Listen free for 30 days
-
The Greek and Persian Wars
- Narrated by: John R. Hale
- Series: The Great Courses: Ancient History
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Lecture
- Categories: History, Military
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Audible Membership
$14.95 a month
Buy Now for $46.25
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Peloponnesian War
- Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth W. Harl
- Length: 18 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 44
The Peloponnesian War pitted Athens and its allies against a league of city-states headed by Sparta. The ancient Greek historian Thucydides captured this drama with matchless insight in his classic eyewitness account of what was arguably the greatest war in the history of the world up to that time. These 36 half-hour lectures draw on Thucydides' classic account as well as other ancient sources to give you a full picture of the Greek world in uneasy peace and then all-out war in the late 5th century B.C.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A well structured and insightful course.
- By Chris Driscoll on 2018-09-14
Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, and others
-
Herodotus: The Father of History
- Written by: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 18
Witness the "works and wonders" of the ancient world through the eyes of its first great historian in this sparkling series of 24 lectures from a much-honored teacher and classical scholar.Herodotus (c. 484-420 B.C.E.) was a Greek who was born in what is now the modern Turkish resort town of Bodrum and who died, so tradition says, in the south of Italy. In between, his tirelessly inquiring mind took him from one corner of the known world to another.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Quite enlightening
- By Roberta W on 2022-04-09
Written by: Elizabeth Vandiver, and others
-
The Rise of Rome
- Written by: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 114
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 113
The Roman Republic is one of the most breathtaking civilizations in world history. Between roughly 500 BCE to the turn of the millennium, a modest city-state developed an innovative system of government and expanded into far-flung territories across Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. This powerful civilization inspired America's founding fathers, gifted us a blueprint for amazing engineering innovations, left a vital trove of myths, and has inspired the human imagination for 2,000 years.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Audiobook
- By Matthew Yantha on 2018-09-12
Written by: The Great Courses, and others
-
The Aeneid
- Written by: Virgil
- Narrated by: Simon Callow
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 12
The publication of a new translation by Fagles is a literary event. His translations of both the Iliad and Odyssey have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and have become the standard translations of our era. Now, with this stunning modern verse translation, Fagles has reintroduced Virgil's Aeneid to a whole new generation, and completed the classical triptych at the heart of Western civilization.
Written by: Virgil
-
Greek Tragedy
- Written by: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 13
Greek tragedy was a dramatic form that flourished for less than a full century. And yet it remains vibrant, alive, and productive today. And the form's masterpieces help us-as perhaps they helped their original audiences-grasp a fuller sense of the terror and wonder of life. Professor Vandiver has designed these 24 rich and rewarding lectures to give you a full overview of Greek tragedy, both in its original setting and as a lasting contribution to the artistic exploration of the human condition.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
terrific
- By C.Pom on 2022-04-29
Written by: Elizabeth Vandiver, 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 142
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 117
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 117
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 Peloponnesian War
- Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth W. Harl
- Length: 18 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 44
The Peloponnesian War pitted Athens and its allies against a league of city-states headed by Sparta. The ancient Greek historian Thucydides captured this drama with matchless insight in his classic eyewitness account of what was arguably the greatest war in the history of the world up to that time. These 36 half-hour lectures draw on Thucydides' classic account as well as other ancient sources to give you a full picture of the Greek world in uneasy peace and then all-out war in the late 5th century B.C.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A well structured and insightful course.
- By Chris Driscoll on 2018-09-14
Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, and others
-
Herodotus: The Father of History
- Written by: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 18
Witness the "works and wonders" of the ancient world through the eyes of its first great historian in this sparkling series of 24 lectures from a much-honored teacher and classical scholar.Herodotus (c. 484-420 B.C.E.) was a Greek who was born in what is now the modern Turkish resort town of Bodrum and who died, so tradition says, in the south of Italy. In between, his tirelessly inquiring mind took him from one corner of the known world to another.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Quite enlightening
- By Roberta W on 2022-04-09
Written by: Elizabeth Vandiver, and others
-
The Rise of Rome
- Written by: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 114
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 113
The Roman Republic is one of the most breathtaking civilizations in world history. Between roughly 500 BCE to the turn of the millennium, a modest city-state developed an innovative system of government and expanded into far-flung territories across Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. This powerful civilization inspired America's founding fathers, gifted us a blueprint for amazing engineering innovations, left a vital trove of myths, and has inspired the human imagination for 2,000 years.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Audiobook
- By Matthew Yantha on 2018-09-12
Written by: The Great Courses, and others
-
The Aeneid
- Written by: Virgil
- Narrated by: Simon Callow
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 12
The publication of a new translation by Fagles is a literary event. His translations of both the Iliad and Odyssey have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and have become the standard translations of our era. Now, with this stunning modern verse translation, Fagles has reintroduced Virgil's Aeneid to a whole new generation, and completed the classical triptych at the heart of Western civilization.
Written by: Virgil
-
Greek Tragedy
- Written by: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 13
Greek tragedy was a dramatic form that flourished for less than a full century. And yet it remains vibrant, alive, and productive today. And the form's masterpieces help us-as perhaps they helped their original audiences-grasp a fuller sense of the terror and wonder of life. Professor Vandiver has designed these 24 rich and rewarding lectures to give you a full overview of Greek tragedy, both in its original setting and as a lasting contribution to the artistic exploration of the human condition.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
terrific
- By C.Pom on 2022-04-29
Written by: Elizabeth Vandiver, 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 142
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 117
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 117
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
Publisher's Summary
Spanning more than two centuries, the Greek and Persian wars forged a new world order, sparking developments in battle strategy, naval technology, world exploration, and art and culture that impact the world even today.
These 24 lectures are your opportunity to survey this globe-spanning conflict and see the human experience behind some of the most remarkable episodes in ancient history.
Look beyond the infamous story of King Leonidas and his famed "300" and uncover the people and the world of the ancient Greeks and Persians. The clash of these two great cultures helped spark some of the most important cultural events in the history of the world: the chronicles of Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon; the dramas of Aeschylus; and Greece's remarkable invention of democracy.
An expert on methods of ancient warfare, Professor Hale offers rare insights into how each skirmish was lost and won. You'll meet the great Greek and Persian leaders, and compare the war technologies they pioneered.
But Professor Hale offers more than just textbook descriptions. An accomplished archaeologist, he provides rare and valuable insights gleaned from years of fieldwork, including an analysis of the landscape of the battlefield of Marathon and modern archaeological surveys of the ground where Xerxes and his engineers dug an 80-foot-wide canal across an Aegean cape.
It's a perspective on history you'll find virtually nowhere else. Bringing together both sides of the story - Greek and Persian - Professor Hale creates a complex and informative account of this world-changing era.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Greek and Persian Wars
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alicia
- 2022-04-15
A good listen
I enjoyed this. Don't be surprised if you get a bit turned around now and then though, all of the same players take turns allying and warring with one another, sometimes within a span of 100 years or less!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Roberta W
- 2022-04-05
Great lecture series
So much to learn! I found myself fully absorbed in these lectures. Not much gore, thankfully, but more focused on strategy,
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Feedback
- 2014-01-21
Outstanding
If you could sum up The Greek and Persian Wars in three words, what would they be?
Brilliant, enthusiastic lecture.
What did you like best about this story?
The extraordinary drama surrounding birth of the Western World.
Have you listened to any of Professor John R. Hale’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Brilliant, enthusiastic lecture.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Professor Hale has a gift for beginning and ending on a high point.
Any additional comments?
If only I had history professors like Hale when I was in college…. But at least I can enjoy it now.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- smbizguy
- 2016-11-19
Excellent content well told.
This authored dived into some of the most important history of the world. Having studied Thucydidies and Alexander of Mastodon in the past I was impressed by how many gaps he filled in my knowledge of these giants who's shoulders we stand on today.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2017-11-24
Encompassing historical approach
A good way of interpreting Greek History through its centuries long rivalry with the Persians.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- M. Aldridge
- 2015-12-07
Excellent<br />
I have listened to several Great Courses, and have to commend this speaker. He was well spoken, concise, and kept me interested in the topic. Wonderful lectures!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2015-05-13
excellent!
this is the second course I have purchased with John Hale. His abilty to tell a compelling story is second to none. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical adventure.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eric Green
- 2021-01-02
just what the title says
This series moved along at a good pace, but still has time for interesting details.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- EmilyK
- 2019-07-06
Excellent chronicle of fascinating period
Hale is one of the best Great Courses lecturers, and this one is no exception. He creates fascinating and well-organized lectures that stand on their own, and the overall course is incredibly informative. His voice is easy to listen to, and there's a bit of humor to the presentations. Of course, it doesn't hurt that this is one of the most interesting and important-to-know eras of Western history.
This lecture series doesn't seem to presuppose or require any knowledge of the period. If i were using this for homeschooling, or otherwise a newbie to the area, i would start with the lectures on Ancient Greek Civilization by Jeremy McInerney.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Warzhenaji
- 2018-09-03
The Great Courses As Always - Phenomenal
Excellent story telling, great performance, and a great perspective from a professor who was also an archaeologist in many historic sites in Greece. The material was excellent and is so obviously relevant to all that we experience today. Beautiful stories such as the 300 at Thermopylae all the way to Alexander the Great. I had no previous knowledge of this time period and now I can competently speak about it.
Fantastic. The Great Courses do it again!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amanda Kuttler
- 2018-04-07
very enjoyable and educational
a bit boring but that's more just the subject. He seems knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the topic and it was a very enjoyable listen.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Steve
- 2016-06-17
Great story telling and overall very solid lectures
Dr. Hale did a great job in making the lectures very entertaining. Overall pretty factual and objective statements giving a fairy complete historical overview when he makes statements on some controversial topics. Not always but you won't notice those bits unless you're decently well versed in this area of history.
Would recommend, great lectures
1 person found this helpful
