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Cities of the Ancient World
Listening Length: 11 hours and 47 minutes
This course tackles a number of large questions about cities: why they were founded in the first place; what they meant to their inhabitants; how their forms reflect the social, political, and religious structures of their societies; and what aspects led to the success or failure of particular cities.
We start with the very origins of cities back in the Neolithic, when human culture underwent a startling series of revolutionary changes. One such change was the Agricultural Revolution, with the domestication of plants and animals and a shift in survival strategies from hunting and gathering to farming and animal husbandry. Simultaneous with that was the Urban Revolution, the founding of cities. We discuss the current thinking on these revolutions in human existence and their relationship. Much of that discussion takes place in the context of the earliest city, ?atalh?y?k, and a second Neolithic foundation, Jericho. Both of these also provide material to explore the role of religion in the very earliest communities, to ask its role in city formation, and to explore the place of religious structures in city identity. Burial practices at the two cities also illuminate early ideas of property ownership and the definition of the family home.
In the Bronze Age, cities grew most rapidly in civilizations founded in the great river valleys, from the Nile in Egypt, to the Euphrates in Mesopotamia, to the Indus in modern Pakistan and India. In these cities made of mud, we can trace elements of domestic life and civic spaces. Three of the cities, Mohenjo-daro in the Indus Valley and Kahun and Deir el-Medina in Egypt, have no recognizable public buildings. Yet the reasons for that negative evidence for civic life differ wildly, as do the structures of these societies. At Deir el-Medina, we encounter some of the oldest conclusive evidence for private enterprise in an ancient city. We also begin to see how social organization is reflected in city formation. The Sumerian city of Uruk, the first megacity in world history, provides the model for the monumentalization of religious structures and their integration in the civic space and government of the city. Finally, in the last of the Bronze Age mud-brick cities we will discuss, Amarna in Egypt, we are able to analyze city design as a deliberate means of changing the social structure of Egyptian society. This revolutionary city takes the lessons of Uruk on religion in the service of the state and develops them to reinforce the rule of the pharaoh, Akhenaten. Here, we also introduce the concept of the house as both an economic unit and a domestic space, an important indicator of the role of the house in the ancient city that we examine in Akrotiri, Athens, and Olynthus.
In the four Mediterranean Bronze Age cities of Knossos, Akrotiri, Mycenae, and Tiryns, regular stone architecture makes an appearance. These cities, although they arise from different cultures, share some characteristics in common; we will discuss the idea and mechanisms of the spread of culture across the eastern Mediterranean. The theme of the role of religion continues to be an important one, and the size and placement of religious structures and their consequent meanings are debated with material from Knossos, Akrotiri, and Mycenae and comparisons back to ?atalh?y?k. Mycenae and Tiryns are contrasted with Uruk in their dedication of the high ground in the community, not to the gods, but to the king in the placement of his palace complex. This represents a heretofore unprecedented shift in the focus of urban design.
Throughout the Neolithic and Bronze ages, it is possible to point out changes in urban forms, but the notion of “progress” in urban design?that is, reactions to what had come immediately before?is only truly visible with the multiple Greek foundations. We will examine a series of Greek cities?beginning with Athens in the 5th century B.C.; followed by Miletus, Olynthus, and Alexandria; and culminating at Pergamon?to illustrate what can be seen as progress in urban design. Athens in the 5th century has interesting correspondences to Uruk and Amarna. But at Miletus, a dramatic change in Greek urban design, Hippodamian planning, was invented and came to dominate the layout of many Greek and Roman cities with its variation of orthogonal planning. Inevitably, a new model of city design emerged that was anti-Hippodamian; the reasons for that are explored in one of the best examples of it, Pergamon.
The examination of a number of Roman cities introduces in detail the issues of the benefits and challenges of urban life, particularly in the city of Rome itself. We also see remarkable variations in urban life in the Roman Empire, from Ostia in Italy to Karanis in Egypt. Rather than the standardized experience one might expect, we see regional variation and cultural identities that differ dramatically even across Roman North Africa.
Finally, th...
This course tackles a number of large questions about cities: why they were founded in the first place; what they meant to their inhabitants; how their forms reflect the social, political, and religious structures of their societies; and what aspects led to the success or failure of particular cities.
We start with the very origins of cities back in the Neolithic, when human culture underwent a startling series of revolutionary changes. One such change was the Agricultural Revolution, with the domestication of plants and animals and a shift in survival strategies from hunting and gathering to farming and animal husbandry. Simultaneous with that was the Urban Revolution, the founding of cities. We discuss the current thinking on these revolutions in human existence and their relationship. Much of that discussion takes place in the context of the earliest city, ?atalh?y?k, and a second Neolithic foundation, Jericho. Both of these also provide material to explore the role of religion in the very earliest communities, to ask its role in city formation, and to explore the place of religious structures in city identity. Burial practices at the two cities also illuminate early ideas of property ownership and the definition of the family home.
In the Bronze Age, cities grew most rapidly in civilizations founded in the great river valleys, from the Nile in Egypt, to the Euphrates in Mesopotamia, to the Indus in modern Pakistan and India. In these cities made of mud, we can trace elements of domestic life and civic spaces. Three of the cities, Mohenjo-daro in the Indus Valley and Kahun and Deir el-Medina in Egypt, have no recognizable public buildings. Yet the reasons for that negative evidence for civic life differ wildly, as do the structures of these societies. At Deir el-Medina, we encounter some of the oldest conclusive evidence for private enterprise in an ancient city. We also begin to see how social organization is reflected in city formation. The Sumerian city of Uruk, the first megacity in world history, provides the model for the monumentalization of religious structures and their integration in the civic space and government of the city. Finally, in the last of the Bronze Age mud-brick cities we will discuss, Amarna in Egypt, we are able to analyze city design as a deliberate means of changing the social structure of Egyptian society. This revolutionary city takes the lessons of Uruk on religion in the service of the state and develops them to reinforce the rule of the pharaoh, Akhenaten. Here, we also introduce the concept of the house as both an economic unit and a domestic space, an important indicator of the role of the house in the ancient city that we examine in Akrotiri, Athens, and Olynthus.
In the four Mediterranean Bronze Age cities of Knossos, Akrotiri, Mycenae, and Tiryns, regular stone architecture makes an appearance. These cities, although they arise from different cultures, share some characteristics in common; we will discuss the idea and mechanisms of the spread of culture across the eastern Mediterranean. The theme of the role of religion continues to be an important one, and the size and placement of religious structures and their consequent meanings are debated with material from Knossos, Akrotiri, and Mycenae and comparisons back to ?atalh?y?k. Mycenae and Tiryns are contrasted with Uruk in their dedication of the high ground in the community, not to the gods, but to the king in the placement of his palace complex. This represents a heretofore unprecedented shift in the focus of urban design.
Throughout the Neolithic and Bronze ages, it is possible to point out changes in urban forms, but the notion of “progress” in urban design?that is, reactions to what had come immediately before?is only truly visible with the multiple Greek foundations. We will examine a series of Greek cities?beginning with Athens in the 5th century B.C.; followed by Miletus, Olynthus, and Alexandria; and culminating at Pergamon?to illustrate what can be seen as progress in urban design. Athens in the 5th century has interesting correspondences to Uruk and Amarna. But at Miletus, a dramatic change in Greek urban design, Hippodamian planning, was invented and came to dominate the layout of many Greek and Roman cities with its variation of orthogonal planning. Inevitably, a new model of city design emerged that was anti-Hippodamian; the reasons for that are explored in one of the best examples of it, Pergamon.
The examination of a number of Roman cities introduces in detail the issues of the benefits and challenges of urban life, particularly in the city of Rome itself. We also see remarkable variations in urban life in the Roman Empire, from Ostia in Italy to Karanis in Egypt. Rather than the standardized experience one might expect, we see regional variation and cultural identities that differ dramatically even across Roman North Africa.
Finally, th...
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2014
8 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Steven L. Tuck
8 books12 followersSteven L. Tuck is Assistant Professor of Classics at Miami University of Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 17, 2021
Excellent book with great information. Unfortunately however, the book should be titled "Cities of the Ancient European and North African World" The furthest east you travel is the Indus Valley and the furthest west is Timgad (Algeria).
There is no mention of cities in east Asia or the Americas. Other than that though this is a fascinating book that goes into the culture, design, economics and history of a dozen or so ancient cities.
There is no mention of cities in east Asia or the Americas. Other than that though this is a fascinating book that goes into the culture, design, economics and history of a dozen or so ancient cities.
June 7, 2021
A pretty good listen, but seemed at times to rely overly on supposition. At its best the work was informative when it stuck to those things which are clearly know from direct observation.
January 23, 2017
Audio download.
As I read through the reviews of these lectures on the Great Courses website prior to purchasing them, I noted that a common complaint was the lack of visuals on the DVD/video downloads. A course such as this, built around the examination of ruins from ancient cities with cultural implications to our own times, needs to have plenty of visuals, including maps with circles and arrows...even if it's only photos of the good doctor riding a camel in Algeria. I did find a solution.
For those considering buying this set, I found Professor Tuck an extremely clear speaker, in a conversational manner, and very good command of the history of the great variety of times and places he discussed. Having visited some of these locations, I found his descriptions spot-on and his dialogue enlightening. I would have loved to have been along with him during his visits.
I enjoyed these lectures, not on a treadmill as I usually do, but on my laptop, dialed into some online tools (that will not get by the editors if I name them) that allowed close examination of each city's layout, with abundant photos sprinkled in taken by amateurs like you and me. It really made this course a 4 to 4.5 and well worth spending a lot more time with the individual lecture.
If you are thinking about a purchase...wait for a sale and get a coupon, and experience them my way...you won't regret it. If you've already purchased the audio version and missed the visuals, retry it with the online aides. It will make a difference.
Very much recommended for a classic stroll through history.
As I read through the reviews of these lectures on the Great Courses website prior to purchasing them, I noted that a common complaint was the lack of visuals on the DVD/video downloads. A course such as this, built around the examination of ruins from ancient cities with cultural implications to our own times, needs to have plenty of visuals, including maps with circles and arrows...even if it's only photos of the good doctor riding a camel in Algeria. I did find a solution.
For those considering buying this set, I found Professor Tuck an extremely clear speaker, in a conversational manner, and very good command of the history of the great variety of times and places he discussed. Having visited some of these locations, I found his descriptions spot-on and his dialogue enlightening. I would have loved to have been along with him during his visits.
I enjoyed these lectures, not on a treadmill as I usually do, but on my laptop, dialed into some online tools (that will not get by the editors if I name them) that allowed close examination of each city's layout, with abundant photos sprinkled in taken by amateurs like you and me. It really made this course a 4 to 4.5 and well worth spending a lot more time with the individual lecture.
If you are thinking about a purchase...wait for a sale and get a coupon, and experience them my way...you won't regret it. If you've already purchased the audio version and missed the visuals, retry it with the online aides. It will make a difference.
Very much recommended for a classic stroll through history.
November 3, 2022
Like many similar titles from The Great Courses Cities of the Ancient World once again tells the story in chronological order of the Ancient World. Here however the history unfolds from a refreshing perspective with the cities - not people or events - at the forefront. Around 18 cities feature from circa 7500BC to 330AD, each selected for a specific reason e.g. What did the city bring to the civilised world? What can the city tell us about human thought at the time? What can the city tell us about human nature?
To a learner fairly well versed in the Ancient World, the course is likely to tie previously known ideas together as well as introduce entirely new ideas not solely related to the city. It is frequently stressed that what a culture builds reflects its needs. It is interesting that these needs are so varied.
The course will force the learner to look at their own city in a different light.
To a learner fairly well versed in the Ancient World, the course is likely to tie previously known ideas together as well as introduce entirely new ideas not solely related to the city. It is frequently stressed that what a culture builds reflects its needs. It is interesting that these needs are so varied.
The course will force the learner to look at their own city in a different light.
January 10, 2021
A Review of the Audiobook
Published in 2014 by The Great Courses.
Read by the author, Steven L. Tuck
Duration: 11 hours, 48 minutes.
Unabridged.
The publishers of The Great Courses offer college level lecture classes (100 or 200 level) as audiobooks and/or videos.
As the title says, this book is about cities of the ancient world. It begins with a discussion of the earliest cities and then moves on to significant cities that came along later. To be a significant city it had to start a new pattern - cities built on rivers, cities built on defensive hills, cities built to take advantage of sea trade, cities with a clear plan, cities built with a plan to mix to allow people of different ethnicities to live together (separately) and so on.
I very much enjoyed the first part of these lectures. But, once we got to Tuck's specific areas of expertise (Greek, Hellenistic, Roman) the audiobook got bogged down. His last lecture about some of the lessons of ancient cities that have been adopted by modern cities or are becoming popular again was interesting.
My primary problem of the book was that its title says it is about "cities of the ancient world" but it only includes cities in the Mediterranean basin and the Near East - the farthest away is on the border of India and Pakistan. T
The youngest city he discusses is Constantinople and he discusses it through the 500's A.D. That is late enough that he could have easily have included cities from Asia, the Americas or Africa and I find it odd that he did not considering that he was discussing universal concepts that transcend all cities. Rather than dealing with cities that were influencing each other (a point that he makes over and over again), he could have skipped to an entirely new region of the world and shown that these principles truly are universal.
I rate this audiobook 3 stars out of 5.
Published in 2014 by The Great Courses.
Read by the author, Steven L. Tuck
Duration: 11 hours, 48 minutes.
Unabridged.
The publishers of The Great Courses offer college level lecture classes (100 or 200 level) as audiobooks and/or videos.
As the title says, this book is about cities of the ancient world. It begins with a discussion of the earliest cities and then moves on to significant cities that came along later. To be a significant city it had to start a new pattern - cities built on rivers, cities built on defensive hills, cities built to take advantage of sea trade, cities with a clear plan, cities built with a plan to mix to allow people of different ethnicities to live together (separately) and so on.
I very much enjoyed the first part of these lectures. But, once we got to Tuck's specific areas of expertise (Greek, Hellenistic, Roman) the audiobook got bogged down. His last lecture about some of the lessons of ancient cities that have been adopted by modern cities or are becoming popular again was interesting.
My primary problem of the book was that its title says it is about "cities of the ancient world" but it only includes cities in the Mediterranean basin and the Near East - the farthest away is on the border of India and Pakistan. T
The youngest city he discusses is Constantinople and he discusses it through the 500's A.D. That is late enough that he could have easily have included cities from Asia, the Americas or Africa and I find it odd that he did not considering that he was discussing universal concepts that transcend all cities. Rather than dealing with cities that were influencing each other (a point that he makes over and over again), he could have skipped to an entirely new region of the world and shown that these principles truly are universal.
I rate this audiobook 3 stars out of 5.
September 13, 2015
Each of the twenty four lectures in this book covers the layout, notable features, and daily lives of citizens of an ancient city in the areas we know today as Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. The lectures are densely packed with unfamiliar names and I found it difficult to pin down themes about the evolution of urban life that I could hope to remember. Despite the challenges, I enjoyed each lecture and often felt like I was on an audio tour while walking the ancient ruins myself. This speaks well of the content and narration since I was actually on a packed, malodorous BART train while listening.
February 19, 2024
In 2015 The Teaching Company released Professor Steven Tuck’s audio course “Cities of the Ancient World.” This 24 lecture course is exceptional. At the time of the course’s release, Professor Tuck taught Classical Art at Miami University. He received his doctorate in Art and Architecture from the University of Michigan. The first 12 lectures in the course discuss the 9,400 BC housing architecture, land plans, and living arrangements in Catalhoyuk, Turkey; and also in Jericho, which is near present day Jordon. Prof Tuck next describes the 4,002 BC archeological designs in Uruk, Iraq ,and the 3,500 BC home design features of Moreno-Dari near present day Pakistan. He explained how these cities were founded, the religious practices that influenced the their building design features, community city land use layouts, and the many socio-economic features of the homes that were built to accommodate community family living arrangements. Many of the homes were used as home burial sites and had food storage facilities. He also talks about how these Ancient Cities built homes to accommodate many individuals living together as members of extended families. Professor Tuck completes his Part 1 lectures with discussions about residential features of the ancient Egyptian pyramid city of Kuhn, the King craftsmen who lived in the Theban necropolis of Medina, and those who lived in Egypt’s city of Armand. He next discussed the Grecian palace city in Knossos, and the Akrotiri (a Bronze Age Greek settlement destroyed by a devastating earthquake). The Part 2 lectures cover the archaeological sites In Mycenaean and Athens Greece. The lectures describe how these sites use Hippodamian land use planning strategies. He followed the presentation with lectures about community urban design of the Grecian Acropolis and land development designs of legendary classical Greek cities such as Olynthos and Pergamon. The lectures in Part 2 conclude with Roman Harbor town architecture; and, Hadrian’s orthogonal plans for Roman territorial towns like the North African town of Tingad and the Roman fringe territories near India. These lectures end with an in-depth presentation about Constantinople . The cities profiled in the Part 2 lectures also feature how Ancient City architecture impacted the present day designs of Venice, London and American cities such as Washington D.C, and Philadelphia. The “Ancient Cities of the World” course lectures are fascinating. (P)
November 17, 2023
This was an absolutely fascinating Great Courses book. Tuck takes us to the earliest cities to explore why and how they were made, and in doing so, gives us insight into how our cities are designed. For example, did you know that the world's oldest known city, Catul Huyuk, found in Asia Minor, was not built for trade but for religious reasons. It was not even erected near the agricultural fields of the men and women who lived there. It was not defensible and apparently didn't need to be defended. And so, the book begins, looking at ancient fortifications, "company" towns, administrative centers, and economic centers. It also explores the ways in which spaces are designed, including domestic spaces, and what the layout tells us of the people. It traces developments around the world, looking for (but not always finding) connections between the peoples. And at every turn, Tuck points to examples in the modern world. It's a fascinating book.
October 27, 2025
The sweet spot for me with all the courses I've been listening to is to have a good balance between information about archaeological sites I've been to (so I can be like yay!), already know about (let's hammer this info in! I can't afford to go to grad school!), and have never heard of or don't know much about (learning, bitch!!!). This course hit that balance just right for me. Unfortunately it's given me a compelling reason to go back to Italy and do a tour of coastal archaeological sites, which would be so cool but likely expensive. If someone can talk to Italy in the meantime about getting more reliable and less stress-inducing public transportation and fewer crowds that would be amazing. Otherwise, Herculaneum and Ostia: I'm coming for you (nerd threat).
May 16, 2023
The subject is super interesting, specially because there are both well know as well as, to me at least, unknown cities of antiquity.
However, the professor/narrator constantly made me lose the track for some reason. I kept rewinding and rewinding, but my attention still kept slipping away. And it's not that he's sounds monotone - he's actually quite passionate about the subject. I don't know. It's probably a me problem.
However, the professor/narrator constantly made me lose the track for some reason. I kept rewinding and rewinding, but my attention still kept slipping away. And it's not that he's sounds monotone - he's actually quite passionate about the subject. I don't know. It's probably a me problem.
May 9, 2021
This "book" is right in my wheelhouse; I love antiquity as well as the art and architecture of that time period.
The lectures were individually interesting, but when they start to get into the double digits, all of the cities just start to blend together. If I had more patience, maybe I would have listed to one a week, or something like that, and enjoyed them more. But, alas...
The lectures were individually interesting, but when they start to get into the double digits, all of the cities just start to blend together. If I had more patience, maybe I would have listed to one a week, or something like that, and enjoyed them more. But, alas...
April 8, 2025
Really interesting way to explore ancient history through the evolution of ancient cities. Early lectures were a bit too speculative and I could not get a feel on how people lived in the city. The lecturer was quite good and he really shined when talking about his expertise, Roman cities. In particular the lecture on Ostia was A+ and made me deeply want to visit there to see for myself.
January 25, 2020
Excellent overview of early cities, comparing and contrasting their organization, public and private spaces, social structure, history, and more. The 24 lectures cover a lot of territory (literally and figuratively) and are well=paced. I do wish there had been maps and more visuals.
June 22, 2021
Steven sure does like to re-iterate points.
But honestly we could have talked about infrastructure MORE.
I also wish I'd known going in that 'Ancient World' meant that we wouldn't be covering any non-Mediterranean lands except for the Indus Valley.
But honestly we could have talked about infrastructure MORE.
I also wish I'd known going in that 'Ancient World' meant that we wouldn't be covering any non-Mediterranean lands except for the Indus Valley.
April 24, 2024
A very interesting look at the development of cities. From the first known city in the world up to Constantinople. How did the city planning look like, if there was any? How did the people live and what kind of buildings did they build?
December 9, 2017
Great series. Even for someone that was aware to varying degrees of all cities in this course. Would be a great intro for everyone.
Lecturer was also quite articulate and easy to enjoy.
Lecturer was also quite articulate and easy to enjoy.
January 20, 2021
great visuals on the DVD version
February 9, 2021
I care so much more about Roman apartment buildings and fast food restaurants than about Roman military technology.
July 28, 2023
Would have liked to hear about more East Asian, North American and South American ancient cities but still a good read.
May 15, 2024
Interesting but a bit scattered. Wish there was more context and connections between the cities.
November 5, 2024
Loved it! Professor is very knowledgeable. Great read.
December 30, 2020
My only complaint with this lecture series was that it had to end. Professor Tuck is one of those talented teachers who can bring history to life.
February 28, 2024
Excellent!
I learned a lot through these lectures. Although not reflected in the title, there is a lot about archaeology in this series, which made it quite rich for me.
I learned a lot through these lectures. Although not reflected in the title, there is a lot about archaeology in this series, which made it quite rich for me.
November 14, 2016
This was actually a DVD version of this course; feels like it is pushing the boundary of what is appropriate for this site. Oh, well.
I missed two or three episodes towards the middle since I had been watching it with my grandmother, and she ended up watching a bit more when I was gone. For some reason I didn't really like the lecturer, something about how his face looked I think, but the information was generally interesting. Because I saw it spread out over a month or so, I mostly remember details from lectures near the end. One solid criticism is that the title is deceptive; it seems to imply that it covers cities from all of the ancient world, but it really only explores the region around the Mediterranean, and especially cities of the Hellenistic world and of Rome. There is plenty of interesting material here, but it does feel a bit biased; not really Eurocentric, since it covers western Asia and northern Africa, but tightly bound up in the typical narrative of European history.
I missed two or three episodes towards the middle since I had been watching it with my grandmother, and she ended up watching a bit more when I was gone. For some reason I didn't really like the lecturer, something about how his face looked I think, but the information was generally interesting. Because I saw it spread out over a month or so, I mostly remember details from lectures near the end. One solid criticism is that the title is deceptive; it seems to imply that it covers cities from all of the ancient world, but it really only explores the region around the Mediterranean, and especially cities of the Hellenistic world and of Rome. There is plenty of interesting material here, but it does feel a bit biased; not really Eurocentric, since it covers western Asia and northern Africa, but tightly bound up in the typical narrative of European history.
January 3, 2026
“Cities of the Ancient World” taught by Steven L. Tuck
2014
Listened on Audible in 2024
In 24 chapters, the lecture covers 19 specific cities; starting with Çatalhöyük which is hailed as the first city and ending with Constantinople called the last ancient city. "Cities of the Ancient World," offers a detailed archaeological and social exploration of urban life. Unlike traditional history courses that rely on royal annals, Tuck uses archaeology to reconstruct the lives of the non-elite.
Roughly 50% of the course (Lectures 12–23) focuses exclusively on the Greco-Roman world. This creates a narrative arc where all earlier cities (like Uruk or Mohenjo-daro) serve merely as prologues. Despite the inclusive title, the course is effectively a history of the ancestors of Western urbanism. There is a total absence of ancient urban centers in East Asia , the Americas , and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Overall, A worthwhile listen if you interested specifically in the urban history of the western tradition.
2014
Listened on Audible in 2024
In 24 chapters, the lecture covers 19 specific cities; starting with Çatalhöyük which is hailed as the first city and ending with Constantinople called the last ancient city. "Cities of the Ancient World," offers a detailed archaeological and social exploration of urban life. Unlike traditional history courses that rely on royal annals, Tuck uses archaeology to reconstruct the lives of the non-elite.
Roughly 50% of the course (Lectures 12–23) focuses exclusively on the Greco-Roman world. This creates a narrative arc where all earlier cities (like Uruk or Mohenjo-daro) serve merely as prologues. Despite the inclusive title, the course is effectively a history of the ancestors of Western urbanism. There is a total absence of ancient urban centers in East Asia , the Americas , and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Overall, A worthwhile listen if you interested specifically in the urban history of the western tradition.
February 20, 2016
I greatly enjoyed the greater depth provided by this close look at a selection of cities, all chosen as prime examples of certain qualities valued in civilization at different times and places. I learned a great deal of context for certain famous buildings and works of art, as well as the roots of elements that have carried on into present day city planning - and what that says about what's important to us - both then and now.
February 21, 2016
Each lecture covers a different ancient city, most on the Mediterranean or in the Middle East. The lecturer cover aspects that are often skipped in other surveys, particularly those dealing with daily life in the cities. I enjoyed it.
May 9, 2016
In general this was interesting, but sometimes I did find my mind wandering. I am glad I listened though, as I like to travel and this book helped to put some of what I have been seeing in ancient ruins into better context.
June 17, 2015
This was an interesting listen. It didn't really get too deep into anything in particular.
July 24, 2016
An excellent different view of the usual tour through ancient civilizations, with some cities I have never heard of thrown in to increase interest.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews