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Ancient Greece, Rome & The Classical World

Classical Greece and Rome. More than any other ancient civilizations, it was these two that served as the foundation for the Western world. Rich with historical detail, these courses are designed to demonstrate just how much we owe to the ancient Greeks and Romans.

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	History of Ancient Rome Professor Garrett G. Fagan Rome's span was vast. In the regional, restless, and shifting history of continental Europe, the Roman Empire stands as a towering monument to scale and stability. At its height, the Roman Empire, unified in politics and law, stretched from the sands of Syria to the moors of Scotland, and it stood for almost 700 years. This course draws on a wealth of primary and secondary sources, including recent historical and archaeological scholarship, to introduce you to the tale of Rome's rise and decline. You learn about famous events and personalities as well as deeper sources of Rome's greatness and continuing influence.
	Foundations of Western Civilization Professor Thomas F. X. Noble You can discover the essential nature, evolution, and perceptions of Western civilization from its humble beginnings in the great river valleys of Iraq and Egypt to the dawn of the modern world. This broad, sweeping series helps you cover an enormous amount of historical material as you see how Western civilization evolved. Concentrating on the period 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1600, Professor Thomas F. X. Noble unfolds for you the fascinating story of how the global reach of the West came to exist, what makes it distinctive and unique, and its possible future.
Save Up To $225	Pompeii: Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City Professor Steven L. Tuck In the 24 enthralling lectures of Pompeii: Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City, eminent classicist and Professor Steven L. Tuck resurrects the long-lost lives of aristocrats, merchants, slaves, and other individuals from this imperial Roman city—made famous for its demise after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. The result is an unprecedented view of life as it was lived in this ancient culture and an opportunity to discover intriguing details that lay buried for centuries.
	Dead Sea Scrolls Professor Gary A. Rendsburg Get a comprehensive, 24-lecture introduction to the unique series of archaeological documents that have irrevocably altered how we look at and understand the foundations of faith and religious practice. In The Dead Sea Scrolls, Professor Gary A. Rendsburg—a dedicated Dead Sea Scrolls scholar who has spent decades immersed in the study of this amazing find—tells you what the scrolls are and what they contain, and describes the intriguing story of how their unparalleled insights into religious and ancient history came into focus.
Save Up To $215	Great Battles of the Ancient World Professor Garrett G. Fagan Hollywood has gone to elaborate lengths to recreate the violence and mayhem of ancient warfare in movies such as Gladiator and Troy. But what were ancient battles really like? What weapons, tactics, armor, training, and logistics were used? In this course, Professor Garrett G. Fagan takes you into the thick of combat in some of the most notable battles fought in the Mediterranean region from prehistoric times to the 4th century A.D.
	Historical Jesus Professor Bart D. Ehrman Worshiped around the globe by more than a billion people today, Jesus is undoubtedly the single most important figure in the story of Western civilization and one of the most significant in world history altogether. Yet, Jesus of Nazareth presents unique challenges to the historian, as Professor Bart D. Ehrman explains in this 24-lecture course on the search for the Jesus of history. Join him for an erudite survey of sources, methods, contexts, and problems, and then weigh his carefully thought-out historical interpretation of the words and deeds of the man from Galilee.
Save Up To $215	World of Byzantium Professor Kenneth W. Harl Open new vistas of historical insight as you join award-winning scholar and lecturer Kenneth W. Harl in this study of the crucial yet overlooked civilization of Byzantium. These lectures fill a gap in history and give you a much wider and more accurate perspective on everything from the decline of imperial Rome to the rise of the Renaissance.
	Alexander the Great and the Macedonian Empire Professor Kenneth W. Harl Go beyond the myth to learn about ancient history's greatest military leader and his time in Alexander the Great and the Macedonian Empire. In 36 spellbinding lectures, you'll enter Alexander's world and witness the astonishing feats of military genius that have made Alexander's name renowned to the present day. An expert on the classical world, Professor Kenneth W. Harl introduces you to all sides of this fascinating figure—the passions that drove him, the extraordinary talents and insights he brought to the battlefield, and the intensive training that helped mold his character. With this detailed portrait, you'll truly understand what made Alexander so great.
	Experiencing Rome: A Visual Exploration of Antiquity's Greatest Empire Professor Steven L. Tuck How did ancient Rome communicate its civic and cultural values to its citizens? Award-winning Professor Steven L. Tuck, in Experiencing Rome: A Visual Exploration of Antiquity's Greatest Empire, examines how Rome connected with its citizens through a range of spectacles and shared experiences, including extravagant public displays, architecture, engineering, and more. Featuring more than 1,000 sumptuous visuals—including photography, maps, and computer animations—these 36 lectures are your chance to explore the marvels of Roman antiquity in a rich and detailed way unavailable in other traditional survey courses. Even if you have some familiarity with ancient Rome, you'll be amazed at the vividness with which this course immerses you in the sights of daily Roman life.
	Ancient Greek Civilization Professor Jeremy McInerney Why do the ancient Greeks occupy such a prominent place in conceptions of Western culture and identity? Covering the 11 centuries from the end of the Neolithic period to the rise of Alexander the Great, this course traces the history of Classical Greece and its foundational influence on all of Western civilization. The knowledge you gain here will increase your comprehension not only of history, but of all Western religion, art, architecture, philosophy, and literature as well.
Save Up To $225	St. Augustine’s Confessions Various Professors This course examines all 13 books, or chapters, of this masterpiece that inspired Dante and Martin Luther and encouraged Christianity to accept the thinking of Plato. It provides the background needed to understand the Confessions as Augustine intended and analyzes his account—told in stories that are as powerful as any in world literature—of the events leading to his Christian conversion.
Save Up To $310	Emperors of Rome Professor Garrett G. Fagan They are said to be the most powerful rulers who ever lived—a checkered mix of the wise, the brutal, and the unhinged. For more than five centuries they presided over a multiethnic empire that was nearly always at war, if not with neighbors then with rebellious factions within the empire itself. The full scope of their powers was not systematized in constitutional law, a fact that tempted many of them to overreach disastrously; and the lack of clear rules of succession meant that most of them died violently. Meet the Emperors of Rome.
Save Up To $310	Late Antiquity: Crisis and Transformation Professor Thomas F. X. Noble Explore the five momentous centuries that link the Classical and Modern worlds in Late Antiquity: Crisis and Transformation. This 36-lecture course, taught by distinguished medieval historian Professor Thomas F. X. Noble, shows you how the fall of the Roman Empire gave rise to three great civilizations: Medieval Europe, the Byzantine Empire, and the Islamic Caliphate. You explore many features of the period between A.D. 253 and A.D. 750, including the development of these unique civilizations, their memorable political and religious leaders, and the fascinating experience of daily life in the late antique world. With its rich historical insights, Late Antiquity will reshape your thoughts about this underappreciated—yet vital—part of human history.
Save Up To $310	Greece and Rome: An Integrated History of the Ancient Mediterranean Professor Robert Garland The relationship between Greeks and Romans has virtually no parallel in world history. "There's never been anything quite like it," marvels Professor Robert Garland. The relationship between these two cultures was like a marriage: two distinct personalities, competing in some areas, sharing in others, and creating a completely new synthesis in a third realm. This cultural partnership began almost with the first recorded contact of Greeks and Romans in the 4th century B.C. and continued for almost 1,000 years.
	Rome and the Barbarians Professor Kenneth W. Harl Who were the barbarians, and how could Rome wield its power against them for centuries? This course tells the story of complex relationships between these different cultures and their Roman conquerors from 300 B.C. to A.D. 600 as they intermarried, exchanged ideas, and, in the ensuing provincial Roman cultures, formed the basis of Western European civilization.