Listen free for 30 days

  • The Venetians

  • A New History: From Marco Polo to Casanova
  • Written by: Paul Strathern
  • Narrated by: Derek Perkins
  • Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (6 ratings)

Try for $0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Venetians cover art

The Venetians

Written by: Paul Strathern
Narrated by: Derek Perkins
Try for $0.00

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $20.04

Buy Now for $20.04

Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

The Republic of Venice was the first great economic, cultural, and naval power of the modern Western world. After winning the struggle for ascendency in the late 13th century, the Republic enjoyed centuries of unprecedented glory and built a trading empire which at its apogee reached as far afield as China, Syria, and West Africa. This golden period only drew to an end with the Republic's eventual surrender to Napoleon. The Venetians illuminates the character of the Republic during these illustrious years by shining a light on some of the most celebrated personalities of European history - Petrarch, Marco Polo, Galileo, Titian, Vivaldi, and Casanova. Frequently, though, these emblems of the city found themselves at odds with the Venetian authorities, who prized stability above all else, and were notoriously suspicious of any "cult of personality." Was this very tension perhaps the engine for the Republic's unprecedented rise?Rich with biographies of some of the most exalted characters who have ever lived, The Venetians is a refreshing and authoritative new look at the history of the most evocative of city-states.

©2013 Paul Strathern (P)2014 Tantor
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
Europe
Show more Show less

What the critics say

"Stories of powerful men making disastrous decisions have an endless fascination, and Strathern makes the most of it in this entertaining account." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Derek Perkins's fluid articulation, like a gondola threading the canals, carries the listener unresistingly through the crowded spectacle of Venice's centuries of glory." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Venetians

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.ca reviews

Amazon Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Roberta W

Comprehensive

A comprehensive history of Venice and the Venetians, though mostly focused on ancient history and the city in its heyday. I learned a lot, interesting stuff!

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!