Channel logo

The Celtic World

Season 1
*Season 1 included with Prime until 9/30* Discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 enlightening episodes explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with new DNA evidence that changes our perspective on where the Celts came from.
201824 episodesTV-PG
Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy

Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - Who Are the Celts?
    March 29, 2018
    33min
    TV-PG
    Professor Paxton begins this lively history course by examining the common preconceptions about Celtic identity - before smashing them to bits. The first lecture paints the initial brushstrokes on the gargantuan canvas of this European culture most widely perceived as Scottish and Irish while promising much more. #History
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  2. S1 E2 - The Celts and the Classical World
    March 29, 2018
    32min
    TV-PG
    Our earliest written records of the Celts come from Italy, Greece, and Spain, dating as far back as the 6th century B.C. Although scholarly theories about the Celts' migration throughout Europe conflict, the foundation of our understanding of their origins is laid bare here, peppered with several curious historic anecdotes.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  3. S1 E3 - Celtic Art and Artifacts
    March 29, 2018
    31min
    TV-PG
    Archaeological studies of Celtic artifacts have woven a rich tapestry of their millennia-old society and its La Tène art style. Learn about war trumpets, gold necklaces, ornate helmets, and other recovered objects from around Europe to build an image of this ever-adapting culture and its connections to the classical world.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  4. S1 E4 - Celtic Languages in the Ancient World
    March 29, 2018
    32min
    TV-PG
    The discovery of Celtic inscriptions on the western coast of Spain suggests the possible development of a common language along maritime Celtic trade routes, revolutionizing studies of Celtic origins and migration. The long-standing theory of Central European Celtic origins may die out thanks to new linguistic evidence.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  5. S1 E5 - Caesar and the Gauls
    March 29, 2018
    33min
    TV-PG
    Several centuries of violent combat against Celtic-controlled Gaul made northern Italy and southern France a dangerous neighborhood for the Romans. Hannibal, Gaius Marius, and Spartacus are just some of the famous figures of world history who encounter the Gauls in this lecture centered on Julius Caesar's wars against the Gauls.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  6. S1 E6 - Celtic Religion and the Druids
    March 29, 2018
    31min
    TV-PG
    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.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  7. S1 E7 - Celtic Britain and Roman Britain
    March 29, 2018
    31min
    TV-PG
    Professor Paxton uses the theory of trade-based migration to first explain the arrival of the Celts influence in Britain before the arrival of the Romans. Then she details the exciting struggle between the Celts and the Romans over Britain, untangling the web of history on the island during the first and second centuries A.D.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  8. S1 E8 - Celts and Picts in Scotland
    March 29, 2018
    30min
    TV-PG
    With a Romanized southern Britain, what was life like in Scotland? Meet the warring tribes of Picts that ruled North Britain, with the Irish to the west and Angles moving in from the southeast. Highlights include the ancient Pictish tongue and the truth about William "Braveheart" Wallace and all that blue paint.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  9. S1 E9 - Prehistoric Ireland and the Celts
    March 29, 2018
    31min
    TV-PG
    An early Irish text called The Book of Invasions is the basis for this truly unique look back at the origins of Ireland and its people. In equal parts weird, fascinating, and humorous, this text tells of one-armed pirate giants, descendants of Noah, a tribe of sorcerers, and six full-scale takeovers of Ireland.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  10. S1 E10 - Celtic Britain after Rome
    March 29, 2018
    32min
    TV-PG
    North and west of what today is England, where the Romans held far less influence, a paradoxical era of both peaceful immigration and rebellion added to the melting pot of Britain in the first millennium A.D. Discover Cornwall, Wales, and parts of Scotland with a quick appearance of one of Britain's noblest legends: King Arthur.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  11. S1 E11 - Brittany and Galicia: Fringe of the Fringe
    March 29, 2018
    32min
    TV-PG
    See how both France and Spain welcomed immigrants from a rapidly de-Romanizing Britain. Brittany became a thriving Celtic province that maintained its autonomy through the Middle Ages, while Galicia mostly lost its Celtic identity until a revival of interest in modern times.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  12. S1 E12 - Celtic Churches
    March 29, 2018
    32min
    TV-PG
    The melding of pagan religions and Christianity is a compelling tale. St. Patrick's legendary priesthood and missionary work are discussed, as is the Christian saint Brigid, who was remolded as a nature deity to impress the recently converted Irish. Learn how Irish monks brought Latin learning back to the European continent and "saved civilization."
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  13. S1 E13 - Celtic Art and Insular Art
    March 29, 2018
    31min
    TV-PG
    Native Britons copied much of the art style prominent on the continent, complicating the process of defining Celtic art, but Professor Paxton unties this intricate knot. Observe some of Ireland's most breathtaking religious and secular art pieces, from the Book of Kells to the Tara Brooch.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  14. S1 E14 - Medieval Irish Literature
    March 29, 2018
    32min
    TV-PG
    The early Irish prized literary skill just as much as prowess in warfare, and lords were judged by the quality of poet they could hire. This lecture gives a glimpse into the diverse genres of Irish literature, from epics about mythological heroes to exciting tales designed to warn kings about the dangers of ruling unjustly.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  15. S1 E15 - Celtic Women, Families, and Social Structure
    March 29, 2018
    34min
    TV-PG
    Irish society treated all disputes as civil suits between families - so if your cousin killed someone, you had to pay some of the damages, which varied with the social status of the victim. Gain a fascinating insight into the hierarchical structure of this period and women's roles in society as well.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  16. S1 E16 - The Irish Sea World: Celts and Vikings
    March 29, 2018
    31min
    TV-PG
    By the turn of the first millennium A.D., we find ample evidence of Viking presence in both Ireland and Scotland. From raids to intermarriages, the Celtic-Scandinavian relationship is a stranger-than-fiction love-hate saga any history buff can appreciate.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  17. S1 E17 - English Invasions of Wales and Ireland
    March 29, 2018
    32min
    TV-PG
    Get a glimpse of the life of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, one of the most influential Welsh rulers, who briefly unified the country 1,000 years ago. Uncover the shocking truth of Henry II's invasion of Ireland and its causes as well as anti-Irish propaganda and the development of cruel stereotypes that influenced English views of the Irish down to the modern period.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  18. S1 E18 - Scotland from Macbeth to Braveheart
    March 29, 2018
    33min
    TV-PG
    How do Shakespeare and Hollywood stack up against the truth in some of the fictional accounts of Scotland's history? Learn about the historical Macbeth and William Wallace (of Braveheart fame), as well as the famous ruler Robert Bruce, who secured Scottish independence from the invading English.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  19. S1 E19 - Politics and Literature in Wales
    March 29, 2018
    32min
    TV-PG
    Unveil the turbulent story of English conquest in Wales with this insightful glimpse into Welsh history that includes the unfortunate influence of misplaced loyalty to family that cost the Welsh their sovereignty forever. Then, look at Welsh literature, particularly the wonderful but enigmatic myths of the Mabinogi and the witty poems of Dafydd ap Gwilym.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  20. S1 E20 - The Tudor Conquest of Ireland
    March 29, 2018
    34min
    TV-PG
    After Henry VIII denounced Catholicism, England tried repeatedly to bring Ireland into its fold. With Catholicism and Protestantism at odds, Irish chieftains were caught in the middle: the English offered land deals in exchange for shedding their Irish culture and heritage. Witness the aftermath when a historic powder keg exploded, with devastating losses on both sides.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  21. S1 E21 - (Re)Discovering the Celts
    March 29, 2018
    33min
    TV-PG
    Just as the Tudors were conquering Ireland, linguistic studies of the Celtic languages began and a new fascination with the Celts slowly emerged. Witness the resurgence of mythological Celtic tales and the revival of the tartan after it was briefly banned by the British; see how fascination with the druids and Welsh bards created a newly confident Welsh identity.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  22. S1 E22 - The Gaelic Revival in Ireland
    March 29, 2018
    33min
    TV-PG
    Compared to the fun-loving and historically focused revival of Celtic culture in Scotland and Wales, Ireland's Celtic revival had more of a political edge. Ancient Irish mythology played a surprising role in the growth of Irish nationalism that led to conflict and ultimately to independence from Britain.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  23. S1 E23 - Celtic Music and Dance
    March 29, 2018
    33min
    TV-PG
    Celtic instruments come to life in this lecture. Take a music lesson and learn about the carnyx, a war trumpet; the bodhrán, a hand drum; and the crwth, a lyre played with a bow. Treat your ears to samples of these and beautiful Irish singing, then watch clips of delightful Celtic dances based on classic traditions.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  24. S1 E24 - The Celts Today
    March 29, 2018
    39min
    TV-PG
    In the final lecture, end your 2,500-year journey with the Celts by considering the Celtic nations in the 21st century. Bilingualism, modern Celtic pop culture, and renewed nationalist groups pushing for political autonomy are merely the tip of the iceberg in this satisfying conclusion to a truly epic history of culture, politics, and warfare.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy

Details

More info

Audio languages
EnglishEnglish Dialogue Boost: MediumEnglish Dialogue Boost: High
Subtitles
English [CC]
Producers
The Great Courses
Cast
Jennifer Paxton
Studio
The Great Courses
By clicking play, you agree to our Terms of Use.