every single system of Western civilization: food production and trade, the church, political institutions, law, art, and more.
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5 out of 5 stars
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wonderful knowledge
- By Quinn musgrave on 2018-09-21
Written by: Dorsey Armstrong, and others
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The Medieval World
- Written by: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 18 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 86
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 76
Far from being a time of darkness, the Middle Ages was an essential period in the grand narrative of Western history. But what was it like to actually live in those extraordinary times? Now you can find out.These 36 lectures provide a different perspective on the society and culture of the Middle Ages: one that entrenches you in the daily human experience of living during this underappreciated era.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The passion the prof has for her area of expertise is palpable
- By MyPublicName on 2019-07-07
Written by: Dorsey Armstrong, and others
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The Ottoman Empire
- Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth W. Harl
- Length: 18 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 52
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 45
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 44
By understanding the dramatic story of the Ottoman Empire - from its early years as a collection of raiders and conquerors to its undeniable power in the 15th and 16th centuries to its catastrophic collapse in the wreckage of the First World War - one can better grasp the current complexities of the Middle East. Befitting a story of such epic scope and grandeur, every lecture is a treasure trove of historical insights into the people, events, themes, and locales responsible for shaping the story of this often-overlooked empire.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great material but terrible speaker.
- By Leslie on 2018-10-26
Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, and others
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The Templars
- Written by: Dan Jones
- Narrated by: Dan Jones
- Length: 15 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 167
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 147
The Knights Templar were the wealthiest, most powerful - and most secretive - of the military orders that flourished in the crusading era. Their story - encompassing as it does the greatest international conflict of the Middle Ages, a network of international finance, a swift rise in wealth and influence followed by a bloody and humiliating fall - has left a comet's tail of mystery that continues to fascinate and inspire historians, novelists and conspiracy theorists. Unabridged edition read by Dan Jones.
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5 out of 5 stars
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What a book!
- By Missy Vee Elle on 2018-01-04
Written by: Dan Jones
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Ancient Empires before Alexander
- Written by: Robert L. Dise Jr., The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert L. Dise Jr.
- Length: 18 hrs and 18 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 23
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23
Complete your knowledge of the ancient world with this comprehensive look at the dozen empires that flourished in the 2,000 years before the conquests of Alexander the Great. Over the course of 36 insightful lectures, you'll follow the Egyptians, the Mycenaean Greeks, the Persians, the Carthaginians, and others as they rise to glory, create administrative and military structures, clash with one another, and eventually collapse.
Written by: Robert L. Dise Jr., and others
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The Decisive Battles of World History
- Written by: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 18 hrs and 29 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 57
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 49
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 49
Throughout history, military engagements have altered the course of historical events. In these 36 dynamic lectures, Professor Aldrete leads you in discovering the military conflicts that have had the greatest impact in shifting the direction of events and defining our world. Across 4,000 years of history, you'll explore nearly 40 key military engagements, from the milestone battles of Western civilization to their counterparts in the Middle East, India, and Asia.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing!
- By Amazon Customer on 2021-10-15
Written by: The Great Courses, and others
Publisher's Summary
Macedonia, 336 B.C.E. - King Philip II is murdered under mysterious circumstances amid a cloud of intrigue.
Constantinople, 532 C.E. - The Byzantine Emperor Justinian nearly abandons the city to an angry mob until his wife, Theodora, persuades him to stay.
France, 1095 C.E. - Pope Urban II gives a speech that inspires thousands of his subjects to embark on a crusade to Jerusalem.
Time and again, moments shape history. We often examine history from a distant vantage, zooming in on a few kings and battles. But history is made up of individuals who were as alive in their time as we are today. Pausing on a few key individuals and magnifying specific moments in their lives allows us to experience history in a whole new way-as a vibrant story, full of life.
Living History: Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds takes you back in time and throws a spotlight on two dozen turning points where the tide of history changes irrevocably. These 24 dramatic lectures examine key events from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to medieval Europe and Asia. Spanning thousands of years and three continents, this course illuminates fascinating historical dramas on the individual scale.
More than covering great events that change the contours of history, Professor Garland takes you into the scene and allows you to hear what he terms the "heartbeat of history". Rather than merely reviewing the facts of events such as the Battle of Marathon, the arrest and trial of Jesus, and the coronation of Charlemagne, you'll engage with a variety of firsthand accounts and authentic primary and secondary sources to experience what it was like to live these events as they occurred. From reports by historians such as Herodotus and Livy to official scrolls and administrative records, these eyewitness sources and ancient documents take you back in time through the eyes of people who were there.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
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What listeners say about Living History: Experiencing Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Yann
- 2022-07-02
Entertaining but biased and inaccurate
The episode dedicated to the battle of Poitiers between Franks and Arabs in 732 AD is full of misstatements, from the claim Jews and Christian’s had equal status in the Baghdad califate (ignoring the status of dhimmi, however well documented, for example in the Pact of Umar, 644: Christians shall wear special belts, clip the front of their head, stand up when a Muslim wishes to sit, not ride horses, not build houses overtopping Muslim houses…) to the statement the Quran never encourages war… I wonder why some « historians » feel the urge to distort the facts and embellish one specific religion or culture.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- SteveK
- 2017-10-17
Kept me listening and delivered
The course delivered on its promise to present historical events in such a way we could feel apart of them. I was impressed by the detail and the effort by the professor to achieve that in every lecture.
A couple of the lectures felt somewhat tedious; less interesting than others due to the event it was based on. I ended up skipping over them because they were too difficult to get through.
Overall, I was kept interested and wanted to continue listening. My only gripe was that I usually expect to take something profound after listening to an entire course; something that delivers beyond what was expected. This one didn't and simply met expectations, which is fine and made for an enjoyable experience.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mike McGuire
- 2015-06-26
Excellent material, engaging presentation.
Dr. Garland has a very engaging style of presenting historical events by taking us into those events as though we were direct participants.
I would recommend this course to anyone with historical interest, in particular the ancient world, who has been bored/turned off by dry, recital style of historical presentation.
I intend to seek out any other of his history courses - they are simply a pleasure to experience. You will seldom get better value for your listening dollar.
47 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Andrew W. Wong
- 2015-06-12
Excellent but with some notable flaws
Any additional comments?
I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Garland's previous series on Daily Life in the Ancient World and was eager to pick up his latest work.
It is a scintillating journey through a series of events in which decisions or actions that took hours, minutes and even seconds shaped our world. It is told with Dr Garland's usual flare for dramatic interpretation with the expected scholarship that he is known for.
The good: The lectures on Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and Alexander the Great were fascinating with meticulous attention to detail while preserving a sense of what actually happened given that playwrights have taken liberties with some of the details. (eg: 'Et tu, Brute?' is a fabrication of Shakespeare as is Marc Antony's famous eulogy of Caesar.)
The not so good: I was disappointed with several factual errors, mostly involving the Jesus lecture and Charles Martel lecture. Dr Garland quotes from the Bible as his source, as is appropriate given that our evidence for Jesus trial is limited to that text, the writings of the Church Fathers and historians such as Josephus and Tacitus. However, during Jesus' trial Dr. Garland states that Jesus never explicitly says He is the Messiah. If we are to use our only available source, the professors statement is untrue: in fact Jesus does state that He is the Anointed One by saying "I AM".
With respect to the Martel lecture, the lecturer shies away from saying that the emerging Islamic empire was bent on conquering the known world and even seems to deny the point altogether. Surely, the Muslim onslaught within a generation of Mohammed's death as well as the words of the Quran itself belie this assertion. Though to be fair the Professor does state that as a matter of counter factual history if Martel had not succeeded that the Muslims would have conquered Europe and Arabic would be taught at Oxford as the primary language.
Overall an excellent series though not without some flaws.
37 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Googloogun
- 2015-08-24
Better Than Going to the Movies
Any additional comments?
Light up a bowl, burn a fat boy. Sit back and listen. You are there! The narrator kicks ass!
36 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ark1836
- 2016-04-05
A Difficult Review
This course covers twenty-four significant events in ancient and medieval history with the goal of making the listener feel present at the event. I have gone back and forth whether to give this a positive or negative review. There are aspects of the course that I really like—the professor selected a mix of interesting historic events and provided an often exciting description of what took place. On the other hand, the professor often inserted personal opinions and sometimes snarky comments that were distracting at times. With this criticism noted, I still appreciated the professor's enthusiasm. I also feel like I learned something from each lesson, which is how I ultimately try to judge courses like this. So, I have to give this a somewhat mixed review—not a bad course but not as great as some other history classes I have taken through the Great Courses. Since the professor only spends thirty minutes on each topic while running through a couple thousand years of history, I would not recommend this class for a beginning history student. I majored in history in college and have read many history books, so I had a good background for the lectures. Someone missing that background might have difficulty understanding all aspects of the course or could be confused.
35 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Alisa M. Cravens
- 2016-09-25
Biased
I enjoyed that he told history like an exciting story that you were taking part in, but he became biased against Christianity in a very negative way. His dislike and distrust of Christ and christians was evident.
25 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark
- 2015-11-12
Another Great Course From A Great Professor
After listening to another course from the same professor, I was pleased to see this one become available.....and it did not disappoint. Well researched and expertly delivered, "Living History" draws the listener into great historical moments, allowing you to look around yourself and see them come to life.
25 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- dan
- 2015-09-09
Loved it
One of the challenges of reading history books is that they are often dry and boring. This professor presents history through the eyes of those people that lived it. His passion shines through his telling of the stories from different times of history. I thoroughly enjoyed this purchase.
20 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Margaret Strauss
- 2015-08-09
Totally enthralled the whole way through.
Where does Living History: Experiencing Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Totally enthralled the whole way through.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Living History: Experiencing Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds?
Realizing just how much small decisions changed out world.
What about Professor Robert Garland’s performance did you like?
I had to get used to slight hesitations in the presentation, but once I had it was good that it was presented slowly enough to take in the information.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, but each chapter has a different main character.
Any additional comments?
Anyone who loves history should get this book.
16 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Steven Levinson
- 2015-11-05
Very good
I am a huge fan of the professor. He has a very interesting perspective on historical subject. The primary sources very much come alive with his narration. This was my second one, after the other side of history. Will be on the lookout for more.
15 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shaun Spalding
- 2015-07-30
try his other course first
Five star course, but not as good as his other one. I listened to that one first. it has a bit of overlapping content with this one and was, overall, more compelling. But his presentation here is 5 stars
14 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- roland
- 2022-05-01
Doesn't feel like a course
I thought I'd get details and a new view on historical events I knew about but it was mostly a normal audiobook with a little bit of sentimentality sprinkled on top. Maybe that's what the book is going for, but this felt more like a documentary than a course.
