Steven L. Tuck
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Delve into the remarkable Minoan city of Knossos, a labyrinthine complex integrated into the natural landscape. This sophisticated example of urban design was home to figures of myth, religious spectacles, sizable food storage and distribution areas, and a unique system of architecture. Tour this visionary civilization.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
The Assyrian palace at Nimrud, with its imposing 20-foot gates, was designed by Ashurnasirpal II. An epic braggart, he loved to write of his conquests of nature and his knowledge of tree species. Clearly an intellectual, he describes in detail the glory of feasts he threw - and the math behind them.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Meet Hippodamus of Miletus, the father of urban planning. He used the system of orthogonal planning - including broad avenues and streets at right angles - to reflect the ideal social order. From city blocks to the creation of districts, see this system in action and discover its impact on the history of urban design.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Take an excursion to the frontiers of the Roman Empire, where a group of military veterans lived in a planned city that represented the ideal Roman vision. Because many of these veterans had recently earned full citizenship, they were notably patriotic, transmitting much of Roman culture into new territory through this community.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
What does this survey of ancient cities add up to? What lessons can we draw from antiquity? Conclude the course with a look at Venice and London to see what elements of ancient cities have endured in modern architecture and urban design. Then reflect on the future of the city.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Herod was a complex king whose royal image was defined by insecurity, innovation, and a need to reflect his Jewish identity. Starting with his heated Roman baths in each palace, understand how the king was a master of the land and was able to give his people a marvelous oasis in the desert.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Weiyang, China's Endless Palace, represented not only an emperor but the very concept of ever-expanding empire itself. Covering an area of 1,200 acres, it was the largest imperial palace ever built. You'll learn how the construction of the palace reflected imperialism as well as Confucianism, the cornerstone of Chinese philosophy.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Deliberately created as a capital city near the center of the kingdom, Amarna served as an administrative and religious center designed to redirect political authority to the pharaoh, Amenhotep IV. Study some of the most iconic images from ancient Egypt and unpack the relationship between city planning and the social structure.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Enter the world of ancient Egypt during the peaceful era of the Middle Kingdom. Here in the desert, paid laborers built tombs and temples for the pharaohs. To house the laborers, the Egyptians built Kahun, a planned city whose walls and layout reinforced the system of social class and served as a means of control over the population.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Taking inspiration from Cleopatra as well as the ancient Hellenistic rulers, Caligula's Floating Palaces included all the amenities you would expect to find onboard modern cruise ships: spacious baths, banquet halls, and live music. Caligula, himself, is also quite fascinating, as is the story of the ships' rediscovery.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Investigate the culture of Bronze Age Greece. After learning about the intriguing masonry at Tiryns and the impressive walls of Mycenae, you'll take a look at how vernacular architecture reveals differences in political systems among regional powers. Then find out about the Mycenaean collapse and the end of the era.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Your tour of ancient cities closes with an examination of Constantinople, which bridges the gap between the era of antiquity and the Middle Ages. Witness the development of this city and the political demonstrations and riots that accompanied its growth. You'll also study the Hagia Sophia, whose dome is considered the greatest work of Byzantine architecture.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Visit another Minoan city, which was obliterated by one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history. The eruption destroyed much of the city but also preserved a great deal. Look at some of the surviving houses and wall paintings and find out what archaeologists can deduce about daily life in the city from its remains.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Get an insider’s look at some of history’s most awe-inspiring structures in these 24 lectures presented by Professor of Classics Steven L. Tuck. As you make your way through storied sights like Persepolis, Hadrian’s Villa, Weiyang Palace, and the Palace of Montezuma II, you’ll explore the meaning of power and the ways it operated in societies across the globe.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Venture east to the Indus Valley, home of one of the great unknowns among ancient civilizations. The lack of written evidence from the region means we are reliant on the archaeological record to understand the culture of cities such as Mohenjo-daro. Tour its so-called citadel in the city center, examine its remarkable water systems, and more.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Consider another city at the edge of the empire - an agricultural community comprised of a diverse population. Here you'll learn about the farm-based economy and its relationship to the consumer city of Rome, and you'll examine the integration of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian ethnic groups.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
At the height of Egyptian power during the New Kingdom, skilled workers enjoyed more prosperity than ever before, and opportunities for promotion allowed for great social mobility. Meet several ordinary workers from this society and review some of the literature that teaches us about Egyptian social structure.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Built directly on the seacoast and a major transportation hub, Alexandria is the first massive, cosmopolitan city we know of in antiquity. Its lighthouse was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the variety of artists' workshops and its ethnic diversity made Alexandria the Greek cultural center.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Discover the last great Assyrian palace and the largest city the world had ever seen before the Babylonian conquest. See how its designers accomplished incredible civil engineering feats, diverting entire rivers into canals that offered protection and transportation. Also meet the magnificent lamassu guardians that flanked the palace entrances, each of which stood over 12 feet tall.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Begin your tour of the ancient world by a look at our modern one as you explore the palaces of Saddam Hussein. Discover how he called upon the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians for inspiration and also how the architecture changed over time in response to threats from Iran and the United States.