Catalog Search Results
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 22
Language
English
Description
Pick up the story of Rome in the Augustan Golden Age and follow it through the infamous sack by the Visigoths. Explore the literature and propaganda of the empire, and examine the reign of some of Rome's most notorious rulers before concluding with a look at the emergence of Christianity.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 18
Language
English
Description
Examine one of the great "lost civilizations." Although they are largely unknown outside of specialist circles, the Kushans played an immensely important role as middlemen in the trade routes between China and the Roman Empire. Find out who the Kushans were and what makes them so crucial to the story of the Silk Roads.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 2
Language
English
Description
Trace the origins of the human species from the emergence of proto-humans 2.5 million years ago to the rise of Homo sapiens from about 200,000 years ago. Professor Benjamin offers perspectives from biology, anthropology, archeology, and linguistics to show what makes the human species unique - and why we have been able to flourish.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 15
Language
English
Description
In this second lecture on early East Asian civilization, follow the history from the Warring States Period through the Qin and Han dynasties. Along the way, examine many of Chinese culture's most important contributions to world history, including its legal codes, and the invention of paper and printing.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 1
Language
English
Description
Jericho and Anau are two of the world's oldest cities, and their stories have much to tell us about the scope of human history. Begin the course by examining what made these cities successful, and how they differed from each other. This starting point will introduce the concept and key themes of Big History.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 21
Language
English
Description
After 350 years of fragmentation, the short-lived Sui dynasty unified China in the year 581, laying the foundation for the great Tang dynasty. See how the Tang dynasty reorganized China into a powerful, prosperous, and culturally sophisticated society by reforming the government and capitalizing on the demand for Chinese products, thanks to the Silk Roads.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 8
Language
English
Description
Return to the followers of Confucius and consider two contrasting views of human nature and political theory. While Mencius believed humans were innately good and were entrusted with the Mandate of Heaven, Xunzi believed human nature was essentially evil. Both philosophers, however, remained faithful to Confucius's belief in the need for well-educated, ethical rulers.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 32
Language
English
Description
Trace the spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam through Southeast Asia and see how these belief systems affected the history of Eastern civilization. This region served as a commercial and cultural hub, where Arabian, Indian, and East Asian cultures came together in interesting ways.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 27
Language
English
Description
Shift your attention to the islands of Japan. In this first of four lectures, you'll explore the nation's geography - notably its mountains, fertile plains, and surrounding sea. Then you'll discover the many rituals and achievements of several early cultures, including the Neolithic people who created what is perhaps the world's first pottery.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 29
Language
English
Description
Round out your study of the Americas with a journey down the Andean spine and up the Amazon River to discover the many civilizations of South America, including the Nazcans, the Mochicans, and the Incas. Tour archaeological sites, and then step back to consider the Big History of the Americas compared to Afro-Eurasia.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 3
Language
English
Description
Go back to the beginnings of Chinese history and see what archaeological evidence tells us about humans in the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. Then look at the fragmented cultures of early civilizations - including the mysterious Xia dynasty, which, until recently, was thought to be a purely mythical culture.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 10
Language
English
Description
Shift your attention from Ancient Egyptian power to the society's fascinating social, economic, and cultural achievements. Investigate Egyptian urban life, its system of trade, hieroglyphics, and religion. Thanks to its important heritage and influence on subsequent civilizations, Ancient Egyptian society remains truly astonishing.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 7
Language
English
Description
During the Warring States Era at the end of the Zhou dynasty, several great Chinese thinkers considered the nature of society and government. Since that era, Confucianism has been the guiding philosophy of China and much of East Asia for more than 2,500 years. Find out about Confucius's life, his philosophy, and his followers.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 13
Language
English
Description
Continue your study of South Asia. Here, Professor Benjamin traces the rise of Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religious traditions during the millennium between 1500 and 500 B.C.E. He then turns to the political and social organizations of the subcontinent, from the Indo-Aryan settlements through the Mauryan Empire.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 7
Language
English
Description
Gain new insights into civilization by looking at one of the first: the Sumerians of Mesopotamia. Here, use techniques from linguistics, genetics, archeology, climatology, and more to see how this society unfolded - and what lessons it has to offer us today. The approach in this lecture is "Big History" at its most engaging.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 8
Language
English
Description
Wars and rumors of war abound in this next lecture on Mesopotamia. Survey the rise and fall of empires in the 1,000 years after the collapse of the Sumerians. See how laws and language barriers impacted the Babylonians, the Hittites, and the Assyrians, and how the changing environment inevitably had the last word.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 48
Language
English
Description
End your journey through the story of Eastern civilization by reflecting on the role of East Asia in the world today. What insights do the events at Tiananmen Square in 1989 shed on the people of China? Will China eventually democratize? What will become of China's One Child Policy? How will the story of Eastern civilization continue to unfold?
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 37
Language
English
Description
In the wake of Mongol destruction, China's Ming dynasty emerged as a deeply conservative society dedicated to maintaining stability and tradition. These were peaceful - yet economically stagnant - years marked by problems such as piracy, an inept and disinterested government, famines, and rebellions.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 6
Language
English
Description
Unpack a core theme in the foundation of Chinese government. The Mandate of Heaven - a belief that seizure of power could be justified as an expression of divine will - would resonate in Chinese political history for 3,000 years. Learn about the Zhou's overthrow of the Shang dynasty and the rich legacy of the Zhou dynasty.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 25
Language
English
Description
Discover how the Silla kingdom united most of Korea by forging an alliance with the Tang dynasty in China. After examining how the Silla kingdom was organized, you'll turn to the northern Parhae kingdom - the beginning of a long history of division between north and south on the Korean peninsula.
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