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Origins of Great Ancient Civilizations

Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Kenneth W. Harl
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Publisher's Summary

Locales like Mesopotamia or the Indus Valley, peoples like the Hittites or Assyrians, or rulers like Sargon, Hammurabi, and Darius are part of a long-dead antiquity, so shrouded with dust that we might be tempted to skip over them entirely, preferring to race forward along history's timeline in search of the riches we know will be found in our studies of Greece and Rome.

But, according to Professor Harl, these civilizations, "act as the cultural basis for many of the civilizations that will emerge on the Eurasian landmass and will dictate the destinies of many of the people living today on the globe." These remote, ancient civilizations stand behind the traditions of Greece, so it is critical to understand these great societies in order to better understand those that would come later - including our own.

These 12 fast-paced lectures cover many civilizations that may only receive a few lines of cursory discussion in the average Western civilization textbook. Beginning in the Bronze Age and the emergence of urban-based literate civilizations, the story continues through the demise of Persia's great empire at the hands of the Greeks.

Along the way, you'll examine advances such as the invention and evolution of writing, the development of vast empires dependent not only on military might but on laws and administration, the growth of trade, and the contributions of the Hebrews to the religious and ethical future of Western civilization.

History lovers will appreciate this course for its deep insights and its rock-solid foundation for deeper exploration.

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

©2005 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2005 The Great Courses

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A great introduction

All of Kenneth Harl's courses are great but as a primer, this course is your ticket to the ancient world.

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Presenter head distracting voice

The teacher who presents this material has a raspy and hard way or speaking which, for me, takes away from the material. If it were taught by someone with a better narrating voice, I’d recommend this whole heartedly! The material is excellent.

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a very well done study of the achievements of the near east

I would recommend this to just about anyone. Its thoughtfully organized and presented by great courses superstar Dr kenneth harl whom as always does a wonderful job.

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