The Mongol Empire
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The Mongol Empire
Buy for $33.90
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Professor Craig Benjamin
About this listen
The Mongol Empire was the largest empire the world has ever seen, forged by conquests across Eurasia in the 13th and 14th centuries. Yet despite the unparalleled brutality of the Mongols, they played a key role in launching civilization’s evolution into the modern world. In 24 half-hour lectures delivered by award-winning teacher and historian Craig Benjamin of Grand Valley State University, explore the paradox of the Mongols’ extreme barbarity combined with their enlightened religious attitudes and respect for high civilization, in The Mongol Empire.
Professor Benjamin recounts the life of the most notorious Mongol of all, Chinggis Khan (also spelled Genghis Khan). He details the careers of other Great Khans, including Qubilai, Ogedai, Batu, and Hulagu, plus the saga of the last of the celebrated Mongol conquerors, Timur, also known as Tamerlane. You learn about the prehistoric origins of the Mongol nomads, the secret of Mongol military prowess, the Mongols’ remote capital of Karakorum, and the many great cities and empires they sacked in a virtually unbroken string of victories stretching from Hungary to China.
Even today, the Mongol conquerors are almost as shrouded in mystery as they were for the victims of their sudden raids. Yet their empire was crucial to the fate of the religions of Islam and Orthodox Christianity and to the civilization of China. Plus, the long period of stability they brought to Central Asia opened the door to dependable commercial and cultural ties between Europe and East Asia.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2020 The Great Courses (P)2020 The Teaching Company, LLCListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,759
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,860
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,808
Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tantalizing time trip
- By Mark on 08-21-13
By: Robert Garland, and others
-
The Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,682
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,443
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,428
What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Not Engaging or Very Interesting
- By Tommy D'Angelo on 03-05-17
By: Thomas F. X. Noble, and others
-
Ancient Mesopotamia
- Life in the Cradle of Civilization
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Amanda H. Podany PhD
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,570
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,367
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,358
Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Time with a great scholar & fantastic lecturer
- By jgmegill on 07-14-18
-
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest
- By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 319
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 262
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 260
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest takes you through the mists of time to the rugged landscape of the British Isles. Over the course of 24 sweeping lectures, Professor Jennifer Paxton of The Catholic University of America surveys the forging of a great nation from a series of warring kingdoms and migrating peoples. From Germanic tribes to Viking invasions to Irish missionaries, she brings to life an underexamined time and place.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderful
- By Anonymous User on 12-10-22
By: Jennifer Paxton, and others
-
The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,622
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,099
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 4,074
Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Series
- By Rodney on 07-09-13
By: Gary W. Gallagher, and others
-
The Celtic World
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton PhD
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,212
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,954
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,935
Following the surge of interest and pride in Celtic identity since the 19th century, much of what we thought we knew about the Celts has been radically transformed. In The Celtic World, discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 enlightening lectures explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with brand-new evidence from DNA analysis and archeology that totally changes our perspective on where the Celts came from.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
I wish this had a different title
- By Kindle Customer on 06-20-18
-
The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,759
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,860
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,808
Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tantalizing time trip
- By Mark on 08-21-13
By: Robert Garland, and others
-
The Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,682
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,443
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,428
What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Not Engaging or Very Interesting
- By Tommy D'Angelo on 03-05-17
By: Thomas F. X. Noble, and others
-
Ancient Mesopotamia
- Life in the Cradle of Civilization
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Amanda H. Podany PhD
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,570
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,367
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,358
Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Time with a great scholar & fantastic lecturer
- By jgmegill on 07-14-18
-
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest
- By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 319
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 262
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 260
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest takes you through the mists of time to the rugged landscape of the British Isles. Over the course of 24 sweeping lectures, Professor Jennifer Paxton of The Catholic University of America surveys the forging of a great nation from a series of warring kingdoms and migrating peoples. From Germanic tribes to Viking invasions to Irish missionaries, she brings to life an underexamined time and place.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderful
- By Anonymous User on 12-10-22
By: Jennifer Paxton, and others
-
The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,622
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,099
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 4,074
Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Series
- By Rodney on 07-09-13
By: Gary W. Gallagher, and others
-
The Celtic World
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton PhD
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,212
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,954
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,935
Following the surge of interest and pride in Celtic identity since the 19th century, much of what we thought we knew about the Celts has been radically transformed. In The Celtic World, discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 enlightening lectures explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with brand-new evidence from DNA analysis and archeology that totally changes our perspective on where the Celts came from.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
I wish this had a different title
- By Kindle Customer on 06-20-18
-
Renaissance: The Transformation of the West
- By: Jennifer McNabb, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer McNabb
- Length: 26 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 271
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 237
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 238
While it’s easy to get caught up - and, rightfully so - in the art of the Renaissance, you cannot have a full, rounded understanding of just how important these centuries were without digging beneath the surface, without investigating the period in terms of its politics, its spirituality, its philosophies, its economics, and its societies. Do just that with these 48 lectures that consider the European Renaissance from all sides, that disturb traditional understandings, that tip sacred cows, and that enlarges our understanding of how the Renaissance revolutionized the Western world.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Reads like a bad high school essay.
- By Matthew Dennis on 10-29-18
By: Jennifer McNabb, and others
-
1066: The Year That Changed Everything
- By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 3 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,650
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,334
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,321
With this exciting and historically rich six-lecture course, experience for yourself the drama of this dynamic year in medieval history, centered on the landmark Norman Conquest. Taking you from the shores of Scandinavia and France to the battlefields of the English countryside, these lectures will plunge you into a world of fierce Viking warriors, powerful noble families, politically charged marriages, tense succession crises, epic military invasions, and much more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
History brought to life
- By Joshua on 07-10-13
By: Jennifer Paxton, and others
-
Understanding Russia
- A Cultural History
- By: Lynne Ann Hartnett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Lynne Ann Hartnett
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,051
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 921
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 917
From the earliest recorded history of the Russian state, its people have sought to define their place in the world. And while many of us look to make sense of Russia through its political history, in many ways a real grasp of this awe-inspiring country comes from looking closely at its cultural achievements. The 24 lectures of Understanding Russia: A Cultural History survey hundreds of years of Russian culture, from the world of Ivan the Terrible to the dawn of the Soviet Union to the post-war tensions of Putin’s Russia.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good American overview of Russia
- By Jeffrey L. Smith, PE on 10-21-18
By: Lynne Ann Hartnett, and others
-
The Real History of Pirates
- By: Professor Manushag N. Powell, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Manushag N. Powell
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 449
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 393
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 392
There’s an apocryphal story that Alexander the Great once captured a notorious pirate named Diomedes. The great conqueror decided to interview the doomed pirate, asking him what he thought gave him the right to seize the property of other people. The pirate responded by asking the emperor what he thought gave him the right to take property that doesn’t belong to him, including entire countries. The story goes that Alexander thought the pirate very clever, granting him freedom instead of execution.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not an intro, but some interesting perspective
- By N. D. Hemingway on 06-21-21
By: Professor Manushag N. Powell, and others
-
Ancient Civilizations of North America
- By: Edwin Barnhart, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Edwin Barnhart
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,440
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,059
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,032
For the past few hundred years, most of what we’ve been taught about the native cultures of North America came from reports authored by the conquerors and colonizers who destroyed them. Now - with the technological advances of modern archaeology and a new perspective on world history - we are finally able to piece together their compelling true stories. In Ancient Civilizations of North America, Professor Edwin Barnhart, Director of the Maya Exploration Center, will open your eyes to a fascinating world you never knew existed - even though you’ve been living right next to it, or even on top of it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A different perspective - civilizations not tribes
- By Steve Goppert on 07-26-18
By: Edwin Barnhart, and others
-
The Story of Human Language
- By: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,004
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,055
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6,944
Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
You'll Never Look at Languages the Same Way Again
- By SAMA on 03-11-14
By: John McWhorter, and others
-
History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach
- By: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,510
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,098
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,080
Military history often highlights successes and suggests a sense of inevitability about victory, but there is so much that can be gleaned from considering failures. Study these crucibles of history to gain a better understanding of why a civilization took - or didn't take - a particular path.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Martial Chaos
- By Cynthia on 08-16-16
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
The Italians before Italy: Conflict and Competition in the Mediterranean
- By: Kenneth R. Bartlett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth R. Bartlett
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 582
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 508
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 505
Take a riveting tour of the Italian peninsula, from the glittering canals of Venice to the lavish papal apartments and ancient ruins of Rome. In these 24 lectures, Professor Bartlett traces the development of the Italian city-states of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, showing how the modern nation of Italy was forged out of the rivalries, allegiances, and traditions of a vibrant and diverse people.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A useful survey, just what I wanted
- By Adeliese Baumann on 11-07-16
By: Kenneth R. Bartlett, and others
-
The Rise of Rome
- By: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,054
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 918
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 909
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.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Very good, but doesn't stand out
- By Christopher on 02-08-18
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
Norse Mythology
- By: Jackson Crawford, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Crawford
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 811
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 704
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 700
Thor, Odin, Loki, Freyja, the Valkyries, Valhalla, Ragnarok — many of the places we encounter these and other names, places, and events from Norse mythology in daily life and pop culture are connected to the medieval sources in name only.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brilliant Course
- By Frederik on 12-05-21
By: Jackson Crawford, and others
-
The New Testament
- By: Bart D. Ehrman, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,038
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,772
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,759
Whether taken as a book of faith or a cultural artifact, the New Testament is among the most significant writings the world has ever known, its web of meaning relied upon by virtually every major writer in the last 2,000 years. Yet the New Testament is not only one of Western civilization’s most believed books, but also one of its most widely disputed, often maligned, and least clearly understood, with a vast number of people unaware of how it was written and transmitted.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
If you want a balanced overview this is not it
- By Amazon Customer on 02-27-16
By: Bart D. Ehrman, and others
-
The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition
- By: Daniel N. Robinson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Daniel N. Robinson
- Length: 30 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,958
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,604
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,561
Grasp the important ideas that have served as the backbone of philosophy across the ages with this extraordinary 60-lecture series. This is your opportunity to explore the enormous range of philosophical perspectives and ponder the most important and enduring of human questions-without spending your life poring over dense philosophical texts.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A Hard Review to Write
- By Ark1836 on 11-20-15
By: Daniel N. Robinson, and others
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,759
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,860
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,808
Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tantalizing time trip
- By Mark on 08-21-13
By: Robert Garland, and others
-
Understanding Russia
- A Cultural History
- By: Lynne Ann Hartnett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Lynne Ann Hartnett
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,051
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 921
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 917
From the earliest recorded history of the Russian state, its people have sought to define their place in the world. And while many of us look to make sense of Russia through its political history, in many ways a real grasp of this awe-inspiring country comes from looking closely at its cultural achievements. The 24 lectures of Understanding Russia: A Cultural History survey hundreds of years of Russian culture, from the world of Ivan the Terrible to the dawn of the Soviet Union to the post-war tensions of Putin’s Russia.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good American overview of Russia
- By Jeffrey L. Smith, PE on 10-21-18
By: Lynne Ann Hartnett, and others
-
Renaissance: The Transformation of the West
- By: Jennifer McNabb, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer McNabb
- Length: 26 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 271
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 237
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 238
While it’s easy to get caught up - and, rightfully so - in the art of the Renaissance, you cannot have a full, rounded understanding of just how important these centuries were without digging beneath the surface, without investigating the period in terms of its politics, its spirituality, its philosophies, its economics, and its societies. Do just that with these 48 lectures that consider the European Renaissance from all sides, that disturb traditional understandings, that tip sacred cows, and that enlarges our understanding of how the Renaissance revolutionized the Western world.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Reads like a bad high school essay.
- By Matthew Dennis on 10-29-18
By: Jennifer McNabb, and others
-
The Rise of Modern Japan
- By: Mark J. Ravina, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark J. Ravina
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 308
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 260
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 254
Noted Japan expert Professor Mark J. Ravina of the University of Texas at Austin covers the politics, economics, and culture of the island nation since World War II - a conflict that saw the end of Japan’s dream of regional conquest, which Professor Ravina calls Empire 1.0. The country’s postwar leaders radically changed course, renouncing a strong military to pursue Empire 2.0 - Japan as an economic colossus.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great introduction to modern Japan
- By nonrachitect on 12-22-21
By: Mark J. Ravina, and others
-
The Iliad of Homer
- By: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,666
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,473
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,464
For thousands of years, Homer's ancient epic poem the
Iliad has enchanted readers from around the world. When you join Professor Vandiver for this lecture series on the Iliad, you'll come to understand what has enthralled and gripped so many people. Her compelling 12-lecture look at this literary masterpiece -whether it's the work of many authors or the "vision" of a single blind poet - makes it vividly clear why, after almost 3,000 years, the
Iliad remains not only among the greatest adventure stories ever told but also one of the most compelling meditations on the human condition ever written.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Vandiver never disappoints
- By Machteacher on 07-23-13
By: Elizabeth Vandiver, and others
-
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest
- By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 319
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 262
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 260
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest takes you through the mists of time to the rugged landscape of the British Isles. Over the course of 24 sweeping lectures, Professor Jennifer Paxton of The Catholic University of America surveys the forging of a great nation from a series of warring kingdoms and migrating peoples. From Germanic tribes to Viking invasions to Irish missionaries, she brings to life an underexamined time and place.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderful
- By Anonymous User on 12-10-22
By: Jennifer Paxton, and others
-
The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,759
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,860
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,808
Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tantalizing time trip
- By Mark on 08-21-13
By: Robert Garland, and others
-
Understanding Russia
- A Cultural History
- By: Lynne Ann Hartnett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Lynne Ann Hartnett
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,051
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 921
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 917
From the earliest recorded history of the Russian state, its people have sought to define their place in the world. And while many of us look to make sense of Russia through its political history, in many ways a real grasp of this awe-inspiring country comes from looking closely at its cultural achievements. The 24 lectures of Understanding Russia: A Cultural History survey hundreds of years of Russian culture, from the world of Ivan the Terrible to the dawn of the Soviet Union to the post-war tensions of Putin’s Russia.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good American overview of Russia
- By Jeffrey L. Smith, PE on 10-21-18
By: Lynne Ann Hartnett, and others
-
Renaissance: The Transformation of the West
- By: Jennifer McNabb, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer McNabb
- Length: 26 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 271
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 237
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 238
While it’s easy to get caught up - and, rightfully so - in the art of the Renaissance, you cannot have a full, rounded understanding of just how important these centuries were without digging beneath the surface, without investigating the period in terms of its politics, its spirituality, its philosophies, its economics, and its societies. Do just that with these 48 lectures that consider the European Renaissance from all sides, that disturb traditional understandings, that tip sacred cows, and that enlarges our understanding of how the Renaissance revolutionized the Western world.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Reads like a bad high school essay.
- By Matthew Dennis on 10-29-18
By: Jennifer McNabb, and others
-
The Rise of Modern Japan
- By: Mark J. Ravina, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark J. Ravina
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 308
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 260
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 254
Noted Japan expert Professor Mark J. Ravina of the University of Texas at Austin covers the politics, economics, and culture of the island nation since World War II - a conflict that saw the end of Japan’s dream of regional conquest, which Professor Ravina calls Empire 1.0. The country’s postwar leaders radically changed course, renouncing a strong military to pursue Empire 2.0 - Japan as an economic colossus.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great introduction to modern Japan
- By nonrachitect on 12-22-21
By: Mark J. Ravina, and others
-
The Iliad of Homer
- By: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,666
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,473
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,464
For thousands of years, Homer's ancient epic poem the
Iliad has enchanted readers from around the world. When you join Professor Vandiver for this lecture series on the Iliad, you'll come to understand what has enthralled and gripped so many people. Her compelling 12-lecture look at this literary masterpiece -whether it's the work of many authors or the "vision" of a single blind poet - makes it vividly clear why, after almost 3,000 years, the
Iliad remains not only among the greatest adventure stories ever told but also one of the most compelling meditations on the human condition ever written.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Vandiver never disappoints
- By Machteacher on 07-23-13
By: Elizabeth Vandiver, and others
-
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest
- By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 319
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 262
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 260
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest takes you through the mists of time to the rugged landscape of the British Isles. Over the course of 24 sweeping lectures, Professor Jennifer Paxton of The Catholic University of America surveys the forging of a great nation from a series of warring kingdoms and migrating peoples. From Germanic tribes to Viking invasions to Irish missionaries, she brings to life an underexamined time and place.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderful
- By Anonymous User on 12-10-22
By: Jennifer Paxton, and others
-
Hannibal: The Military Genius Who Almost Conquered Rome
- By: Eve MacDonald, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Eve MacDonald
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 24
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 20
Hannibal Barca is famous for marching an eclectic mix of troops across the Alps and into the Roman heartland during the Second Punic War. But how much do we know about the world Hannibal was born into and came of age in? In Hannibal: The Military Genius Who Almost Conquered Rome, get to know one of history’s most impressive generals from the political and military conflicts that defined his adolescence to the battles that made him famous. These 15 lectures will paint a portrait of not only Hannibal, but also his enemies and allies.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
bad recording audio. too many breaks and crackles,
- By Kindle Customer on 04-02-23
By: Eve MacDonald, and others
-
1066: The Year That Changed Everything
- By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 3 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,650
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,334
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,321
With this exciting and historically rich six-lecture course, experience for yourself the drama of this dynamic year in medieval history, centered on the landmark Norman Conquest. Taking you from the shores of Scandinavia and France to the battlefields of the English countryside, these lectures will plunge you into a world of fierce Viking warriors, powerful noble families, politically charged marriages, tense succession crises, epic military invasions, and much more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
History brought to life
- By Joshua on 07-10-13
By: Jennifer Paxton, and others
-
The Celtic World
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton PhD
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,212
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,954
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,935
Following the surge of interest and pride in Celtic identity since the 19th century, much of what we thought we knew about the Celts has been radically transformed. In The Celtic World, discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 enlightening lectures explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with brand-new evidence from DNA analysis and archeology that totally changes our perspective on where the Celts came from.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
I wish this had a different title
- By Kindle Customer on 06-20-18
-
The Vietnam War
- By: John C. McManus, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John C. McManus
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 143
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 115
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 115
In The Vietnam War, you will learn about the causes and consequences of the war in Vietnam. You will explore the scope of American intervention from air campaigns to large-scale military operations on the ground. You will survey the history of Vietnam from colonial Indochina onward, getting to know the homegrown ideas, personalities, and politics that would come to shape the conflict. You will reconstruct major military operations like the Tet Offensive and Rolling Thunder.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
information
- By boznremtp on 12-22-22
By: John C. McManus, and others
-
How the Medici Shaped the Renaissance
- By: William Landon, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor William Landon
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 267
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 223
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 223
In How the Medici Shaped the Renaissance, you’ll study the remarkable trajectory of the Medici from the late 14th century to 1737, when the Medici dynasty ended. Across that span of time, you’ll witness the birth of the Italian Renaissance, and the rise of the Medici as an economic powerhouse under founder Giovanni de’ Medici. You’ll learn how the Medici came to dominate Florence and how they played diverse roles in politics, religion, and culture.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Not for non history buffs
- By Amazon Customer on 01-06-22
By: William Landon, and others
-
Ancient Mesopotamia
- Life in the Cradle of Civilization
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Amanda H. Podany PhD
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,570
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,367
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,358
Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Time with a great scholar & fantastic lecturer
- By jgmegill on 07-14-18
-
The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,622
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,099
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 4,074
Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Series
- By Rodney on 07-09-13
By: Gary W. Gallagher, and others
-
The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition
- By: Daniel N. Robinson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Daniel N. Robinson
- Length: 30 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,958
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,604
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,561
Grasp the important ideas that have served as the backbone of philosophy across the ages with this extraordinary 60-lecture series. This is your opportunity to explore the enormous range of philosophical perspectives and ponder the most important and enduring of human questions-without spending your life poring over dense philosophical texts.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A Hard Review to Write
- By Ark1836 on 11-20-15
By: Daniel N. Robinson, and others
-
Ancient Civilizations of North America
- By: Edwin Barnhart, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Edwin Barnhart
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,440
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,059
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,032
For the past few hundred years, most of what we’ve been taught about the native cultures of North America came from reports authored by the conquerors and colonizers who destroyed them. Now - with the technological advances of modern archaeology and a new perspective on world history - we are finally able to piece together their compelling true stories. In Ancient Civilizations of North America, Professor Edwin Barnhart, Director of the Maya Exploration Center, will open your eyes to a fascinating world you never knew existed - even though you’ve been living right next to it, or even on top of it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A different perspective - civilizations not tribes
- By Steve Goppert on 07-26-18
By: Edwin Barnhart, and others
-
The Real History of Pirates
- By: Professor Manushag N. Powell, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Manushag N. Powell
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 449
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 393
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 392
There’s an apocryphal story that Alexander the Great once captured a notorious pirate named Diomedes. The great conqueror decided to interview the doomed pirate, asking him what he thought gave him the right to seize the property of other people. The pirate responded by asking the emperor what he thought gave him the right to take property that doesn’t belong to him, including entire countries. The story goes that Alexander thought the pirate very clever, granting him freedom instead of execution.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not an intro, but some interesting perspective
- By N. D. Hemingway on 06-21-21
By: Professor Manushag N. Powell, and others
-
The Middle Ages Around the World
- By: Joyce E. Salisbury, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Joyce E. Salisbury
- Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
The Middle Ages was a time of major historical shifts and transformations. This amazing era reverberates with discoveries, innovations, events, and historical processes that are integral to the world we know now. In these 24 enthralling lectures, Professor Salisbury leads you on a sumptuous tour of this incredible historical epoch, making clear that the remarkable historical currents and advances of the Middle Ages unfolded not only in the West, but across the globe, from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East to Asia, the Americas, and beyond.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
A Rare Disappointment from The Great Courses
- By Curtis on 08-21-22
By: Joyce E. Salisbury, and others
-
The Mongol Storm
- Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East
- By: Nicholas Morton
- Narrated by: Nick Biadon
- Length: 12 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 8
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 8
For centuries, the Crusades have been central to the story of the medieval Near East, but these religious wars are only part of the region's complex history. As The Mongol Storm reveals, during the same era the Near East was utterly remade by another series of wars: the Mongol invasions. In a single generation, the Mongols conquered vast swaths of the Near East and upended the region's geopolitics. This is the definitive history of the Mongol assault on the Near East and its enduring global consequences.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Wide-ranging survey.
- By No ya on 04-01-24
By: Nicholas Morton