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Education

Ancient Greek History

by Donald Kagan
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Latest episodes

  • 12 – The Persian Wars

    October 16, 2007 · 1 hr 19 min

    In this lecture, Professor Kagan examines in detail the development, growing pains, and emergence of Athenian democracy. He argues that the tyranny under the Peisistratids led to the development of the idea of self-government among the…

  • 11 – The Rise of Athens (cont.)

    October 11, 2007 · 1 hr 13 min

    In this lecture, Professor Kagan traces the development of Athens. He argues that Athens, like other poleis, undergoes political and social turmoil due to the rise of the hoplite farmer. This unrest is first seen in the attempted coup…

  • 10 – The Rise of Athens

    October 9, 2007 · 1 hr 12 min

    In this lecture, Professor Kagan finishes up his description of the Spartan constitution. He argues that Sparta had a mixed constitution and gained great power due to alliances that the Spartans made with their neighbors. After the…

  • 9 – Sparta (cont.)

    October 4, 2007 · 1 hr 13 min

    In this lecture, Professor Donald Kagan explores the development and character of Sparta. He points out that in Sparta, the ethos of the polis was present to an extraordinary degree. Then he describes how this came about. In short…

  • 8 – Sparta

    October 2, 2007 · 1 hr 15 min

    In this lecture, Professor Donald Kagan explores the rise, fall, and significance of tyrannies in the Greek polis. He argues that the various tyrannies in the Greek world had both negative and positive aspects, which need to be…

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  • 7 – The Greek “Renaissance” – Colonization and Tyranny (cont.)

    September 27, 2007 · 1 hr 10 min

    In this lecture, Professor Donald Kagan explores the rise of Greek colonies. He argues that the rise of new colonies was primarily due to the need for new farmland, although he acknowledges several other important reasons. He also shows…

  • 6 – The Greek “Renaissance” – Colonization and Tyranny

    September 25, 2007 · 1 hr 9 min

    In this lecture, Professor Donald Kagan discusses the emergence of a new style of warfare among the Greeks, the hoplite phalanx. After discussing the panoply of the hoplite solider and the method of fighting, he argues that this style of…

  • 5 – The Rise of the Polis (cont.)

    September 20, 2007 · 1 hr 7 min

    In this lecture, Professor Donald Kagan tells the story of the emergence of the polis from the Dark Ages. He shows that by the time of the poet Hesiod, there is already a polis in place. He describes the importance of the polis in the…

  • 4 – The Rise of the Polis

    September 18, 2007 · 1 hr 8 min

    In this lecture, Professor Donald Kagan offers a sketch of the Greek heroic code of ethics. He shows that in this community, arête (manly virtue) and honor are extremely important and even worth dying for, as the case of Achilles makes…

  • 3 – The Dark Ages (cont.)

    September 13, 2007 · 1 hr 13 min

    In this lecture, Professor Kagan addresses what scholars call the Homeric question. He asks: what society do Homer’s poems describe? He argues that in view of the long oral transmission of the poems, the poems of Homer probably reflect…

  • 2 – The Dark Ages

    September 11, 2007 · 1 hr 8 min

    In this lecture, Professor Donald Kagan explores the earliest history of Greek civilization. He demonstrates how small agricultural enclaves eventually turned into great cities of power and wealth in the Bronze Age, taking as his examples…

  • 1 – Introduction

    September 6, 2007 · 33 min

    Professor Donald Kagan explains why people should study the ancient Greeks. He argues that the Greeks are worthy of our study not only because of their vast achievements and contributions to Western civilization (such as in the fields of…

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About the show

This is an introductory course in Greek history tracing the development of Greek civilization as manifested in political, intellectual, and creative achievements from the Bronze Age to the end of the classical period. Students read original sources in translation as well as the works of modern scholars. This course was recorded in Fall 2007 and taught by Professor Donald Kagan.