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Living History: Experiencing Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds

Season 1
Explore great moments of history through the eyes of everyday citizens. Living History spotlights 24 turning points where the tide of history changes irrevocably.
201524 episodes7+
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Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - Ramesses II: Heartbeat of History
    May 28, 2015
    33min
    TV-PG
    What do we mean by "living history"? Take an imaginative leap into the ancient world and discover the moment-by-moment heartbeat of history. Your first stop is the Battle of Kadesh, the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II's all-but-disastrous campaign against the Hittites. See how the king spins a tactical retreat into a glorious victory.#History
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  2. S1 E2 - Marathon: The Persians Have Landed!
    May 29, 2015
    33min
    TV-PG
    Professor Garland takes you into the Battle of Marathon to show how the outnumbered Athenians scramble for help before heading to the coast for an impressive fight against the invading Persians. The Athenian debates, their surprise running charge into battle, and the strenuous marches come to life in visceral detail.
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  3. S1 E3 - Oresteia: Judgment at the Dionysia
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    Take a break from battle and head to the Theater of Dionysis on a warm March day to view one of the most astounding theatrical performances in history. Not only is Aeschylus's Oresteia an innovative dramatic trilogy, the trial of Orestes is a deeply relevant consideration of Athenian democracy at a time of great unease.
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  4. S1 E4 - Attack on Attica: Pericles's Gamble
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    Delve into the time of Pericles and the Peloponnesian War, where political action has required rural citizens to head into the city. There, the cramped urban conditions and pestilence breeds disaffection among the citizenry. Hear what Pericles had to say to inspire Athenians for the continued glory of the city.
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  5. S1 E5 - Socrates on Trial: For the Defense
    May 29, 2015
    33min
    TV-PG
    You might think you know Socrates, but in this lecture you'll encounter a whole new context for understanding one of the Greeks' most famous citizens. In the wake of the Peloponnesian War, tension lingers following the overthrow of an oligarchy in Athens, and the democratic population is in search of a fall guy. See how Socrates fits the bill.
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  6. S1 E6 - Conspiracy! Murder of Philip II
    May 29, 2015
    31min
    TV-PG
    Murder has always intrigued us, especially when the fate of a state hangs in the balance. Explore the mystery of Philip II of Macedonia, who is murdered amid a wedding celebration in 336 B.C.E. Is he killed by a jilted lover? A jealous wife? An ambitious son? This lecture takes you into Macedonian court life and considers the possible motives and social intrigue.
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  7. S1 E7 - Alexander the Great: Punjab Revolt
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    Alexander is one of history's most interesting characters--a brilliant, flawed, complex leader. A restless megalomaniac tutored by Aristotle, he drives his army across the ancient world to conquer one land after another until they reach northeast India. There, his army revolts and forces him to retreat. Get inside the head of this fascinating leader.
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  8. S1 E8 - Pyrrhus: Deadly Dreams of Empire
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    The Greeks had a tremendous run on the world stage, but their dominion arguably comes to an end the moment Pyrrhus sets sail for Italy. Although he is "victorious" in his conquest against the Romans, his withdrawals pave the way for Rome to come to the fore as the next great world power. See what drives Pyrrhus forward, and what holds him back.
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  9. S1 E9 - India's Ashoka the Great Repents
    May 29, 2015
    33min
    TV-PG
    Meet Ashoka the Great, whose story was all but forgotten until his carved edicts were unearthed in the 19th century. As leader of India, he leads a bloody charge into the neighboring province of Kalinga--but guilt from the battle drives him toward a transformative conversion. For the rest of his reign, he serves as a paragon of Buddhist morality.
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  10. S1 E10 - Hannibal: Rome Holds Its Breath
    May 29, 2015
    30min
    TV-PG
    Hannibal, the great Carthaginian general, is one of the most remarkable military leaders of all time. During the Punic Wars he led his army to an astounding tactical victory against the Romans, and then held the defeated soldiers captive for ransom. Destiny hung in the balance as Rome awaited Hannibal's expected advance against the city.
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  11. S1 E11 - The Final Days of Julius Caesar
    May 29, 2015
    30min
    TV-PG
    Continue your study of some of history's most enigmatic characters with a look at Julius Caesar, whose infamous murder on the Ides of March ranks as one of the most consequential assassinations. Professor Garland introduces you to Caesar's character before walking you through the conspiracy of that fateful day.
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  12. S1 E12 - Antony and Cleopatra's Death Pact
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    In the wake of Caesar's assassination, power hangs in the balance as Mark Antony squares off against Octavian for sole control of Rome's empire. When the tide of the Battle of Actium turns against Mark Antony, his lover Cleopatra flees--and he decides to follow her, leaving the future of Rome to Octavian. Examine this decision and the tragedy that ensues for both Antony and Cleopatra.
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  13. S1 E13 - Jesus under Surveillance and Arrest
    May 29, 2015
    30min
    TV-PG
    Travel to the Roman province of Judea, where a humble carpenter has entered Jerusalem during the Passover. The city is seething with political and religious discontent, and Jesus is seen as a troublemaker. Witness his arrest and interrogation by the priests and Pontius Pilate, and consider Pilate's decision to put Jesus to death.
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  14. S1 E14 - Jerusalem Tinderbox: Temple in Flames
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    Continue your exploration of Jerusalem, this time around 66 C.E., when the city's political turmoil reaches it peak. An insurgency rises up over taxes, and the ensuing Roman siege sparks a civil war. At the end of the Great Jewish Revolt, the city is in ruins, the Temple has been burned, and the Romans crucify thousands of Jewish prisoners.
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  15. S1 E15 - Roman Colosseum: Blood in the Arena
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    Visit the newly finished Roman amphitheater circa 80 C.E., where the emperor Titus will celebrate the consolidation of his family's dynasty by hosting 100 days of gladiatorial games. Bloodthirsty and vicious, the spectacle is nonetheless captivating. After learning about the Colosseum's engineering, you'll experience what it was like to be there for the games.
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  16. S1 E16 - Visigoth King Alaric Descends on Rome
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    On occasion, individual personalities shape large contours of history. Such is the case with King Alaric, the charismatic leader of the Visigoths, who conquers many Roman outposts before laying siege to the city itself. His victories don't conclude with the end of Rome, but it's clear the city's power is in decline.
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  17. S1 E17 - Nika Riots at the Racetrack: Theodora
    May 29, 2015
    31min
    TV-PG
    Head east to Constantinople, seat of the Byzantine Empire and the eastern counterpart to Rome. During a day of chariot races at the hippodrome, riots break out and threaten the Emperor Justinian and his politically savvy wife, Theodora. Learn about this unorthodox marriage and how Theodora's counsel ultimately saves the empire.
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  18. S1 E18 - The Concubine Empress: Wu Zetian
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    Wu Zetian's story is one of the most remarkable in all of history. She entered adulthood as a classically educated concubine during China's Tang Dynasty, and then worked her way up the social ladder to marry an emperor. Professor Garland charts her rise and shows how her success hinges on the mystery surrounding a child's death.
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  19. S1 E19 - Muhammad's Awakening and Escape
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    Witness the founding of Islam by entering the world of Mecca in 622, where a prosperous businessman named Muhammad has a revelation that changes the course of history. Learn about his conversion and his journey to Medina. There he builds a community that will soon spread around the globe.
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  20. S1 E20 - Charles Martel Defeats the Muslims
    May 29, 2015
    32min
    TV-PG
    Take the battlefield in one of the most decisive battles ever fought between Muslims and Europeans. In the century after Muhammad, Islam's spread seemed unstoppable until the disastrous Battle of Toulouse followed by the Battle of Tours, in which Charles Martel, leader of the Franks, defeats the Muslim invaders.
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  21. S1 E21 - Culture Shock! Travels of Ibn Fadlan
    May 29, 2015
    31min
    TV-PG
    Follow the Abbasid Caliphate's administrator, Ibn Fadlan, as he travels from cosmopolitan Baghdad to the rustic wilds of central Asia. He brings money and instructions to King Almis of the Volga Bulgars, who has recently converted to Islam. Then he visits the Slavic Rus tribe for a bizarre and fascinating encounter.
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  22. S1 E22 - Vladimir Smashes the Idols of the Rus
    May 29, 2015
    33min
    TV-PG
    Observe the marriage of Vladimir, the Grand Duke of Kiev, to Princess Anna, the sister to Byzantine Emperor Basil II, a deal brokered so Vladimir will send mercenary troops to Constantinople. Following the wedding, Vladimir makes it his mission to convert his land to Christianity by fiat and suppress paganism, thus founding the Russian Orthodox Church.
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  23. S1 E23 - Charlemagne Saves Leo III, Rogue Pope
    May 29, 2015
    31min
    TV-PG
    Pope Leo III is something of a rascal, possibly a philanderer, and involved in shady business deals. See how his relationship with Charlemagne, king of the Franks, keeps him out of trouble with the Vatican Council and how he alters the course of history when he crowns Charlemagne during a nativity mass, thus giving birth to the notion of "Europe."
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  24. S1 E24 - Urban II Unleashes the First Crusade
    May 28, 2015
    33min
    TV-PG
    Again and again, we see how history turns on a dime. Your journey ends in Avignon in 1095, when Pope Urban II gives a speech that shapes the next thousand years of European history. After calling the people to action, thousands take up arms and begin the long trek to fight the Muslims and retake Jerusalem.
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Details

More info

Audio languages
English
Subtitles
English [CC]
Producers
The Great Courses
Cast
Robert Garland, Colgate University
Studio
The Great Courses
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