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Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age

By: Jeremy McInerney, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Jeremy McInerney
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Publisher's Summary

This series of 24 lectures examines a crucial period in the history of the ancient world, the age ushered in by the extraordinary conquests of Alexander the Great. In all the annals of the ancient world, few stories are more gripping than those from this era.

In the opening lectures, you'll explore the enigma of Alexander, son of a brilliant father, yet always at odds with the man whom he succeeded. You'll trace his early campaigns against the Persians and follow him to Egypt, where he was acclaimed as the son of god. You'll then look at his career after this and find in him a blend of greatness and madness as he strove to replace the Persian empire of the Achaemenid dynasty with a new, mixed ruling class of Macedonians and Persians.

From there, you'll delve into the catastrophic period after Alexander's death in 323 B.C., which ushered in a period of catastrophic change as ambitious warlords carved up Alexander's realm into their own separate empires. You'll learn about each of the three kingdoms that resulted: Ptolemaic Egypt, Seleucid Syria, and the Attalid Empire in Asia Minor. Just as important to these lectures are the in-depth discussions of the bounties of Hellenistic culture, which contributed landmark ideas in everything from philosophy (which became more academic), art and architecture (with its excessive, naked emotions), and religion (especially the growing popularity of cult movements). Taken all together, these lectures are an engrossing and riveting journey into ancient history-and the life and times of the man who left an indelible mark on everything that would come after.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2000 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2000 The Great Courses

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Alexander the Not so Great

Alexander was not that impressive and we should consider dispensing with his title. The Hellenistic Age was very interesting. however and made the course worthwhile.

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Disappointing

It started off great. And then collapsed.
Most of the book was covering side issues poorly. I still have little idea of Hellenistic history. He covered literature, poetry, religion and other aspects of culture badly. No context, no history, no chronology. Presumable the culture was different between the beginning and end of the age, but you wouldn't know that from the lecture.
Plus he made lots of mistakes. Kept saying Selucia was in Syria. Suggested Hellanism in Afghanistan and Pakistan ended with Bactria ignoring the whole Graeco Buddhist civilisation. He mentioned Parthia twice, in passing, in the last lecture.
I still don't even have an idea of who all the successor states were let alone their history.

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