The Age of Pericles

By: Jeremy McInerney, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Jeremy McInerney

The career of Pericles, the leading Athenian politician and general from c. 450 to 429 B.C., is a prism through which to view the "Golden Age" of Greece, a brief but remarkable era when Athens experienced a cultural flowering of extraordinary power and importance for Western culture.

In the generation that followed Pericles' appearance on the public stage shortly after the Persian wars, Athens rapidly transformed the alliance of Greek states - an alliance first created as a defense against the Persians - into a true Aegean empire, dominated by the Athenians and their mighty navy. But this dramatic increase in military power, cultural influence, and prestige was also accompanied by something unique: the growth of full participatory democracy. But in examining the lives of Athenian men and women, one has to ask what freedom and autonomy really meant to a society that relied on slaves and was ruthless in its treatment of its subjects.

These 24 stimulating lectures present a well-rounded portrait of almost every aspect of Athenian life during the Golden Age, including. the different ways Athens and Sparta raised their children; the fate of Athenian girls as mothers and managers of the household; young Pericles' role in bringing Aeschylus's masterpiece, The Persians; why the Spartans rejected the aid of Athens in putting down a slave revolt; and Thucydides' terrifying description of the plague's physical and social impact on Athens - including the death of Pericles - and its possible role in the ultimate defeat of Athens by Sparta.

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

©2004 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2004 The Great Courses

Brilliant

Brilliant, enlightening, highly informative. An absolute pleasure to listen to. Time well spent. 5 stars all around.

I found I really enjoyed this great course on Pericles

It is so much more rich and more organic about golden age of Athen than a narration about the life of Pericles.

Dr mclnercey is great!

great course. part of a trilogy?

i listened to this great course as part of a trilogy including the other Jeremy McInerney one on Ancient Greece in general and the course on Athenian Democracy (then i listened to the mueller report as a humorous, palate cleansing satyr play).

Another amazing course!

Dr. Jeremy McInerney does an amazing job bringing ancient Greece to life in this course. I learned a lot of new (to me) information, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

Mandatory for anyone interested...

in the cultural heritage of Western civilization. So if travelling to Greece do yourself the favor of improving every experience you might have when engaging the historic surroundings you will find there.

Unflinching look at the Golden Age of Athens

Anyone can tell you that Western civilization owes much to the ancient Greeks. But few people can give you the insight of this lecturer. He gives an in depth tour of ancient Greece in the 400s BCE and he does not attempt to hide the ugly aspects of a society that used slave labor. He uses the Persian and Peloponnesian wars as bookends for his examination.

He gives a detailed portrait of life for generals and politicians as well as everyday citizens and foreigners. In doing so he covers the historical and cultural events that shaped the city.

Finally, he discusses how the ancient Greeks were similar and different from us in their conception of ideas of freedom and democracy.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for an in depth look at the ancient Greeks, but you do need some familiarity with the material to get the most out of it. I would not recommend it as a first book about the ancient world.

Worthy lectures

Professor Jeremy McInerney makes these lectures meaningful and worth the effort in listening. He is knowledgable and his lecture style is pleasant which fosters one’s educational exercise. I highly recommend this Audible. Contained with this recording is his useful lecture outline.

Great Summary of the Age of Pericles

Helps to have basic understanding of early western civilisation. This course should whet your appetite for more. I was pleased that he dealt with the daily realities of ancient Athens; the good, the bad and the ugly as well as the politics, the art and commerce of the age.

Possibly my favorite great course on Audible

The passion and performance of Professor Jeremy McInerney was just excellent. Enjoyed every lesson and certainly learned a lot. Give this a listen, supremely well done.

Brilliant and engaging instructor

This was all very excellent but his final lecture was among the best I've heard on analyzing the importance of this history.