Taught by Yale professor Donald Kagan, this introductory course in Greek history traces “the development of Greek civilization as manifested in political, intellectual, and creative achievements from the Bronze Age to the end of the classical period.” In it, students “read original sources in translation as well as the works of modern scholars.” You can watch the 24 video lectures above, or find them on YouTube. The lectures also appear on iTunes in audio and video. Find the texts used in the course below. More information about the course, including the syllabus, can be found on this Yale website.
- Pomeroy, Burstein, Donlan and Roberts. Ancient Greece. Oxford University Press: New York, 1999.
- Kagan, Donald. “Problems in Ancient History.” In The Ancient Near East and Greece. 2nd ed., vol. 1. Prentice-Hall: New York, 1975.
- Herodotus, The Histories.
- Plutarch, The Rise and Fall of the Athens.
- Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War.
Introduction to Ancient Greek History will be added to our collection of Free Online History courses, a subset of our collection, 1,700 Free Online Courses from Top Universities.
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This course is an AMAZING gift. I have listened all the way through at least 3 times. It lead me to read almost all of Kagan’s books. Especially “Men of Bronze”. It also was the spark that got me to return to school to complete a degree in History with a focus on Ancient Greece and Rome. Professor Kagan – if you are listening….thank you. I owe you a huge debt.
i love history so it will be very useful for me to study
i love greek history
Sres. es posible cursos en idioma español, gracias
It’s most important to understand the historical treasures of ancient Greece relevant today.
I work overseas and I have a passion for history and was wanting to take a class before I go to college.
How do I register for the free courses and what am I required to do as far as tests etc?