Catalog Search Results
Publisher
Kanopy Streaming
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Are we too materialistic? Are we willfully trashing the planet in our pursuit of things? And what's the source of all this frenetic consumer energy and desire anyway? In a fast-paced tour of the ecological and psychological terrain of American consumer culture, Shop 'Til You Drop challenges us to confront these questions head-on. Taking aim at the high-stress, high-octane pace of fast-lane materialism, the film moves beneath the seductive surfaces...
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2019.
Language
English
Description
Marcus Aurelius may have been a wise philosopher, but he didn’t act wisely when appointing his son Commodus as heir, who turned out to be a throwback to the megalomania of Caligula and Nero. Emperor Septimius Severus provided a short period of stability, but his son, Caracalla, was yet another unbalanced ruler.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
At its height around 400 AD, Teotihuacan was the most populous city in the western hemisphere. Explore this vibrant metropolis, focusing on its still-extant pyramids of the Sun and Moon and the role they played in the violent ritual life of the Classic Maya period.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Although rulers during this period attempted to create a "cult of the kings," local leaders, merchants, and especially households performed essential roles in society. Cuneiform records reveal a remarkable level of organization, from taxes to diplomacy.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Celtic religious beliefs included divination, reincarnation, and human sacrifice. Along with these practices, discover the ancient religious figures known as druids who served as holy men, soothsayers, and even lawyers. Enjoy this insight into the Celtic version of one constant that appears in all civilizations - the sacred.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
Learn about Maya life through their art, studying such works as the fantastic painted murals at Bonampak and the famous sarcophagus lid on the tomb of Pakal. According to a best-selling book, the latter depicts an ancient astronaut on a rocket ship, but Dr. Barnhart decodes its real meaning.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Delve into the remarkable Minoan city of Knossos, a labyrinthine complex integrated into the natural landscape. This sophisticated example of urban design was home to figures of myth, religious spectacles, sizable food storage and distribution areas, and a unique system of architecture. Tour this visionary civilization.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
An influx of immigrants greatly enriched the Mesopotamian region, and we see other issues that have echoes in today's world. This was a time of frequent warfare but also of increased literacy and private enterprise. Join merchants on their 800-mile caravans as they delivered tin and textiles in exchange for silver.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2001.
Language
English
Description
Worthy heirs of Herodotus and Thucydides, these authors embody the essence of the classical tradition of history: its concern with greatness of theme and greatness of soul, its high moral seriousness, and its noble regard for freedom.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
The unearthing of the Dead Sea Scrolls revolutionized the field of biblical studies. Investigate the events that led to their discovery in 1947, and consider their extraordinary contents, which shed light on the Hebrew Bible through texts from over 2,000 years ago. Learn also about the fascinating finds in other nearby caves.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2022.
Language
English
Description
Visit the star of Rome's Middle Eastern domain, Petra in modern Jordan, known as the Rose City for its construction in rose-red local stone. Settled by Nabataean Bedouins, the city grew rich from the caravan trade, leading to the building of impressive temples, tombs, and other structures, many of which survive due to the arid climate and the abandonment of the site for many centuries.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2019.
Language
English
Description
Take a closer look at Constantine and explore his motivations for converting to Christianity. Learn about the Arian Controversy and the Council of Nicaea, which codified key aspects of Christian theology. Then see why Constantine founded a new capital city at Byzantium, and the state of the empire at the end of his life.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2019.
Language
English
Description
Although gladiators dominate Hollywood films, chariot racing was actually the most popular sport in the Roman Empire. Go inside the Circus Maximus and learn about the factions and teams of chariot racers. Then shift your attention to the world of the theater, where plays, mimes, and music entertained the masses.
14) Marcus Aurelius
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2001.
Language
English
Description
With Marcus Aurelius, a Stoic wore the imperial purple. No emperor was more dedicated or humane. His "Meditations" remain a beacon for all who would go through life with honesty and compassion. But how did he fare as a ruler?
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
This dramatic installment details the end of a period of peace and stability between great powers, as a result of possible natural disasters, attacks on cities, and movements of the mysterious Sea Peoples. The era that followed was one of smaller kingdoms that left few written records.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Cities are integral to our modern lives. Begin your tour by considering why wandering ancient humans left the forests and plains to create settlements. The fundamental question of "why" is just the first step toward understanding the inhabitants and lessons from ancient cities.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Look closely at the rise to power and achievements of the nomadic steppe peoples known as the Parthians who, despite clashes with the Romans, successfully ruled Iran and the wider Middle East from horseback for 400 years, creating the first nomadic empire in the Near East.
18) Ancient Mesopotamia: Life in the Cradle of Civilization: Episode 9,Akkadian Empire Arts and Gods
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
The Akkadian Empire was a high point for artistic achievement in Mesopotamia. Depictions of humans were believed to possess some of the life force of the people they represented. Professor Podany shows how the many gods had differing roles and powers and were as much a part of everyday life as one's family. Examine an emotional hymn by a priestess, who is the world's first-known author.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
Delve into Olmec art, searching for clues to who the Olmec were and what preoccupied these builders of Mesoamerica's first great civilization. Explore the mysteries of giant sculpted heads, jaguar carvings, and full-bearded figures depicting men who some think were foreigners from afar.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
To understand the history of the Hephthalites or "White Huns" and the Gök Turks in context, look at the Sassanid Empire - the contemporary rival to the late Roman world - from the monarchy's aspirations to the way its Neo-Persian shahs came into conflict with Rome and these nomadic peoples.
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