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Herodotus: The Father of History

By: Elizabeth Vandiver,The Great Courses
Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
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Summary

Witness the "works and wonders" of the ancient world through the eyes of its first great historian in this sparkling series of 24 lectures from a much-honored teacher and classical scholar.

Herodotus (c. 484-420 B.C.E.) was a Greek who was born in what is now the modern Turkish resort town of Bodrum and who died, so tradition says, in the south of Italy. In between, his tirelessly inquiring mind took him from one corner of the known world to another. And he reported on or visited all of its continents (Europe, Asia, and Africa) to write about the vast array of subjects that captured his interest. These included the "great works" of the ancient land of Egypt; the remarkable kings who built the vast Persian Empire; and the strange customs and unlikely origins of the Scythians, a warlike, mounted people who lived beyond the Danube and whose repulse of Darius and the Persians in 513 B.C.E. made them the first Europeans to throw back an eastern invasion.

The book that emerged from these "inquiries" - The Histories - is Herodotus's only known work, yet it still made Herodotus one of the rare, landmark figures in the story of thought. In these lectures, Professor Vandiver introduces you to Herodotus and The Histories, tracing the influences he assimilated and the new methods he used in crafting this monumental work. You learn how that work looked at the past in new and fresh ways, seeing it not as a distant recess shrouded in legend and rumor, but as something that lies close at hand; as something that immediately affects the here and now, and as a subject whose great personalities and patterns of events can be studied in order to make the reasons behind them as clear as possible.

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

©2002 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2002 The Great Courses

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If you love Herodotus, listen to this!

This course is both educational and enjoyable to listen to, providing greater context and insights into the Histories. I have read Herodotus more than once, and will be reading it again with a different view after this course. It also helps that the lecturer is passionate and engaging.

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Provides context and analysis

This is a fascinating introduction to The Histories, the major source for the Greco-Persian Wars.

Great context is provided for Herodotus' life and times, evaluation of his role as the (first) historian (or otherwise) and coverage and analysis of the content of the work. My understanding was greatly enhanced as a result.

It is good to see that Herodotus is now being re-evaluated and that after years of having many of his stories dismissed as fantasies scholars and archaeologists are now finding the buried truths within them.

The accompanying lecture notes, timeline, glossary, biographical notes and bibliography are comprehensive and detailed.

Prof Vandiver's presentation is very good and I am sure I will listen to some of her other Great Courses in the future.

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2 people found this helpful

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excellent

This excellent course provides a great introduction and background to Herodotus. We are so fortunate to have Dr Vandiver's expertise to enrich our reading of this amazing book. Thanks audible

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Don’t read Herodotus without it!

EV is a specialist on Herodotus and we are very lucky to have her 24 intelligent and enthusiastic lectures to help us appreciate an important author and source for understanding Classical Greece and Persia. Wonderful.

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Absolutely brilliant

Elizabeth Vandiver is knowledgeable, passionate and utterly compelling. Could listen to her forever. Wish there there more courses by her.

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An insight into the first-ever history book

Another great lecture series from Prof Vandiver, who brings Ancient Greece to life so well.

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Great orator

Great lecture, great orator, very fine peace of work. The background lecture was very useful.

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Fascinating

A very learned and engaging lecture series. Now to hit the arbitrary 20 word requirement.

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Very interesting and enjoyable

It was nice to look at history from this perspective and really get to know one source. The lecturer is very engaging.

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Engaging introduction to Herodotus

The lecturer's delivery is easy to follow and remember. I was particularly interested in how many ethnographical details Herodotus gets right about various non-Greek cultures, the challenges he faced writing about the past at a time when a society was transitioning from oral to literate, and gaining a roadmap into his work. I now feel equipped to read the Histories.

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